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Man vs. Child: One Dad's Guide to the Weirdness of Parenting
Man vs. Child is a funny, fresh take on the parenting guide, written from the dad’s perspective. It’s about the absurdity of being a dad from your blissful pre-baby days through when your kid is off at school, probably complaining about you. It’s a companion to help you through the hard times, like when you need something to read on the toilet and your phone is dead.
NAMED ONE OF AMAZON’S BEST HUMOR BOOKS OF 2017
Balancing relatable humor with heartfelt advice, Man vs. Child will appeal to any dad looking for both laughs and real guidance from a man who has had--and survived--these experiences himself. A perfect Father's Day gift or present for a first-time dad!
PRAISE FOR MAN VS. “Doug Moe has written a delightful and helpful book that gives real advice about the Wild West world of raising children.” - Amy Poehler, actress, comedian, and NYT bestselling author of Yes, Please “Moe ‘describes the awed affection new fathers may have for their children with relatable humor and genuine insight, offering a promising resource for the curious and the clueless.’” - The New Yorker “From tackling toddler meltdowns to bringing up baby in any conversation, comedian Doug Moe’s irreverent take on the absurdity of fatherhood is a refreshing read for new dads. It feels like you’re chatting with a friend who admittedly doesn’t know everything, but does know exactly what you’re going through.”
- Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine “Wow is it terrific -- funny, smart, relatable, and actually filled with some very good tips, from handling sleepless nights for tips to get rid of your kids’ weird friends on playdates.” - Cool Mom Picks “Yes, it’s just one man’s point of view, but we have a feeling your guy will find more than enough in common with this hilarious dad-in-training.” - PureWow
NAMED ONE OF AMAZON’S BEST HUMOR BOOKS OF 2017
Balancing relatable humor with heartfelt advice, Man vs. Child will appeal to any dad looking for both laughs and real guidance from a man who has had--and survived--these experiences himself. A perfect Father's Day gift or present for a first-time dad!
PRAISE FOR MAN VS. “Doug Moe has written a delightful and helpful book that gives real advice about the Wild West world of raising children.” - Amy Poehler, actress, comedian, and NYT bestselling author of Yes, Please “Moe ‘describes the awed affection new fathers may have for their children with relatable humor and genuine insight, offering a promising resource for the curious and the clueless.’” - The New Yorker “From tackling toddler meltdowns to bringing up baby in any conversation, comedian Doug Moe’s irreverent take on the absurdity of fatherhood is a refreshing read for new dads. It feels like you’re chatting with a friend who admittedly doesn’t know everything, but does know exactly what you’re going through.”
- Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine “Wow is it terrific -- funny, smart, relatable, and actually filled with some very good tips, from handling sleepless nights for tips to get rid of your kids’ weird friends on playdates.” - Cool Mom Picks “Yes, it’s just one man’s point of view, but we have a feeling your guy will find more than enough in common with this hilarious dad-in-training.” - PureWow
270 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2023
78 people are currently reading
386 people want to read
About the author
Doug Moe
7 books35 followersDoug Moe is a comedic actor and writer from the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
His book “Man Vs Child: One Dad’s Guide to the Weirdness of Parenting” was named one of Amazon’s Best Humor Books of 2017. (“Moe describes the awed affection new fathers may have for their children with relatable humor and genuine insight, offering a promising resource for the curious and the clueless.”
-The New Yorker)
He is the co-author of three books for D.L. Hughley: “How to Survive America,” “Surrender, White People!: Our Unconditional Terms for Peace” and the New York Times Bestseller “How Not to Get Shot: And Other Advice From White People” (“A satirical but apt addition to the culture’s fraught conversation about race.” - New York Times Book Review).
He’s a longtime performer and instructor at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. On TV, you've seen him in "Inside Amy Schumer," "30 Rock" or "Difficult People," among other places.
Twitter: @dougmoe
His book “Man Vs Child: One Dad’s Guide to the Weirdness of Parenting” was named one of Amazon’s Best Humor Books of 2017. (“Moe describes the awed affection new fathers may have for their children with relatable humor and genuine insight, offering a promising resource for the curious and the clueless.”
-The New Yorker)
He is the co-author of three books for D.L. Hughley: “How to Survive America,” “Surrender, White People!: Our Unconditional Terms for Peace” and the New York Times Bestseller “How Not to Get Shot: And Other Advice From White People” (“A satirical but apt addition to the culture’s fraught conversation about race.” - New York Times Book Review).
He’s a longtime performer and instructor at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. On TV, you've seen him in "Inside Amy Schumer," "30 Rock" or "Difficult People," among other places.
Twitter: @dougmoe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 23, 2023
***Named one of Amazon's Best Humor Books of 2017.***
I mean look: this is my book. That I wrote. If I don't rate it 5 stars, then I am really a little silly, right?
But truly, truly I think this is a funny book. You should read it if you are a dad or soon to be one. Or if you know a dad or have seen a dad, why not read it? Or perhaps you are a wife to a soon-to-be dad or a mother to a dad-t0-be. In those cases, maybe buy it as a gift.
And heck, Amazon named it as one of its "Best Humor Books of 2017" - that's not nothing, right?
Here's some copy that I wrote for the back cover, that didn't fit:
Why Won’t Your Kid Just Be Cool?
I used to be like you: scared of babies, sipping a fancy coffee, whiling away my hours in a bookstore, and not just after “story time.” But I traded in such freedom for love. Well, love and tantrums. In short, I became a dad.
Or maybe you're a dad-to-be, wondering what the heck you have done? Or are you a dad already? Um, I think your kid is smearing jelly on the self-help section.
There’s dads like us everywhere these days: changing diapers, pushing strollers, desperately trying to reason with screaming children.
But where are the books for us? Moms have lots of funny parenting books to drink wine to. But most books for dads are either treat us like idiots or they’re full of useful, but boring information.
This book is different. Man vs. Child is about the absurdity of being a dad today: from your blissful pre-baby days through when your kid is off at school, probably talking shit about you. It’s a companion to help you through the hard times, like when you need something to read on the toilet and your phone is dead.
It’s a guide to the really important stuff, like how to dress your baby according to your personal brand and whether you need to make friends with other parents on the playground. It’s a guidebook for smart, funny dads who are still worried about messing up their kid.
I hope you like it. Welcome to the weirdness of parenting.
I mean look: this is my book. That I wrote. If I don't rate it 5 stars, then I am really a little silly, right?
But truly, truly I think this is a funny book. You should read it if you are a dad or soon to be one. Or if you know a dad or have seen a dad, why not read it? Or perhaps you are a wife to a soon-to-be dad or a mother to a dad-t0-be. In those cases, maybe buy it as a gift.
And heck, Amazon named it as one of its "Best Humor Books of 2017" - that's not nothing, right?
Here's some copy that I wrote for the back cover, that didn't fit:
Why Won’t Your Kid Just Be Cool?
I used to be like you: scared of babies, sipping a fancy coffee, whiling away my hours in a bookstore, and not just after “story time.” But I traded in such freedom for love. Well, love and tantrums. In short, I became a dad.
Or maybe you're a dad-to-be, wondering what the heck you have done? Or are you a dad already? Um, I think your kid is smearing jelly on the self-help section.
There’s dads like us everywhere these days: changing diapers, pushing strollers, desperately trying to reason with screaming children.
But where are the books for us? Moms have lots of funny parenting books to drink wine to. But most books for dads are either treat us like idiots or they’re full of useful, but boring information.
This book is different. Man vs. Child is about the absurdity of being a dad today: from your blissful pre-baby days through when your kid is off at school, probably talking shit about you. It’s a companion to help you through the hard times, like when you need something to read on the toilet and your phone is dead.
It’s a guide to the really important stuff, like how to dress your baby according to your personal brand and whether you need to make friends with other parents on the playground. It’s a guidebook for smart, funny dads who are still worried about messing up their kid.
I hope you like it. Welcome to the weirdness of parenting.
March 26, 2022
A funny guide to parenting, however leaning much more towards humour than practical advice - which is unfortunate, because the humour is hit or miss. A couple of good observations though, but while amusing, it could use more "meat".
March 19, 2022
The start isn't the best, not really as funny as advertised or maybe it's just me who has a little baby. He likes giving us a hard time and probably that's why the stories connected with infancy aren't funny. Later on I found the book amusing and giving really good, practical tips when dealing with a growing baby. It's also a good view on the changing times as the baby grows.
May 28, 2017
I tried to buy this at McNally Jackson, but they were having a reading downstairs so I couldn't access the shelves. So I bought it on Amazon. Anyway, it's really funny and something made me laugh out loud on every page. Good work, Doug Moe.
September 28, 2017
Doug Moe is a funny person and a funny writer. This book is a great gift for parents looking for a few laughs, or a just a great all around reading for anybody who was ever a child one. Look, it's funny for everybody, okay? Check it out!
December 5, 2017
Hilarious "how to" for the father who likes to keep things humorous but still needs some practical skills. Written by a seasoned comedian, this book fills a serious empty spot on the parenting shelves and leaves the reader ready, eager and with a smile!
August 20, 2017
A new-ish take on a parenting book. I expected this to be a purely humorous book, but there were some gold nuggets in here (My favorite: Kids are not giving you a hard time, but rather having a hard time.) The book seems like it mainly targets new dads who are overly-anxious about child rearing. But even as a dad of 4, I found myself identifying with a lot of the stories. Extra points for the chapter on dilly-dallying...1) because it is exactly how my kids get dressed and 2) we both use the phrase "dilly-dally"
August 10, 2019
Osinskipoludzku.blogspot.com
Rzadko sięgam po poradniki i po tym eksperymencie upewniłem się co do tego, że dobrze robiłem trzymając się od tego gatunku z daleka. Mało jest dobrych poradników, a książka Douga Moe z pewnością do nich nie należy.
Ludzie, którzy czytają moje opinie twierdzą że łatwo mnie zadowolić jeśli chodzi o lektury. Być może nie jestem zbytnio krytyczny, albo mam szczęście do książek. Fakt, faktem iż przeważnie jestem zadowolony z tego co wpadnie w moje czytelnicze ręce. Literatura na temat rodzicielstwa kwitnie w najlepsze. Jeśli spojrzeć na mnogość pozycji które pojawiają się na rynku w tej tematyce to naprawdę jest w czym wybierać. Pewnie dużo jest pozycji wartych uwagi. "Tata kontra dziecko" do nich nie należy. Przynajmniej takie jest moje skromne zdanie, a poparte jest ono kilkoma godzinami poświęconymi lekturze tego co sklecił ( bo takie określenie najbardziej mi tu pasuje) Doug Moe.
Już od samego początku mamy do czynienia z jednym schematem, który towarzyszy całej książce. Autor prześmiewa każdy temat dotyczący rodzicielstwa, który porusza i tak naprawdę na tym poprzestaje. Pomimo tego, że cenię sobie poczucie humoru i nie wyobrażam sobie bez niego książki o dzieciach, to jednak są jakieś granice a Doug Moe je moim zdaniem przekroczył. Za każdym razem kiedy pojawiała się u mnie nadzieja, że żarty skończone i pojawią się konkrety następował tyle że zawód. Zamiast rad dotyczących rodzicielstwa pojawiały się kolejne popisy i fajerwerki przypominające o tym, iż autor "Tata kontra dziecko" jest przede wszystkim aktorem i nie udało mu się niestety wyjść z roli. Żarty może i były śmieszne, a anegdoty nieraz wywołały uśmiech na mojej twarzy, ale nie tego oczekiwałem. Na moje przekleństwo brnąłem w książkę do samego końca gdyż naprawdę rzadko zdarza mi się nie doczytać raz zaczętej książki przed wystawieniem opinii.
Jeśli chcecie się trochę pośmiać to możecie dać szansę książce Douga Moe choć zakładam, że szybko się wam znudzi. Jeśli natomiast zamierzaliście poszukać w "Tata kontra dziecko" wskazówek na temat rodzicielstwa to tym bardziej sobie darujcie. Ja po tej lekturze z pewnością długo będę omijał poradniki szerokim łukiem.
Rzadko sięgam po poradniki i po tym eksperymencie upewniłem się co do tego, że dobrze robiłem trzymając się od tego gatunku z daleka. Mało jest dobrych poradników, a książka Douga Moe z pewnością do nich nie należy.
Ludzie, którzy czytają moje opinie twierdzą że łatwo mnie zadowolić jeśli chodzi o lektury. Być może nie jestem zbytnio krytyczny, albo mam szczęście do książek. Fakt, faktem iż przeważnie jestem zadowolony z tego co wpadnie w moje czytelnicze ręce. Literatura na temat rodzicielstwa kwitnie w najlepsze. Jeśli spojrzeć na mnogość pozycji które pojawiają się na rynku w tej tematyce to naprawdę jest w czym wybierać. Pewnie dużo jest pozycji wartych uwagi. "Tata kontra dziecko" do nich nie należy. Przynajmniej takie jest moje skromne zdanie, a poparte jest ono kilkoma godzinami poświęconymi lekturze tego co sklecił ( bo takie określenie najbardziej mi tu pasuje) Doug Moe.
Już od samego początku mamy do czynienia z jednym schematem, który towarzyszy całej książce. Autor prześmiewa każdy temat dotyczący rodzicielstwa, który porusza i tak naprawdę na tym poprzestaje. Pomimo tego, że cenię sobie poczucie humoru i nie wyobrażam sobie bez niego książki o dzieciach, to jednak są jakieś granice a Doug Moe je moim zdaniem przekroczył. Za każdym razem kiedy pojawiała się u mnie nadzieja, że żarty skończone i pojawią się konkrety następował tyle że zawód. Zamiast rad dotyczących rodzicielstwa pojawiały się kolejne popisy i fajerwerki przypominające o tym, iż autor "Tata kontra dziecko" jest przede wszystkim aktorem i nie udało mu się niestety wyjść z roli. Żarty może i były śmieszne, a anegdoty nieraz wywołały uśmiech na mojej twarzy, ale nie tego oczekiwałem. Na moje przekleństwo brnąłem w książkę do samego końca gdyż naprawdę rzadko zdarza mi się nie doczytać raz zaczętej książki przed wystawieniem opinii.
Jeśli chcecie się trochę pośmiać to możecie dać szansę książce Douga Moe choć zakładam, że szybko się wam znudzi. Jeśli natomiast zamierzaliście poszukać w "Tata kontra dziecko" wskazówek na temat rodzicielstwa to tym bardziej sobie darujcie. Ja po tej lekturze z pewnością długo będę omijał poradniki szerokim łukiem.
July 15, 2023
This book is exactly what it is advertised to be, "one dad's guide to the weirdness of parenting" written by the comedian Doug Moe. It is a quirky, often funny look at his experience as a father and serves as a nominal (he'd argue, practical) replacement for the ubiquitous and thick parenting guides parents-to-be/new parents buy.
The chapters are broken down into stages of life from pregnancy to tween. In each chapter he tries to cut through the variety of things you might hear and just keeps it real. As a father of 5, with my youngest just now approaching the tween stage of life, much of this was not applicable to me, but was funny to reminisce about. It was also consistent in its approach, parenting is hard and if you think you're going to learn everything you need to know about parenting from a book, then you're in for a rough surprise. However, that isn't the takeaway I'd want to give about parenting and it isn't the takeaway Doug Moe seems to want to give either, he'd say that parenting is among the most rewarding things he's done and the source of much more humor than you might think, especially when you're in the middle of it.
The chapters are broken down into stages of life from pregnancy to tween. In each chapter he tries to cut through the variety of things you might hear and just keeps it real. As a father of 5, with my youngest just now approaching the tween stage of life, much of this was not applicable to me, but was funny to reminisce about. It was also consistent in its approach, parenting is hard and if you think you're going to learn everything you need to know about parenting from a book, then you're in for a rough surprise. However, that isn't the takeaway I'd want to give about parenting and it isn't the takeaway Doug Moe seems to want to give either, he'd say that parenting is among the most rewarding things he's done and the source of much more humor than you might think, especially when you're in the middle of it.
November 4, 2024
Full of laughs and nods from also a dad with a daughter
I read the first half of this book when my daughter was born. And I finally finished it when now she is six. Time flies and you will never get it back. I found quite a few great take aways from another dad (author Doug Moe), such as it's my daughter and it is up to me who let you even touch her. And share how cute and amazing my daughter is, whenever I can slip in a chat or in a conversation. Anyways to all dads out there, this is like reading a book from one dad to another. Just pick it up for a laugh while you are at it.
I read the first half of this book when my daughter was born. And I finally finished it when now she is six. Time flies and you will never get it back. I found quite a few great take aways from another dad (author Doug Moe), such as it's my daughter and it is up to me who let you even touch her. And share how cute and amazing my daughter is, whenever I can slip in a chat or in a conversation. Anyways to all dads out there, this is like reading a book from one dad to another. Just pick it up for a laugh while you are at it.
September 28, 2019
Like Jim Gaffigan, and before he was a social pariah, Louis CK, old Doug Moe has some funny observations on being a dad. I found his observations about being a stay at home dad to be especially touching. Perhaps you need to ACTUALLY be a stay at home dad (to what I refer to as a CHILD ENRICHMENT ENGINEER) then those tears running down your face will make you say, “Because it’s true!” I mean, I didn’t bust a gut, but it’s obvious that if me and Doug (does anyone name their child Doug still?) were to meet in a bar, the drinks would flow!
February 11, 2020
Charming and funny and insightful and free from the kind of self-seriousness that most parenting advice books are full of. In Moe's words, one of the biggest takeaways about life from parenting is "Being fun is more fun than not being fun, duh." Having a laugh over the ridiculousness and challenge of turning out a good little human is a good way to keep the fun in the madness. He also manages to avoid gender essentialism, other than to comment on the prevalence of these expectations and to offer that they are in some ways inescapable, despite their silliness.
December 21, 2018
It was ok. Had some decent tips. Lot of the jokes fell flat, but some of them had me laughing out loud. Might have a better read than a listen. Since there was some references to illustrations. There were some suprisingly tender moments as Doug contemplated how he was going to continue as a dad of a teenager. The first couple times there were random cuss words thrown in it was funny. Eventually they got off-putting. I didn't hate it but 5 hours was long enough I think.
May 8, 2017
I can't wait to read this book. I saw Doug perform at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. He was hilarious. Some of the bits from that show grew into this book. How could it not be fantastic? And because he is my friend i can tell you that he is a riot in person, but also thoughtful and a great dad. What could be better than having that in book form?
May 9, 2017
This book may be a Dad's Guide, but if you are a parent you are going to enjoy it. You might even enjoy it if you are watching your friends trying to be parents. From beginning to end the way Doug Moe deconstructs the situations he encounters as a dad are an excellent combination of hilarious and thoughtful. Great read.
September 21, 2020
I thought this book was mediocre, I didn't find it very informative as a new father, but found is somewhat entertaining. I did listen to the book so that may have impacted my opinion of it. Also my ideology doesn't align well with the author's which played a role in my annoyance with this book. I was only able to finish the book because it was short and I found it funny at times.
November 19, 2020
I have read 52 books so far this year and (7x other “dad” books) to prepare me for my now 5-month old son.
This is the worst book I have read in 2020.
It is poorly written and somehow manages to join this crowded backfield of “humorous dad guides”, whilst being neither funny or informative.
This is the worst book I have read in 2020.
It is poorly written and somehow manages to join this crowded backfield of “humorous dad guides”, whilst being neither funny or informative.
May 6, 2017
Brilliantly funny!
May 13, 2017
Doug is hilarious. I love how he addresses that the expectations for a Dad have changed so much recently -- balancing being sensitive but also masculine.
May 13, 2017
This is so funny and relatable. The book was both illuminating and fun to read.
June 2, 2017
Please see my review here:
http://jesterjournal.com/MoeBook.html
http://jesterjournal.com/MoeBook.html
August 1, 2017
I would have rated this book 4 or 5 stars had it not been for all the f-bombs which were completely unnecessary. They took the fun out of it for me. Otherwise, the book was fun to listen to.
August 16, 2017
A fun gift for fathers and fathers to be. Way to go, Doug Moe!
I didn't read it cover to cover, truth be told, but skimmed a lot of it.
I didn't read it cover to cover, truth be told, but skimmed a lot of it.
August 29, 2017
I wanted it to be funnier than it was.
April 17, 2020
I’m not sure if this book is trying to be insightful or funny but I found it to be neither.
It is insightful if you’re a terrible parent.
It’s funny if you enjoy derivative and cliched writing.
It is insightful if you’re a terrible parent.
It’s funny if you enjoy derivative and cliched writing.
July 3, 2020
Ta książka ma jeden plus: jest lekka i zabawna.
August 28, 2021
Really enjoyable and funny read. Occasionally heartwarming, very relatable.
May 23, 2022
Was a good comical/ lighthearted book on what to expect as a father through the process of pregnancy and raising a kid. Definitely recommend for fathers to be
May 14, 2017
Legitimately funny, not "funny for a dad" funny. Great illustrations, too! Loved it!
November 16, 2019
My wife and I like to listen to humor books on long road trips. Since we are expecting early next year, when we saw Man vs. Child: One Dad's Guide to the Weirdness of Parenting as one of Amazon's best humor books of 2017 we jumped on it.
To be honest, I expected it to be funnier. Doug Moe's writing style is great and he really delivers on the audiobook performance, but overall I just didn't find myself laughing out loud as much as I have with other humor books. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of chuckles and few times I breathed somewhat heavier purposefully out of my nose (chortle?), but they seem few and far between.
The parenting advice is light, the laughs are light, but if you need to kill some hours in the car this will keep your attention.
To be honest, I expected it to be funnier. Doug Moe's writing style is great and he really delivers on the audiobook performance, but overall I just didn't find myself laughing out loud as much as I have with other humor books. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of chuckles and few times I breathed somewhat heavier purposefully out of my nose (chortle?), but they seem few and far between.
The parenting advice is light, the laughs are light, but if you need to kill some hours in the car this will keep your attention.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews