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How Tough Could It Be?: The Trials and Errors of a Sportswriter Turned Stay-at-Home Dad
"How does a man go from interviewing superstar athletes to planning the elementary school talent show? Or more specifically, how does he survive it? There is both insight and laughter in Murphy's answer, making this book entertaining for both fathers and mothers alike." - BookPage
After nineteen years as a writer for Sports Illustrated , Austin Murphy should have had it made. Instead, he'd had it with life as an absentee husband and father. So he decided to trade it in for a new that of his wife, Laura.
Alas, the man charged with preparing three nutritious meals a day had never mastered his own outdoor grill. And that was just the beginning. Sublimely ignorant of everything from grocery shopping to housecleaning to the need to trim his children's nails more than, say, semiannually, Murphy embarks on his journey like Shackleton taking on the Southern spectacularly ill-equipped to survive it.
Lively, poignant, yet laugh-out-loud funny, How Tough Could It Be? is a heartwarming account of one man's decision to reorder his life around things that really matter, and his adventures (and misadventures) along the way.
After nineteen years as a writer for Sports Illustrated , Austin Murphy should have had it made. Instead, he'd had it with life as an absentee husband and father. So he decided to trade it in for a new that of his wife, Laura.
Alas, the man charged with preparing three nutritious meals a day had never mastered his own outdoor grill. And that was just the beginning. Sublimely ignorant of everything from grocery shopping to housecleaning to the need to trim his children's nails more than, say, semiannually, Murphy embarks on his journey like Shackleton taking on the Southern spectacularly ill-equipped to survive it.
Lively, poignant, yet laugh-out-loud funny, How Tough Could It Be? is a heartwarming account of one man's decision to reorder his life around things that really matter, and his adventures (and misadventures) along the way.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
237 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Austin Murphy
21 books10 followersAustin Murphy is an American author and journalist who wrote for Sports Illustrated for 33 years before corporate downsizing made him an Amazon.com delivery truck driver. After working for Amazon, Murphy was recently hired as a writer for the Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press Democrat.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 2, 2009
Hilarious. I might have to buy this and try to get my husband to read it. And I want to pick it for Book Club one day. The author is an accomplished writer for Sports Illustrated, married to another writer. While he has advanced his career, covered amazing sporting events, enjoyed fine meals and hotels on the road, etc., his wife has pared back work and stayed home to focus on the kids. They decided that he is going to take a leave from full-time work and stay home for six months with the kids, while his wife will focus full-time on work. How tough could it be? Ha!
If this guy weren't a well known author, I would swear it was a women writing with a male nom de plume. He does a great job articulating life as the primary caregiver, and all the excruciating minutia that accompanies making three meals a day, everyday, doing the school runs and volunteering, being the one in charge of camps, dr appts, planning and packing for vacations, always being in charge basically. His wife offers a lot of suggestions "if I were the one doing that, I would...." but gives him enough space to figure it out and fall on his face. The way he writes is hilarious, and I could relate to a lot of what he said.
Had this not been a library book, there were many stories I would have highlighted or dog-eared to read out loud to my husband.
Great book.
If this guy weren't a well known author, I would swear it was a women writing with a male nom de plume. He does a great job articulating life as the primary caregiver, and all the excruciating minutia that accompanies making three meals a day, everyday, doing the school runs and volunteering, being the one in charge of camps, dr appts, planning and packing for vacations, always being in charge basically. His wife offers a lot of suggestions "if I were the one doing that, I would...." but gives him enough space to figure it out and fall on his face. The way he writes is hilarious, and I could relate to a lot of what he said.
Had this not been a library book, there were many stories I would have highlighted or dog-eared to read out loud to my husband.
Great book.
May 8, 2009
This was very pleasant read for me. I had a few belly laughs which is always a plua and I really like his sense of humor and the personality that came through in his writing. For me it was hearing what I needed to that made me like it. I needed to hear that as a guy he struggled with the same feelings as I do (and other women that I've talked to) and it's not just becuase we're "girls"... it's because we're PARENTS!! Thank you!
August 14, 2009
This is a completely hilarious book. The author is a senior writer at Sports Illustrated who decides to switch roles with his wife and stay home with the kids all day every day for six months. He is brutally honest about his lack of domestic skills, organizational skills, planning skills--any skills, really, involved in caring for a house and for children. But he's a great writer! And he learns what he needs to learn, including the realization that family is more important than anything.
July 6, 2009
Liked this, cute read. Don't think the author got the FULL stay-at-home-mom experience as his kids were already in elementary school during the time he wrote this so he missed out on the the really needy years of round the clock feedings and diaper changes etc....
June 2, 2010
I enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and also, satisfying for a man to appreciate how hard the life of a stay-at-home-mom really is. Also, he and his wife went to Colgate which he referenced frequently, so I felt further invested in his story.
January 7, 2013
This book had me laughing out loud in multiple places. Absolutely loved the vassectomy explanation and how he was able to "phone it in on Valentine's Day" afterwards. Also enjoyed watching Murphy go from anger to exhaustion to understanding as he took over as the stay at home parent.
May 3, 2013
I loved this book. It was so validating as a stay at home mother, which, I'm sure, has helped his sales. :) He is a fantastic writer. Crass at times...but, well, he's a sports writer and a guys' guy. I laughed all the way through it.
May 19, 2008
Started, but not finished. I think this meeting was cancelled, and I hate to say I recommended the book.
May 25, 2009
This book was funny--definitely one any mom would enjoy. It is also a good read to get your husband to read because of the author's humorous perspective of taking care of the home and kids.
February 25, 2010
Is it just me, or does Murphy's wife seem like a selfish, picky, ungrateful woman? OK, maybe it's just me.
June 18, 2010
I found this book to be very entertaining. I'm not sure if I was his wife that I'd have found it as funny. I'm hoping that my husband will read it, too.
August 2, 2010
I love books that start: "how hard can it be?" --Humor, funny.
September 4, 2012
It was an easy read and fun to see the male perspective on what mom's do all the time.
March 16, 2014
Loved it - laugh out loud funny in some parts, and you really get the sense he learned what it's like to be a mom.
August 24, 2013
Non-fiction. Great! Sports Illustrated writer takes 6 months off and becomes "Mr. Mom" to their 2 kids - funny!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews