This Is Not Your Father’s Fatherhood: A Comic Memoir

During the paternity leave he reluctantly took with his first child, Brian K. Pinaire expected to get a lot done. As a workaholic with absolutely no intuitive understanding of children, Pinaire figured the baby would nap all day, allowing him to be immensely productive away from the office. It’s funny how foolish you are until you become wise.

Not only did he not get much accomplished during this period, he started to feel okay with that, realizing new priorities in his life. A second paternity leave, three years later, reinforced this sentiment, as have his subsequent experiences as the primary caregiver in the home due to his more flexible work schedule.

Sure, he remembers when children's songs weren't burned into his brain, when he wasn’t referred to as so-and-so’s dad on the playground, and when two living and breathing deadlines didn’t steal away so much of his time. But he wouldn’t go back. He’s proud to have evolved from a (sometimes) self-centered jerk to a (mostly) self-aware father and husband.

About the Author

Brian Pinaire on Points in Case – Brian is the author of The Constitution of Electoral Speech Law and dozens of articles in both commercial outlets and academic journals. He holds a BA in politics from Whitman College and a PhD in political science from Rutgers University. Pinaire was formerly a tenured professor of political science at Lehigh University, where he received multiple awards for teaching and research. Since retiring from academia, he has worked as a full-time researcher, writer, and editor. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Pinaire currently resides in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, Emily, and their two sons, Lucas and Wills. He took a semester-long paternity leave (twice) and found himself forever changed by changing diapers. Being a father is the hardest thing he’s ever done—but also the best.

Editorial Reviews

“After the birth of his first son in 2005, Pinaire (The Constitution of Electoral Speech Law) decided to take 12 weeks of paid leave offered to him as a professor at Lehigh University—a decision that changed his life, as he details in this intimate and entertaining look at fatherhood. Admitting that he had no intention of ‘bonding with anything other than my laptop' and cranking out some articles, Pinaire soon realized that the idea of ‘an easy opportunity to be more productive while also being a ‘parent’?' was ‘a completely stupid notion.' Fortunately he decided to keep notes on his growth as a parent and a father, and shares his experiences through humorous anecdotes and observations as he attempts to ‘make sense of modern fatherhood.' Pinaire is at his best when he observes the ways in which his expectations were shaken by reality, such as his chapter on the discrepancies between what different child-care centers promise, such as ‘not treating a baby like a package of office supplies.' But other sections, such as a sarcastic look at erectile-dysfunction ads geared to fathers, feel rehashed. However, new and younger fathers-to-be will learn some valuable tips from this account of becoming a parent. ”
–Publishers Weekly

Reader Reviews

“Thoroughly enjoyable memoir about parenting from a male perspective. … The author is smart but no arrogant, witty but not trite. At times, he gets understandably sarcastic (like when talking of a particular experience of a hungry child at a restaurant) and other times heart-warming and empathetic. ”
-Amazon Reviewer

“Pinaire's first book beyond his academic tome is a wonderfully funny memoir from one of America's growing and under-valued demographic – the “stay-at-home Dad”. It is very well written and cleverly insightful. Part confessional, part advice column, but mostly just hilarious stories about the wonderful world of raising children – in this case two very different boys – from a new perspective.”
-Amazon Reviewer

More Book Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Moonshot Books (April 29, 2017)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0692802991
• ISBN-13: 978-0692802991
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches