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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Matteo Bussola is a designer and cartoonist who lives in Verona, Italy with his wife Paola; their three young daughters, Virginia, Ginevra, and Melania (ages eight, four, and two); and their two dogs. For two years, he's been writing posts on Facebook capturing the beauty of ordinary moments with his family. Sleepless Nights and Kisses for Breakfast is the memoir that grew out of these writings. Divided into winter, spring, summer, and fall, the book follows the different seasons of parenthood and life. At times moving, and at others humorous, these writings remind people to savor the present and appreciate the simple things in life.
As Matteo says, "Virginia, Ginevra, and Melania are the lens through which I observe the world. . . . My daughters remind me that being a father means living in that gray area between responsibility and carelessness, strength and softness." Sleepless Nights and Kisses for Breakfast is an eloquent memoir by a gifted storyteller.
Review:
I get lots of emails from NetGalley, advertising various new books to request. Seeing this book, a reflection on fatherhood from Italian writer Matteo Bussola, I was instantly interested. How would an Italian man view fatherhood? Would it be any different from an American perspective? I read this book and came to a realization that should have been obvious already: Men in any country love and adore their children. This book was lovely to read and would be a perfect gift for a father to be, or any dad on Father's Day.
What I Liked:
This book is a series of small essays of fatherhood, originally published as Facebook posts. Each section celebrates small moments as a parent: the funny things young children say, the times you (the adult) get to rediscover little pleasures, etc. Parents will instantly recognize these times. People who are about to become parents will get a glimpse of what they are in for.
What I Was Mixed About:
The book doesn't really have a story in a traditional sense. It is broken up into seasons, but that is the only structure to the book. I wish the author could have put these stories in the context of his marriage, or of a period of time. This would give the reader a better understanding of how these stories fit into the rest of his life.
Also, I think this book presents a very idealized picture of parenthood. While I think it's great that the author is such a happy parent, most people have a mixture of emotions about parenthood. There are worries about whether or not we are messing up our kids (maybe that's my own fear!), concerns over money, and lack of time with our partners. With the exception of showing how tired he and his wife were, there seemed to be no other problems in their life. A fuller picture would have provided more balance.
Rating:
Release Date: May 9th, 2017
Genre: Non-Fiction
Source: NetGalley
Format: ARC E-Book
Recommendation: This will be a great book to give to a father, or soon-to-be dad. It is sweet reflection on how children completely engulf our lives, and how we should appreciate this gift.
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