Manhood for Amateurs

by Michael Chabon
Manhood for Amateurs cover
Good Books rating 4.08
Essays / Essay Collections
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £10.99
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 6451
  • Added: 2025-11-17
  • Updated: 2025-11-28
  • ISBN: 9780007365173
  • Publisher: HarperCollins UK
  • Published: 2012-10-02
  • Formats: 1
  • Reviews: 3

Michael Chabon, renowned author of WONDER BOYS and the Pulitzer Prize-winning THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY, offers a deeply personal and insightful collection of essays. This autobiographical narrative delves into the intricacies of fatherhood, the evolving nature of manhood, and the quirks of everyday life with Chabon's signature wit and eloquence. /n/n Chabon's essays are not just a reflection on his own experiences but also a broader commentary on contemporary society. His writing is both humorous and profound, making it a compelling read for anyone interested in the human condition.

Reviews
The Literary Omnivore · 2010-09-20
reflective 3.75

Chabon turns his keen eye for detail inward, contemplating both his good and bad experiences. The essays are filled with humor and introspection.

The Literary Omnivore's review highlights Chabon's ability to turn his personal experiences into compelling narratives. The essays are filled with humor and a deep sense of introspection, making the collection both entertaining and thought-provoking. The reviewer appreciates Chabon's honesty and his ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life. The essays are not just about parenting but also about growing up and the complexities of manhood. The reviewer finds the collection to be a refreshing take on modern fatherhood and the struggles that come with it. The essays are filled with a sense of longing and a deep reflection on the passage of time.

Quick quotes

    Chabon turns his devestatingly eye for detail inward, contemplating his good and bad experiences as well.

    The book is full of references to pop-culture from the 1970's, as he grew up through that decade.

    Each essay is imbued with an easy-going, self-deprecating, nostalgic humor.

The Guardian · 2010-03-13
insightful 4.00

The essays reveal a man who fails at parenting but does so with a unique and engaging perspective. The collection is a mix of humor and introspection.

The Guardian's review highlights Chabon's ability to turn his parenting failures into compelling narratives. The essays are filled with humor and a deep sense of introspection, making the collection both entertaining and thought-provoking. The reviewer appreciates Chabon's honesty and his ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life. The essays are not just about parenting but also about growing up and the complexities of manhood. The reviewer finds the collection to be a refreshing take on modern fatherhood and the struggles that come with it.

Quick quotes

    This collection of autobiographical essays shows one thing, it's that he fails better than most men when it comes to the task of parenting.

    The essays are filled with a mix of humor and introspection.

    Chabon's ability to find the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life is truly remarkable.

The New York Times · David Kamp · 2009-10-15
nostalgic 4.50

The collection is a melancholically pleasurable journey through Chabon's childhood memories. The essays are vivid and full of nostalgia.

David Kamp from The New York Times finds Chabon's collection to be a melancholically pleasurable read. The essays are not just about modern fatherhood but also about Chabon's vivid and ready access to his own childhood. The reviewer appreciates the nostalgia and the way Chabon brings his past to life. The essays are filled with a sense of longing and a deep reflection on the passage of time. The reviewer finds the collection to be a beautiful exploration of memory and the complexities of growing up. The essays are not just about Chabon's personal experiences but also about the universal themes of childhood and manhood.

Quick quotes

    This collection so melancholically pleasurable is not the modern-dad stuff but Chabon's ready and vivid access to his own childhood.

    The essays are filled with a sense of longing and a deep reflection on the passage of time.

    Chabon brings his past to life in a way that is both nostalgic and thought-provoking.

Appears in Lists