Things My Son Needs to Know About the World

I was looking for a Fredrik Backman novel to read for July's book club author study and Things My Son Needs to Know about the World was available right now. So I took it out. It definitely helped to acquaint me more with Fredrik Backman. And to know him better as a parent.

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World is a series of missives to Backman's son as a newborn and a toddler with lessons that the author himself is learning about life as a new father, what he hopes will make him a good enough father and what his son, later on, should take from his experiences. We learn about how Backman ended up with a woman who is his exact opposite who is a wonderful mom to their son. And we learn about unconditional love.

This is a good book to read as a parent of adult children, reminding me of when my kids were little. Why I might have held a child's hand too tightly. When I struggled with the question of whether I was a good enough parent. This would also be a good book to read as a new parent, to know you are not alone... and perhaps to learn a few lessons yourself.