In Alternadad, Neal Pollack offers a wonderfully candid account of his and his wife's attempt to bring up their son while still having fun and preserving their attachment to youth culture. For Pollack, this means bringing the boy to music festivals and teaching him about the history of rock and roll, and nothing brings joy to his heart like hearing his son say he wants to listen to the Ramones. It means having posters of Johnny Cash and not of Wilco, or learning that Baby Bear is a terrible show while Sesame Street rocks. It means teaching your son to be irreverent without being a bad kid. In the end, Alternadad is about learning to be a responsible parent who can also teach his son how to mosh. It also just might become the parenting bible for a new generation of parents trying to raise their kids in an increasingly homogenized and uptight culture.
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"Really a pretty funny book. I can't believe some of the crap this guy pulls as a father, but I guess to each his own. His description of the Austin City Limits music festival was pretty funny. I'd recommend the book to you dad's out there that are still longing for the good-ole-days. I wouldn't call it earth moving, but it is a funny little memoir."
— Jason (4 out of 5 stars)
" On audio. I enjoyed the story, I could certainly relate on a few levels. I think my biggest takeaway was that if you open yourself up on a blog you're going to be a target - another reason besides laziness not to go that route! "
— Melissa, 2/20/2014" I don't know, I didn't think this book was that good. Pollack isn't a bad writer, but he's smarmy and privileged (oh my God! I don't get to go out every night when I have a kid!) and feels comfortable making broad, silly assumptions based on the one article his wife finds on google that cooresponds with his perspective. How convenient. I appreciate him trying to delve hard into the complexity of parenthood, and every now and then he does a good job of acknowledging his own mistakes and successes, but he lets himself off the hook, and presents himself as the expert of all things based on shoddy research, too much for my liking. Blah. "
— RandomAnthony, 2/19/2014" Normally I despise books by and about self-involved people I know I would loathe in person (see: Julie and Julia), but I perversely like Neal Pollack's prose anyway. "
— Angela, 2/17/2014" Met him at the Sanibel writer's conference. Amazing author, very funny. This is a must read. "
— Ashley, 2/10/2014" A very funny, very honest account of a man adjusting to being a father, while still trying to be cool. "
— Meghan, 2/2/2014" So far it's a 2 star - seems like he dwells a LOT on just how hip he is (was?) before he and his wife had their baby. Maybe the story will pick up once they actually have the kid, but I'm having a hard time trudging through the setup that seems to go nowhere and takes a long time getting there. "
— Brent, 2/1/2014" Really funny to start with, but got a little boring after awhile. Having trouble picking it up again. I care more about reading about the parenting stuff, but that became Neal's sideline after about chapter Nine when he goes to Amsterdam to get high, then comes back to Texas and starts a rock band. "
— Jill, 1/19/2014" I found this book highly amusing, both in the writing style and the subject material. It is, of course, almost perfectly targeted for my demographic though (partying 20-something male, ) so you may take a star or two off depending on your feelings about books that fit that demo. "
— Bill, 1/6/2014" This book helped me resolve almost every fear that I have of parenthood. "
— Alisha, 12/22/2013" Loved it. Funny, easy to read, and as a whole foods shopping, mid/late 30's, pro-arts atheist Jew in an inter-marriage, it was right up my alley. To the point that like me, Pollack wanted to name his son Moses and his wife said no. "
— Dan, 12/18/2013" Funny look at parenting. Not to be construed as a guide! Frequently had me laughing out loud. "
— Eben, 12/15/2013" very funny though Neil's not as "alternative" as he wants you to believe, but that probably makes him more accessible to a wider audience. "
— caleb, 12/13/2013" Funny and true-all hipster boyfriends who think they're too cool (but are really too scared) for family life should read it! Unfortunately, women will probably be the primary readers of this book! "
— Nomi, 12/1/2013" Meh. The first half was good - pontification on a man not unlike myself becoming a father, and all that. Really dragged toward the end. (Struggles to find good daycare are not book fodder.) "
— Dan, 11/20/2013" Definitely funny, you might have to have kids to completely get everything. Don't agree with all his parenting choices, but worth a read. "
— Elissa, 10/14/2013" I was warned and didn't listen. What an a-hole. "
— Erik, 6/20/2013" My personal I-think-we-can-do-this tipping point. Now onto getting it done. "
— Katie, 4/12/2013" There are some funny anecdotes here and a lot of good one liners. Unfortunately some of it reads like Christmas letter. "
— carl, 1/15/2013" Yep, that's me or who I want to be. Next time we meet Mr. Pollack I'll have one for ya. "
— Michael, 5/28/2012" I couldn't finish it. so, so bad. "
— Ethan, 5/10/2012" A funny account of Neal Pollack, his wife, their son and an unedited account of their stumbling through parenthood. "
— Julie, 3/4/2012" Some amusing stories, but overall not really something I'd pass on to anyone. "
— Caroline, 1/12/2012" Great book from a Dad's perspective. Although Neal Pollack is not your typical Dad, he does experience and explain a lot of the normal "Dad" experiences. I enjoyed this light hearted read and knowing there are others out there that find it a struggle to sometimes just get through the days. "
— Heather, 9/25/2011" This book CRACKED ME UP!!!!!!! Absolutely hilarious! "
— Lisa, 7/11/2011" I think I could consider having kids after reading this book :) "
— Sario, 5/19/2011" Awesome account of becoming a father. "
— Kai, 4/6/2011" Normally I despise books by and about self-involved people I know I would loathe in person (see: Julie and Julia), but I perversely like Neal Pollack's prose anyway. "
— Angela, 11/19/2010" Meh. The first half was good - pontification on a man not unlike myself becoming a father, and all that. Really dragged toward the end. (Struggles to find good daycare are not book fodder.) "
— Dan, 8/28/2010" An incredibly funny and touching book about parenthood. Loved it! "
— Karen, 7/7/2010" This book made me laugh out loud on several occasions even though I read it already a few years ago. One of the quickest non-fiction books I've ever read. It was good before I was even thinking of having kids and now it's even better. "
— JBF, 4/30/2010" Here's my 6-word summary: <br/> <br/>Funny stories -- but what a dick. "
— Melinda, 4/18/2010" i felt like a cheese dick when i bought this. Especially because i was in Seattle at the time, but it did help us through something that was potentially terrifying, to the other side where humor lived. "
— Rachel, 4/5/2010" I think about this book when I look over at my neighbor on his balcony smoking pot from a vaporizer. "
— Naomi, 1/25/2010" Yep, that's me or who I want to be. Next time we meet Mr. Pollack I'll have one for ya. "
— Iamapremo, 1/6/2010" This book had the potential to be truly unique, but somewhere along the way, the author lost his edge and it became another book about first time parents. It's really too bad, because there were times when I almost thought Pollack was going to be a "cool dad." "
— Drew, 5/19/2009Neal Pollack is the author of several acclaimed books of satirical fiction and nonfiction, including the cult classic The Neal Pollack Anthology of American Literature, as well as Doward-Facing Death and Alternadad. A contributor to many magazines, newspapers, and websites, he also keeps a semidaily blog at www.NealPollack.com, and is a certified yoga instructor, the lead singer of The Neal Pollack Invasion, and a roller-derby announcer. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.