Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Akashic Books (2011), Edition: 1st, Hardcover, 32 pages
Description
Fiction. Humor (Fiction.) HTML: The #1 New York Times Bestseller: "A hilarious take on that age-old problem: getting the beloved child to go to sleep" (NPR). "Hell no, you can't go to the bathroom. You know where you can go? The f**k to sleep." Go the Fuck to Sleep is a book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don't always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland. Profane, affectionate, and radically honest, it captures the familiar�and unspoken�tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. Read by a host of celebrities, from Samuel L. Jackson to Jennifer Garner, this subversively funny bestselling storybook will not actually put your kids to sleep, but it will leave you laughing so hard you won't care..… (more)
Media reviews
Are our enlightened, engaged, sensitive parenting practices driving a certain segment of the population insane? Is the nice, liberal father who has just this Saturday carted his kids to soccer practice, play dates, piano lessons, made sunflower-butter sandwiches, and read Goodnight Moon three times
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seething with quiet desperation? The surprise ascendance of Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortés' Go the F**k to Sleep on all sorts of best-seller lists eloquently answers that question. Show Less
Look: I have no problem with this book. It's a funny little lark. But it's simply not worth all this attention...
User reviews
LibraryThing member gbill
I laughed until I cried even after several readings. Written and illustrated as if a kids bedtime book, the text drops in profanity to reveal what many an exhausted parent have thought when at wit’s end to make their child, however adored, go to sleep. Hilarious! But not for those who don’t
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like the f-bomb. Show Less
LibraryThing member AyleeArgh
Brilliant. I took note of this satirical children's book immediately upon reading its colourful title, though I was not sure what to make of it until I read a bit about it. Go The F--k To Sleep is meant as a commentary on the sometimes silly bedtime stories parents read to their children to get
I listened to the free audiobook at Audible.com. In another stroke of brilliance, they hired Samuel L. Jackson to narrate it. Perfect choice for the narrator of a book that has an F-bomb in its title or what?
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them to go to sleep. Though I am not a parent myself and could not directly relate to the situation that Adam Mansbach presents, I do have a feel for the frustrations that parenthood can sometimes bring. Adam Mansbach has written a hilarious parody of a children's book that should definitely never be read to an actual child.I listened to the free audiobook at Audible.com. In another stroke of brilliance, they hired Samuel L. Jackson to narrate it. Perfect choice for the narrator of a book that has an F-bomb in its title or what?
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LibraryThing member TheoClarke
Ferocious parody of bedtime reading books making the guilty rage of exasperated parents explicit. Clever, funny, and visually rich, this would be less effective without the harshness that offends some readers.
LibraryThing member usagijihen
If I ever have children, you can be sure that this is going to be the very first book I have in my bedtime story library. Never have I laughed so hard, and never have I wished more that this book existed when I babysat other kids as a teenager. Yes, it was that awesome. Especially I went and got
Okay, seriously. I think we’ve all had to go and babysit for someone at some point in our lives; for family members, for summer jobs, etc., and our charges weren’t very good about going to sleep at night. Right now, this is my little niece – she almost never sleeps. I got this book in audiobook format for my uncle and cousin so they can release some stress (safely) while trying to get her to go to sleep at the same time for Father’s Day this year.
This book is all about that absolutely desperate feeling you get when you just want the child to be unconscious so you can have a little you time, or date time with your significant other, or something similar. You love the child, sure, or you’re fond of them enough to be there reading them a bedtime story (even if it’s a babysitting job). You NEED them to be unconscious for the sake of your sanity.
Some might call this book crude and irreverent, but honestly, it’s nothing like that. At least, that’s how I think of it. This was written by a parent for his children, illustrated by a parent for his children, so it’s not like they’re doing it out of anger at their children. This is for the parents/caretakers more than the children to be sure, but it’s still sweet in that it goes over every single excuse in the book children at bedtime will use to try to get out of it.
The bonus interview with Jackson at the beginning of the audiobook version is helpful, too, because he too relates as an exasperated parent/caretaker with his kids and trying to get them to go to sleep. All of this is done out of love. Desperate, awful love, but love all the same. And you can tell.
So have a good time with this book. It’s obviously not to be taken seriously as a children’s book, otherwise it’d probably be censored by the government or something. Release a little stress and laugh. But not too loud, or your child might wake up, and then you just might have to read them this book after all in desperation to save your nerves.
One of the best of 2011 for the children’s book/humor categories. Loved it, and I can’t wait to own the hardcover! This will definitely go down as one of the classics (like “Where the Wild Things Are”) as subversive bedtime lit. Mark my words.
(crossposted to librarything, goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
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the audiobook version – Samuel L. Jackson as the narrator? GENIUS. Pure genius.Okay, seriously. I think we’ve all had to go and babysit for someone at some point in our lives; for family members, for summer jobs, etc., and our charges weren’t very good about going to sleep at night. Right now, this is my little niece – she almost never sleeps. I got this book in audiobook format for my uncle and cousin so they can release some stress (safely) while trying to get her to go to sleep at the same time for Father’s Day this year.
This book is all about that absolutely desperate feeling you get when you just want the child to be unconscious so you can have a little you time, or date time with your significant other, or something similar. You love the child, sure, or you’re fond of them enough to be there reading them a bedtime story (even if it’s a babysitting job). You NEED them to be unconscious for the sake of your sanity.
Some might call this book crude and irreverent, but honestly, it’s nothing like that. At least, that’s how I think of it. This was written by a parent for his children, illustrated by a parent for his children, so it’s not like they’re doing it out of anger at their children. This is for the parents/caretakers more than the children to be sure, but it’s still sweet in that it goes over every single excuse in the book children at bedtime will use to try to get out of it.
The bonus interview with Jackson at the beginning of the audiobook version is helpful, too, because he too relates as an exasperated parent/caretaker with his kids and trying to get them to go to sleep. All of this is done out of love. Desperate, awful love, but love all the same. And you can tell.
So have a good time with this book. It’s obviously not to be taken seriously as a children’s book, otherwise it’d probably be censored by the government or something. Release a little stress and laugh. But not too loud, or your child might wake up, and then you just might have to read them this book after all in desperation to save your nerves.
One of the best of 2011 for the children’s book/humor categories. Loved it, and I can’t wait to own the hardcover! This will definitely go down as one of the classics (like “Where the Wild Things Are”) as subversive bedtime lit. Mark my words.
(crossposted to librarything, goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
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LibraryThing member kageeh
I probably wouldn't say the title out loud at work but that wouldn't keep me from reading this on a train -- and laughing out loud. Come on, admit it,if you're a parent, you've already written this book (though probably not as well) but, alas, only in your head. Probably more than once. Night after
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sleepless night. So you're not going to be as wealthy as Adam Mansbach will be very soon but you can still appreciate him just as well. Give this book to every new parent you know but, for best results, kindly wait until the happy glow of delivery has worn off and she has just realized, as Erma Bombeck so succinctly said, why animals eat their young. And she's looking for a fork. Destined to be a classic forever. Show Less
LibraryThing member JackieBlem
This book is already a legend, breaking all kinds of pre-sale records after the author shared a PDF for free. Frustrated parents everywhere found a voice (abeit an edgy one that will make some folks uncomfortable), and a laugh, in this poetic tale of the all too familiar struggle to get a small
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child into bed and to sleep. I was worried that the actual book wouldn't stand up to the hype (I found out about it after the PDF had been shut down), but it is very, very, very funny and worth all the hoopla. It will take you two minutes to read it, and probably a good 10 more to stop laughing. The illustrations are darling, as well. Show Less
LibraryThing member varwenea
At the urging of a friend, I read this book expecting to laugh my head off. Don’t get me wrong, I smiled and grinned a lot, and maybe even had a smirk, thanking nobody in particular that I’m not a parent. Instead, what I thought most was, FINALLY, somebody is willing to put their neck out and
Go Adam Mansbach Go. Tell the world how f’ing f’d-up it can be to be a parent sometimes. Spread the truth. Say what needs to be said. Draw the pretty pictures, make it cute, and say it like you mean it!!
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admit what a pain-in-the-arse it can be to be a parent sometimes. None of this sunshine and rainbows 24/7 bull crap that everyone thinks he/she should project as a parent, complete with a plastered-on fake smile, but is ultimately looking for sympathy and to be recognized as some sort of martyr. God forbid you actually admit that all you really want to do is swear like a sailor every night you try to put your kid to bed. Go Adam Mansbach Go. Tell the world how f’ing f’d-up it can be to be a parent sometimes. Spread the truth. Say what needs to be said. Draw the pretty pictures, make it cute, and say it like you mean it!!
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LibraryThing member SarahZee
I don't have kids yet, but knowing myself! I'm gonna be this parent! I'm not proud of that, but hell, this is so me! LOVED IT!
LibraryThing member jasminemarie
My husband and I are new parents of a 10-month old who STILL does not sleep through the night. (We're working on it.) Out of everything, I think the single most-mystifying thing about having your own baby is sleep. Everyone warns you about it when you become a parent, but you are never really fully
The story reads a lot like a bedtime story because of the illustrations and poetic verses, but please do not confuse it with an actual bedtime story that you can read with your little ones. However, it would make a great gift to share with parents - especially new ones.
I think the writing could have been a little sharper. Maybe because I've read so many Dr. Seuss books lately, but I was expecting a little more of a rhythmic bounce to the story a la Seuss-ical fashion.
I personally don't use curse words in my life and don't really care to hear it used when I'm around, so I didn't care much for the profanity in the book. It was funny the first couple times around. After the first few pages, it got a little old for me. And it made me a little uncomfortable that this parent was so free with them around his kid or when thinking about his kid. You might think that makes me a prude and old-fashioned and I know the author was using it more for emphasis than any other thing, but in my opinion, I think the book would have been just as enjoyable and have the same effect without all of the curse words on every single page.
Overall:
That being said, I did really enjoy the book. I thought it greatly captured the frustration and every day (and night!) reality that parents face when it comes to the issue of sleep (or lack thereof) with babies and young ones. It was real, raw and honest and as a new parent, wishing of the day when my daughter will sleep through the night every night, it was very entertaining to read.
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prepared for the first couple of months of parenthood when your world is so much fuller because of the new baby in your life, but also so insanely overwhelming because you are so sleep-deprived. I chose to request and review this book because I thought it'd give me a good laugh about those crazy nights we've had where our baby girl would NOT sleep and I wholehearted started believing that she (and I) would never go back to sleep EVER AGAIN.The story reads a lot like a bedtime story because of the illustrations and poetic verses, but please do not confuse it with an actual bedtime story that you can read with your little ones. However, it would make a great gift to share with parents - especially new ones.
I think the writing could have been a little sharper. Maybe because I've read so many Dr. Seuss books lately, but I was expecting a little more of a rhythmic bounce to the story a la Seuss-ical fashion.
I personally don't use curse words in my life and don't really care to hear it used when I'm around, so I didn't care much for the profanity in the book. It was funny the first couple times around. After the first few pages, it got a little old for me. And it made me a little uncomfortable that this parent was so free with them around his kid or when thinking about his kid. You might think that makes me a prude and old-fashioned and I know the author was using it more for emphasis than any other thing, but in my opinion, I think the book would have been just as enjoyable and have the same effect without all of the curse words on every single page.
Overall:
That being said, I did really enjoy the book. I thought it greatly captured the frustration and every day (and night!) reality that parents face when it comes to the issue of sleep (or lack thereof) with babies and young ones. It was real, raw and honest and as a new parent, wishing of the day when my daughter will sleep through the night every night, it was very entertaining to read.
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LibraryThing member AgneJakubauskaite
DISCLAIMER: This is a review of an audiobook.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Adam Mansbach’s hysterical grown-up poem “Go the Fuck to Sleep” is an international bestseller about hardships most of the parents face when they try to put their kids to sleep.
MY THOUGHTS:
Recently I came across Mansbach’s second
Truth be told, I enjoyed the second poem “You Have to Fucking Eat” sooo much more. Although quite funny and fairly accurate, “Go the Fuck to Sleep” is much more repetitive than its successor, to the point where it even seems a little bit too long. Also, there are just a couple of parts I really like in the first poem (for example, the ending, which is genuinely amusing), whereas I absolutely love every single line of “You Have to Fucking Eat.”
I also prefer Cranston’s narration over Jackson’s. First of all, I really love Cranston’s voice. Also, Cranston not only manages to make swearwords sound cute (which accurately captures the spirit of the poem) but he also reads the other parts of the poem with a very lively intonation. Although Jackson kills the swearing parts, his reading of the rest of the poem fades in comparison to Cranston’s narration.
VERDICT: 3 out of 5
WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
Adam Mansbach’s hysterical grown-up poem “Go the Fuck to Sleep” is an international bestseller about hardships most of the parents face when they try to put their kids to sleep.
MY THOUGHTS:
Recently I came across Mansbach’s second
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poem “You Have to Fucking Eat” read by Bryan Cranston, a.k.a. Mr. White from “Breaking Bad,” and since I loved it so much, I decided to check out this one as well. Therefore, instead of talking exclusively about “Go the Fuck to Sleep” read by Samuel L. Jackson, I will compare the two poems.Truth be told, I enjoyed the second poem “You Have to Fucking Eat” sooo much more. Although quite funny and fairly accurate, “Go the Fuck to Sleep” is much more repetitive than its successor, to the point where it even seems a little bit too long. Also, there are just a couple of parts I really like in the first poem (for example, the ending, which is genuinely amusing), whereas I absolutely love every single line of “You Have to Fucking Eat.”
I also prefer Cranston’s narration over Jackson’s. First of all, I really love Cranston’s voice. Also, Cranston not only manages to make swearwords sound cute (which accurately captures the spirit of the poem) but he also reads the other parts of the poem with a very lively intonation. Although Jackson kills the swearing parts, his reading of the rest of the poem fades in comparison to Cranston’s narration.
VERDICT: 3 out of 5
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LibraryThing member snat
Even though I will vehemently deny it around people who know me, every once in a while I look at all the people who suck in the world and think I owe it to humanity to procreate. Why? Because, and I don't want to undersell this, I really think my children would be awesome. However, there are three
It's also because of that summer that I can understand the frustration of the narrator in this book. I also highly recommend listening to the audio version narrated by Samuel L. Jackson while reading the book. No one can throw down vulgarities like my man Samuel. He perfectly captures a loving, but tired parent's increasing tension and frustration while trying to coax a young'un into sleep until he finally reaches a Jules "And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger" Winnfield crescendo.
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primary reasons I have thus far refused to give in to any maternal instincts: 1) pregnancy and childbirth hold no appeal whatsoever as I don't think the whole host/parasite dynamic is that magical, 2) with my luck, my children would be cheerleaders and football players--and I just can't risk that, and 3) I would be the type of parent who would tell my kid to go the f**k to sleep--at least until they had the ability to mimic everything I said. I have proof of this because of the summer I baby-sat my 6 month old nephew. That child may never remember it, but during those two months he heard language normally only uttered by drunken sailors on leave--albeit in a sweet, sing-songy voice. And the only thing I wanted from him all summer was for him to go to frackin' sleep so I could read. That summer I learned why it's called baby-sitting (literally, that's all you can do--sit and watch the baby) and why I probably should not consider being a parent.It's also because of that summer that I can understand the frustration of the narrator in this book. I also highly recommend listening to the audio version narrated by Samuel L. Jackson while reading the book. No one can throw down vulgarities like my man Samuel. He perfectly captures a loving, but tired parent's increasing tension and frustration while trying to coax a young'un into sleep until he finally reaches a Jules "And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger" Winnfield crescendo.
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LibraryThing member avanders
Hilarious. I think I first saw this when it was circulating in pdf format? then I saw it was on sale "for real" and I immediately bought it. Perfect for anyone who has kids, knows someone who has kids, or has ever been a kid.
LibraryThing member dara85
I listened to audio version of this read by Samuel L. Jackson. Very funny. I remember those days.
LibraryThing member zzshupinga
Just as a disclaimer I have no kids, but I am the oldest of five and remember having to babysit my younger siblings.
This is the book that every parent, every babysitter, every older sibling that had to put their obnoxious younger siblings to bed will want to read...because it echos the thoughts
This is the book that every parent, every babysitter, every older sibling that had to put their obnoxious younger siblings to bed will want to read...because it echos the thoughts
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that so many of us had when trying to get them to go to sleep. This book puts onto paper every word that we thought while trying to get the little buggers to go to sleep. It's a quick, light, hilarious read, and the artwork is absolutely gorgeous watercolor illustrations that work perfectly with the book. I highly recommend that you send a copy of this book to everyone you know...whether they have kids or not, because surely on some level they can relate. Show Less
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
If you're a parent, you've been there. What more can be said?
LibraryThing member aimless22
Intriguing concept. This is probably the kind of nighttime story I would have read if I had had kids. I've got no patience.
LibraryThing member susiesharp
I got the audiobook free on Audible narrated by, Samuel L. Jackson. This is a great parody of a children’s book and is in no way for children but hilarious for parents!
This is like an inner dialogue you wouldn’t actually say to your children but if parents are honest they know they’ve thought
I highly recommend this little 6 minute audiobook to all parents!
This is like an inner dialogue you wouldn’t actually say to your children but if parents are honest they know they’ve thought
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it!I highly recommend this little 6 minute audiobook to all parents!
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LibraryThing member vtlucania
This was a humorous twist for adults in a child format. I think parents will be able to relate to this offering. The author uses his frustrations to illustrate a point. The fact that it was an illustratee easy to read book made it even better. There is a distinct possibility that I will go read the
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sequel. Show Less
LibraryThing member DebbieMcCauley
Fabulously funny bedtime book for parents who would like their children to just go the fuck to sleep already! Light relief for exhausted parents everywhere! Highly recommended
LibraryThing member cissa
This is WONDERFUL.
My own kid is 27 years old, but I still remember those days...and the book combines humor, affection, and exasperation in excellent proportions.
And I love the way that, except for the language, it's totally a kids' bedtime book.
Highly recommended for parents of babies and toddlers!
My own kid is 27 years old, but I still remember those days...and the book combines humor, affection, and exasperation in excellent proportions.
And I love the way that, except for the language, it's totally a kids' bedtime book.
Highly recommended for parents of babies and toddlers!
LibraryThing member Smiler69
It seems that this book has risen to best-seller status thanks to a viral online campaign which 'leaked' pdf images all over the internet prior to the book's release. But however it got to the top spot, I'd say it deserves to be there. One big caveat: if you're easily offended by swear words, I'd
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say you'd best stay away. But otherwise, this book about an exhausted parent reading a bedtime story to a child who will not go the f**k to sleep, and evidently has been refusing to go the f**k to sleep for a good while now, is hilarious. I'm not a parent, but I've done my share of babysitting and au pairing, and boy, could I relate. The free audio version, which I got via Audible, is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, and though I may have missed the illustrations (which I hear are very lovely) Jackson's reading of this six-minute little tale is just priceless. Show Less
LibraryThing member cannellfan
Mildly amusing, with somewhat nice art work. I'm not against profanity -- I don't mind it in my movies and TV shows at all. But this was just relentlessly tiresome -- a one-joke routine that got old too fast. Just not my cup of tea, I guess!
LibraryThing member cheme2005
I got this free on Audible today. The book is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson who couldn't be better. After coming home and taking forever to get our twins to eat dinner and go to sleep my wife and I listened to this book and laughed all the way through. This isn't your normal kids bedtime story and
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I agree that I would never read it to them, but I totally appreciate the book. This is for every parent whoever had a problem getting a kid to bed. You will greatly appreciate it. Trust me. Show Less
LibraryThing member jmoncton
A very funny parody on bedtime books that shows the frustration we often feel when putting our kids to sleep. If you get a chance, listen to actor Samuel Jackson reading this - PERFECT narration!
LibraryThing member satyridae
Cute. Marginally clever one-trick pony. The sad part is that as clever and as cute as this is, Mansbach isn't a good enough writer for the concept. It could have been far, far funnier, instead of relying on the constant repetition of "fuck" to carry the weight. I especially liked the page with the
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tiger, but mostly it was an exercise in regret that this book was not in the hands of someone like Dr. Seuss or even better, Philip Larkin. Two and a half stars, more for concept than execution. Show Less
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Audiobook of the Year — 2012)
Original publication date
2011-06
Physical description
32 p.; 8.4 x 6.2 inches
ISBN
1617750255 / 9781617750250