Hilarious and honest, Dad Is Fat chronicles the difficult but joy-filled experience of raising five children in a two-bedroom walk-up in New York City. Comedian Jim Gaffigan ranges from topics like disastrous ski holidays to large families (“Every year after Jeannie has her annual baby…”), and his warm, open manner leaves no room to doubt that he genuinely loves his wife and children, which makes his wry observations all the funnier.
It’s no wonder Dad is Fat has been hovering on the New York Times Bestseller list since it debuted in May. My husband and I listened to the audiobook on the long drive to Colorado this weekend, and while we would have welcomed any distraction from the interminable stretches of I-70, this book was the best thing we could have chosen. Narrated by Gaffigan himself, the timing and tonality bring another dimension to his already witty and honest writing (although, I also recommend checking out the print edition: it features dozens of pictures of him and his family, including some hilarious sketches detailing bedtime strategy).
Cast in the same mold as Bill Cosby’s Fatherhood, it will appeal to fans of Calvin Trillin’s Family Man and the more recent You’re Not Doing It Right from Michael Ian Black.