You Have to Fucking Eat, Adam Mansbach, Owen Brozman, Illustrator
Amanda & Joshua
Hardcover, 32 pages
Publication: November 12th 2014 by Akashic Books
Source: Print ARC from Publisher
Sometimes, a book comes along that is so profoundly truthful that it defies explanation. The ideas expressed within are so universal in their application that the work elevates from mere text to something approaching scripture. For us, this is that book.
Your cute little tummy is rumbling
And pancakes are your favorite treat.
I’m kind of surprised you suddenly hate them.
That’s bullshit. Stop lying and eat.
Poetic. Fucking. Brilliance. An inspired artistic expression of the existential crisis every parent experiences while out for breakfast at their favorite spot (or what used to be their favorite spot 5 years ago when they still had time to enjoy things like breakfast on a Saturday fucking morning, but I digress) while trying to get junior to shove just one more goddamned bite of french toast or egg or anything to postpone for even five fucking minutes the next cry of “daddy, im hungry”.
This book is not only informative and potentially therapeutic, it is also aesthetically pleasing, with entertaining illustrations to show the importance of EATING YOUR GODDAMNED DINNER! In fact, this book is even enjoyable for children; our daughter liked the pictures in this book so much she picked it up and wandered off to read it on her own. Oops. Thankfully, it didn’t end up in her backpack and go to school for her teacher to discover, my sister’s prediction notwithstanding… Maybe she will even f-ing learn something from it!
Seriously, every parent should buy a copy of this for their partner or anyone else who has children in their house. Fill Christmas stockings with this book! Let the Chanukah fairy deliver it! You can read it while you eat your kid’s leftovers for your after-bedtime dinner and drown your sorrows in a glass of wine and a couple muscle relaxers. Or wait – is that just at our house?
5 stars!
Thank you Akashic Books for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review!
All quotes were taken from an uncorrected galley proof subject to change in the final edition
Gun In Act One 
I have an unbelievably picky child and just the title made me laugh! I’ll definitely have to get this one though I think I’ll have to pick this one up!
You will recognize your life on the pages then. Its so funny!
On Wed, Nov 12, 2014 at 10:07 AM, Gun In Act One wrote:
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I have no kids, but I remember reading Go the F*$# to Sleep and laughing so hard. This one sounds equally hilarious. I may, as you suggest, have to pick this one up for some friends that do have picky little eaters at their tables. Great review.
LOl best title ever
It really is!
On Wed, Nov 12, 2014 at 2:30 PM, Gun In Act One wrote:
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It gets better! There’s an audio version, narrated by Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad.