If you know just a little bit about comedian Jim Gaffigan, odds are you are familiar with his hilarious riff on Hot Pockets:
Or one of his many other takes on food, like bacon:
But you may not know that he is a practicing Catholic, and has proved it by having five children. He, his wife, and his brood live in a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, and he chronicles the adventures of family life in his book Dad Is Fat. While frequently singing the praises of his superhuman wife, he devotes several brief chapters to the challenges of raising children, like eating out, celebrating holidays, going to the park, taking naps, and getting everyone to sleep at night. Occasionally he combines a chapter on family life with one of the other recurring themes of his comedy, like eating or his paleness.
The book is an easy and fun read, and I frequently read chapters out loud to my wife. He has easily become one of our favorite comedians. The only negative thing I could say about the book is that he sometimes repeats bits that he has also used during his stand-up routine, and in written form they suffer by comparison. But overall, I recommend it as a fun summer read as you lie on the beach, slathered in sunscreen and keeping an eye on your kids.
Note: Thanks to the publisher for a review copy of this book.
Elliot Ritzema 