Sh*t My Dad Says

HarperCollins

Sh*t My Dad Says
Justin Halpern
2010

The Summary
"After being dumped by his longtime girlfriend, twenty-eight-year-old Justin Halpern found himself living at home with his seventy-three-year-old dad.  Sam Halpern, who is 'like Socrates, but angrier, and with worse hair,' has never minced words, and when Justin moved back home, he began to record all the ridiculous things his dad said to him:

• 'That woman is sexy...Out of your league?  Son, let women figure out why they won't screw you.  Don't do it for them.'
• 'Do people your age know how to comb their hair?  It looks like two squirrels crawled on their heads and started fucking.'
• 'The worst thing you can be is a liar...Okay, fine, yes, the worst thing you can be is a Nazi, but then number two is liar.  Nazi one, liar two.'

"More than a million people now follow Mr. Halpern's philosophical musings on Twitter, and in this book, his son weaves a brilliantly funny, touching coming-of-age memoir around the best of his quotes.  An all-American story that unfolds on the Little League field, in Denny's, during excruciating family road trips, and, most frequently, in the Halpern's kitchen over bowls of Grape-Nuts, Sh*t My Dad Says is a chaotic, hilarious, true portrait of a father-son relationship from a major new comic voice."

The Good
Halpern's book is uproariously funny.  Sam Halpern has no filter, and he says what he wants in a very colorful manner.  He's brutally honest, almost to the point that it makes you wince, but he has a candor that's unrivaled.  Halpern is tough love personified, but it is love, even if it is a bit unorthodox.

Although Sh*t My Dad Says mostly revolves around Halpern's father and the things he's said (hence the title), it also traces the author's life from his childhood.  He recounts Little League games, family dinners, birthday parties and family reunions, college life, relationships, and more.  All with Sam Halpern's colorful commentary, of course, but it has the tone of a memoir throughout.

It's a short book, much like the original "tweets" that first inspired Sh*t My Dad Says, but it's incredibly funny, thoughtful, and, yes, even sweet.  It chronicles one man's relationship with his father, and all the mayhem and touching moments that ensue.

Sh*t My Dad Says is a hilarious memoir with memorable stories and laugh-out-loud quotes from Sam Halpern.  It's definitely worth reading at least once, if only for the valuable insights Halpern's father provides.

The Bad
No major complaints.  If I have to mention any one thing, it might be that the book is a little short.  I would have liked to have read more about Halpern and his family, I think I would have enjoyed more quirky stories and nuggets of wisdom from his father; however, I was still pleased with the book and would find it easy to pick it up again.

The Ugly
If you don't like cursing, or if you're easily offended, I wouldn't recommend Sh*t My Dad Says.  Halpern's father isn't concerned with treading on anyone's toes, which means he'll day what he wants exactly when he wants to say it - and he's not afraid of a little colorful language.