Empty, amusing calories

 

I picked up “Sh*t my dad says” from my parents’ bookcase while looking for an easy book to read on my flight home. I started reading the 150-page book the day before the flight and finished it a couple of hours later.

So it’s an easy read. Justin Halpern started tweeting about his dad and the sh*t he said a few years ago. His twitter account exploded with followers, who thought his dad was hilarious. He then wrote a book about it, filled with anecdotes from his life growing up with such an eloquently profane, straight to the point dad. Easy, amusing read.

I don’t find Halpern’s dad as funny as Halpern and his twitter followers seem to find but I can understand the love between them, and indeed in the whole family. I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out that he was the inspiration for the dad in “That ‘70s show”. No kiddie gloves here, tells it like it is, but also with an underlying love and morals that shine through (granted, some times more than others).

The format of the book, with each chapter consisting of one anecdote from Halpern’s life and some dad quotes, works really well for this kind of book. Halpern writes in a light, self-deprecating way.

This is not going to win any “Book of the Year” awards. It is not a memorable book (in fact, I have trouble remembering most of it even though I’ve only just finished it). It would have made an excellent airport book that requires little time and concentration while offering a few laughs in return.