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viii, [2], 242, [4] pages. Signed by the Author sticker on front of the DJ. Bookplate on fep with "We wrote this book for you!" printed and the tome and signed Mike Birbiglia and Jerry below. Mike Birbiglia is a comedian, storyteller, director, actor and New York Times bestselling author who has performed in front of audiences worldwide. His shows, My Girlfriend's Boyfriend and Thank God for Jokes, were both filmed for Netflix. His most recent show, The New One, ran for ninety-nine shows at the Cort Theatre on Broadway. In addition to performing live, Mike wrote, directed, and starred in the films Sleepwalk with Me and Don't Think Twice. His first book Sleepwalk with Me and Other Painfully True Stories was a finalist for the Thurber Prize for American Humor. As an actor, Mike has appeared on Inside Amy Schumer, HBO's Girls, and Broad City, as well as in films like Trainwreck, The Fault in Our Stars, and Popstar. He played recurring roles in Orange is the New Black and Billions. He is a frequent contributor to public radio's This American Life and The Moth Radio Hour and was honored in 2017 with the Kurt Vonnegut Award for humor. J. Hope Stein is a poet, and the author of Little Astronaut. Her work has been published in the New York Times, the New Yorker and Poetry International. Derived from a Kirkus review: Self-deprecating reflections on the peaks and valleys of modern fatherhood. Comedian Birbiglia and his wife, Stein, parlay their individual creative talents into a funny and wise memoir on parenting. Fusing good humor and raw honesty with selections from Stein's evocative poetry, Birbiglia narrates his journey into parenting using material previously adapted for the Broadway stage. From the outset, the author admits to having "a low tolerance for children because I've lost a lot of great friends to kids." He was up front about that fact since he and wife Stein got married in 2008, but when she casually mentioned that having children would 'be different' for them, Birbiglia knew he was in store for some major changes. Though he outlines seven reasons for his reluctance about becoming a fatherâ "e.g., overpopulation, cancer history, a lack of great people in the worldâ "Birbiglia eventually warmed to the idea. The couple birthed their daughter, Oona, despite the author's varicocele condition, demanding touring schedules, and Stein's brutally difficult pregnancy. The author ably narrates these hurdles with the serious concern of a devoted husband and the comic timing of a seasoned entertainer. Throughout the book, Stein seamlessly interweaves her artistic verses, tempering all the facetiousness beautifully. Never clinical or overly extreme, Birbiglia's lighthearted, refreshingly droll approach to starting a family will appeal most to readers who can identify with both his reluctance to couple up and his acceptance and embracement of parenting. There are also shared moments of introspection and maturity, not to mention useful wisdom. As Oona moved into toddlerhood, Birbiglia began to accept himself as the "decent dad" he never thought he could become. Hilarious, relatable, cringeworthy, and effortlessly entertaining, particularly for new parents or those in contemplation. First Edition [stated]. Second printing [Stated]. Seller Inventory # 86417
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Bibliographic Details
Title: The New One; Painfully True Stories from a ...
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, New York
Publication Date: 2020
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Oona (Author photograph) and Wendy MacNaughton and
Condition: Very good
Dust Jacket Condition: Very good
Signed: Signed by Author(s)
Edition: 1st Edition
