David Bowers looks at the duties of fatherhood from a contemporary perspective in Dad’s Own Housekeeping Book: 137 Bright Ideas. This book is for the Mr. Moms of the world, or for those who just want to be more involved in tidying up the home front. As a single dad for 15 years before my remarriage, I wish I’d had a book like this. Bowers shows housekeeping neophytes the difference between a mop and a Swiffer; he also explains why there’s more to cleaning a toilet than wiping off the seat, and how cooking is really a defense mechanism against cranky youngsters. He describes the Felix Unger method for doing any household task, but at the same time provides a quick checklist for changing an imminent grandparent visit from a housekeeping disaster into an illusion of cleanliness. You can’t beat that kind of practical advice.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.
