Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner, by Adam Keeble

If there is a man in your life who is addicted to 1980s pop culture, then you may want to consider getting him this collection of essays. Don't Put Baby In The Corner! A PG-Rated Guide To Parenting Advice Found In 1980s Movies, by Adam Keeble, is both a fun walk down memory lane as well as source of ... ahem ... parenting advice from the likes of Darth Vader.

I say that this would make a good holiday or father's day gift for dads. In my opinion, this book is written for dudes. And I mean DUDES. The writing style is very conversational and would appeal to men more than women, and the film selections seem to be closer to what my boyfrieds watched in high school than what I enjoyed. Keeble does include the standard Brat Pack favorites such as Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles, but more of the films he deals with catered to the male moviegoing tastebuds.

But isn't that as it should be? Shouldn't a book on parenting be written in the true voice of a man who is apparently an outstanding parent himself? All is as it should be.

Keeble divides the book into separate essays, each dealing with a different film that is easily identifiable to members of Generation X. He gives a lighthearted 'refresher course' in each movie and provides a tongue-in-cheek description of each in terms of parenting. What did our favorite movie parents do well? What did the bad parents do wrong? Why in the hell were Indiana Jones and his dad sleeping with the same woman?

I do not suspect that Keeble intends to give much actual advice - what he intends to give is a chuckle. So I would not dump your Dr. Spock or Brazelton books just yet. But if you are a dad looking for a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon (assuming you do not have kids jumping on you), pick up this lighthearted walk down movie memory lane.