The New One

I LOVE Mike B. and I’ve rewatched his shows on Netflix multiple times. His most recent, The New One, is my favorite, because we learn he loves being a dad to Una. She’s very lucky. I wanted this book and chose the Kindle Edition so I could listen while I work, and was so excited to know HE was reading it, so it’s part book and part show, because he’s not “reading”, but performing it. Absolutely love this, as well as his new podcast. Thanks, Mike, for the laughs.

I really appreciated Mike Birbiglia’s raw viewpoint of experiencing fatherhood when he never wanted children.

Not a lot of people are willing to be honest and describe the struggle they had with deciding to have a child and the aftermath of raising a child. I think he does a great job describing his feelings as a new father and his insecurities that made it difficult to feel like he was parenting right. A lot of father’s probably feel similar because the bond a mother creates with her child is lacking with the father, even after the child is born. The father has to build that intimate bond with his child from scratch.

Not everyone wants children, not everyone is meant to be a parent, but for many, even those that didn’t want children, they eventually find the joy and meaning a child brings, no matter how difficult it is.

I like that he acknowledges he and his wife lied to themselves by claiming having a child wouldn’t change things. Too many people go into parenthood with this mindset, but it’s false. A child changes everything. I think Birbiglia and his wife’s strong relationship is a reason they were able to overcome the struggle.

I loved many of his wife’s poems that are sprinkled throughout the book, although some went over my head, and I’m not big into poetry.

Overall, a great read and recommended for those considering having a child.

I found much of this funny and “relatable,” but Birbiglia makes the wife he says he loves sound self-absorbed and unlikable. The poetry that purports to be hers weakens the humor and story. It made me oddly angry to be exposed to it proudly. Example: “…Come out come out come out little poop/And say hello to mommy and me/My daughter poops a treasure more valuable to Earth, says Earth, than any contribution of the high arts.” Really?

As an unmarried and childless woman, I can 100% say this book contains the exact right amount of information.

Cant recommend this book enough. Or can I? Its funny. Its touching. Its funny. Its sad. Its funny. Its great if you love Mike. Its funny. Its great if youve never heard of Mike. Its funny. Having seen him live and streaming and on podcasts and talk shows and on DVD and heard him streaming and on CD and podcasts, I can tell you he is always funny and you end up learning something about Mike and yourself as well. Also, the audible version of this is terrific. His wife Jen is a soft-spoken, quirky, witty poet who seems to be an excellent mother and partner to Mike. Dont forget- -I saved your best friends life!

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