A Memoir for Mothers' Day

How To Raise A Good Kid by Starbuck O'Dwyer
Source: free Advance Reader's Copy via a FirstReads giveaway on Goodreads for my honest review.
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First off, if I am perfectly honest, I need to mention that if I had not won a free (autographed!) copy of this book from Goodread's First Reads giveaway program, I probably never would have picked it up.

Second, this is NOT a parenting manual -- any friends or family members who are contemplating freaking out, I'm not having a kid (not yet anyway). This book is really more of a memoir of childhood. Each (short) chapter is a story from Starbuck's life that revolves around a particular theme (Loyalty, Honesty, Courage, etc.) Basically we read snippets of the author's own experiences that led him to learn these valuable lessons as he was growing up. My favorite is the concluding chapter "Love & Marriage" which focuses on the author's observations of his grandparents' relationship. Of all the stories, this one felt like a good note for the author to end on -- a touching example of long-term commitment and true love as the author himself moves toward adulthood.

This book is an extremely fast and easy read -- at 160 pages it's truly a breeze. If you are looking for a quick, insightful, and at times entertaining read, give this one a chance.