““Fatherhood is probably the scariest good thing that can happen to a man. In this beautifully honest, richly textured, often hilarious dispatch from the home front, David McGlynn illuminates how parenting puts everything into perspective, most of all our own bedeviled selves.””
One Day You'll Thank Me: Lessons From an Unexpected Fatherhood
Counterpoint Press, 2018: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound
Fatherhood caught David McGlynn by surprise. His sons were conceived in quick succession—the first when the author was a dirt-poor student, and the second not long after he’d moved his family to start a new job in bucolic Wisconsin. As a result, McGlynn found himself colliding with fatherhood, at once scared to death and utterly thrilled. Just like many new fathers, he hopes he’s doing the right thing—but he’s never quite sure.
One Day You’ll Thank Me translates the small, often hilarious moments common among parents of young children, especially dads, into “life lessons” about fatherhood. Comprised of interconnected chapters—many of which have appeared in such prominent publications as The New York Times, Men’s Health, Parents, Real Simple, and O, The Oprah Magazine—the stories invoke a sense of humor and honesty that expand our understanding of what it means to be an American dad.
"Each brutally honest chapter is filled with heart and humor as McGlynn shares his most tender and most trying moments as a parent . . . All parents will relate and enjoy, but fathers of sons will most certainly relish this charming and hilarious tale of fatherhood." ―Booklist
“McGlynn’s trek through young parenthood―missteps, brawls, avalanches, and all―is as entertaining and shrewd as any book I’ve read in some time.” ―James McManus, author of Positively Fifth Street
“One Day You’ll Thank Me is a wonderful book with a big heart. David McGlynn tells a timeless story in a personal voice, rich with humor and humanity.” ―Susan Casey, author of Voices in the Ocean: A Journey into the Wild and Haunting World of Dolphins, and former editor in chief of O, The Oprah Magazine
"I am grateful for David McGlynn's thoughtful, vulnerable, and often hilarious observations on fatherhood . . . I can use all the help I can get." ―Michael Perry, New York Times bestselling humorist
"David McGlynn’s reflections on fatherhood are funny and wise . . . [he] shows how parenthood is often conflicted—but also full of grace.” — The Christian Century
“. . . a poignant, funny book about the life of a modern-day dad” — Los Angeles Times
"McGlynn is a fine writer who brings to life the small pleasures of family life” —The Toronto Star
"A pleasing blend of humor and humility that shows what it means to be a father in America today . . . Timeless, funny, and honest stories of raising boys." ―Kirkus Reviews