Rules for My Unborn Son

By Walker Lamond

RULES FOR MY UNBORN SON is a collection of traditional, humorous, and urbane fatherly advice for boys. From the sartorial ("If you are tempted to wear a cowboy hat, resist") to the practical ("Keep a copy of your letters. It makes it easier for your biographer") to even a couple of sure-fire hangover cures ("There is no better remedy than a dip in the ocean"), the book of rules and accompanying quotations is quite simply an instruction manual for becoming a Good Man - industrious, thoughtful, charming, and of course, well-dressed.

Hip and witty with a decidedly traditionalist flavor, RULES FOR MY UNBORN SON is meant to evoke simpler times when Father knew best and a suitable answer to "Why?" was "Because I said so."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: Jun 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781250087454

Walker Lamond

Walker Lamond is a writer and television producer. His documentaries have appeared on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, TruTV, and HBO, and he has written for numerous publications including Stop Smiling magazine, Valet, Babble, and Asylum. Lamond lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife and their son, who arrived shortly after the completion of his book Rules for My Unborn Son.

Book preview

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Let’s get some things straight before I get old and uncool.

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Contents

Title Page

Copyright Notice

Dedication

Introduction

Begin Reading

Appendix

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Copyright

for ARTHUR

INTRODUCTION

Boys need rules. No Spitting. No Swimming. No Fighting. We don’t always like them, but for the most part, they are necessary. Rules keep us safe, eliminate uncertainty, and encourage harmonious social interaction. Yield to Pedestrians. Black Tie Required. They are the simplest and most effective way to pass down tried and true institutional knowledge from one generation to the next. In short, rules are GOOD!

But somewhere along the way, rules got a bad name. People wanted freedom. Authority was questioned, rules were broken, dress codes banished! Rules were seen as antiquated obstacles to individualism and progress. Barbers were ignored, ties packed away. And the game of life suddenly got a bit sloppier, more uncertain, and even a bit less fun.

*   *   *

My

Reviews for Rules for My Unborn Son

[jclark88_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I got an early review copy of this book and I'm incredibly happy that I did. Not only is this a great idea for a book, it's beautifully pulled off and well worth adding to your library.As the author explains in the introduction, this book is a collection of rules that his father passed on to him and that he would like to pass on to his unborn son (born shortly after publication of the book). Full of sound advice and pertinent quotes this book would be at home on any parent's bookshelf. I don't necessarily think that every single "rule" is one that I want my (unborn) son to live by but there are plenty of rules that are definitely worth passing on to your children.I also want to point out how much I loved the way they designed the book itself. There is no jacket on the book. It's designed similar to the old fashioned school readers that we used to get in the early grades. It even has a page that says "This book belongs to _______" I thought those were nice touches from the publisher. The rules themselves are offered up two to three a page with pages of pictures and/or famous quotes and rules every couple of pages. Very nice.The book itself takes only 20 to 30 minutes to read through, but I'm certain it'll remain on my shelf as a reference for a long time.

[andreicatalins-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not mind blowing but an interesting collection of bucket list items.

[bestem_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book. The snippets of advice throughout the book are simple, yet germane. I found myself constantly thinking of how my own siblings, and even my parents, would react to the myriad of tips contained within the pages. The 'rules' cover a wide range of topics, from where to sit in a roller coaster (the first seat), to what to wear to a funeral (a dark suit, there's no reason to own a black one), to how to treat people (treat girls with respect, they have brothers that can beat you up).I would give it to any of my friends that are expecting a child, whether it's a boy or a girl. Not all of the rules are geared towards men and boys, and even the ones that are can be shifted ever so slightly for a female perspective. I even think it could make a good baby shower activity, all the guests coming up with rules for the unborn child to live by.Ever since I got my copy, I've been opening it up in the morning, to a random page, and reading one of the rules on the page, and using it as a thought for the day. A rule like "Unless you have served in the armed forces, no fatigues" isn't just about fatigues. You can see how it's about not pretending to be someone you're not, or not claiming respect given to a group of people that you're not part of. I loved the book. I giggled at some of the rules, I scoffed at some, I got teary eyed at some, and whether or not they were all rules I agreed with, they were all true bits of wisdom that any of us could afford to consider from time to time.

[bukwurm2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received "Rules for My Unborn Son" as part of the reviewers program, and loved reading every page. In this book are hints, tips and lists that, if followed, will keep a son on the straight and narrow. The style of the book is very reminiscent of the style of the 1950's and 60's. As you read through Walker Lamond's "Rules", you are reminded of a simpler time when ettiquette and politeness were still considered important. Lamond reminds us of this with enjoyable suggestions such as; "To execute a proper tackle, lower your shoulder not your head, and remember not to wrap up", "Be able to identify all of the trees on your block", and my favorite "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects". - Robert Anson Heinlein The rules found here pertain to everything from appearance to sports, drinking to dating, and everything in between. Many of the comments are quotes from famous people, but all of them make sense and will cause you to think about how you yourself act. I was also pleasantly surprised by the appendix which has just 2 items. "Required Listening for Boys", and "Essential Reading for Boys". I guarantee you'll be surprised at some of the items that made the lists. I have to honestly say I couldn't come up with any sound criticism of this book. I loved reading it, and find I'm occassionally trying to improve myself by following some of his suggestions that I don't live up to. Now how often do you get a humorous, enjoyable book that also motivates you to improve yourself as a human being, even after the book is put away...just don't put it too far away!

[pqimparfait_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Received this book from the Early Reviewers program.The aesthetics are wonderful. Subtle color, illustrations, humorous vintage photographs. The rules themselves are good ones to live by, whether you are male or female. They hint at being polite, well dressed, sensible, and decent. You don't have to be rude to have fun, basically.I love the fact that Rules started out as a sort of web 2.0 project. I'm a big social media/crowdsourcing geek, so it gives me tingly feelings to see demonstrations of cutting-edge technology being used to preserve old-fashioned values. In this age, we have no excuse to delete or forget our emails, conversations, nuggets of wisdom. Our children may need it one day.

[enoch_elijah_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book and on the same day I finished reading it...it was THAT good! Now, this is not your typical book that you read from cover to cover (though that is exactly what I did!). As you might imagine, it is written in the form of snippets of advice by Mr. Lamond to his son. As he says in his introduction, many of these are sayings he picked up from his own father, though he has taken the liberty of modernizing them to include internet etiquette ("Never post a picture online you wouldn't feel comfortable showing your mother, your boss, and the dean of administration" from page 100). Yes, many of these are common sense...but isn't that exactly what we need to hear over and over?In his introduction, Lamond says that boys need rules and that "somewhere along the way, rules got a bad name...[r]ules were seen as antiquated obstacles...and the game of life suddenly got a bit sloppier, more uncertain, and even a bit less fun." Which, in my humble opinion, is quite profound!On the day I received the book, before I even read the introduction, I opened it up to the first little entry and read the following: "When in doubt, wear a tie." I knew from that moment this would be my kind of book...and it was! This is the kind of book every male should read. Not that every entry is necessarily true for everyone, but the simple idea that rules are there for a reason is something the men of our society need to understand. If only we could return to a time when men were men not because they cussed or had sex with lots of women, but because they took responsibility for their own actions and understood that sometimes we have to do what is right...even when we'd rather just do what is easy.Do I recommend this book? Without any hesitation! This is a keeper and belongs on the bookshelves of every home!

[shamicnic · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's an easy read and a sweet tribute to sons, if you look at it from an adult's point of view. I agree with the previous reviewer that kids might not find it as interesting. I plan to purchase copies for some of my friends who are having boy babies.