Book Review: Crawling by Elisha Cooper

I read a lovely little book this week, a memoir of a father’s first year of fatherhood by Elisha Cooper called Crawling. (You can click over to see his website.)

This book reminded me of Bob Greene’s Good Morning, Merry Sunshine (published in 1985) and Anne Lamott’s Operating Instructions (published in 1993). (The three books together would be a terrific gift for expecting parents, come to think of it.)

When Cooper’s first daughter was born in 2002, he kept notes in a journal. He transformed these notes into the essays found in this book. He describes the feelings a new father experiences and the experiences a new father feels his way through. As a big fan of northern California, I appreciated his descriptions of the Berkeley neighborhood–and the light in that part of the world. And, our daughters are about the same age. (I figured that out because he mentioned seeing Sarah Jessica Parker in New York City carrying her son in a Bjorn . . . and SJP’s son is my daughter’s age.)

Anyway, LOVED the book. My only quibble is his occasional use of rather strong language, which I imagine is to demonstrate just how hip, happening and cool he is (it’s such a trend to use the f-word when so many other words will do). And we all remember how I feel about that, right? I might hesitate to recommend this book to a young father-to-be in my church, for instance, even though it’s a delightful account of a father’s first year of fatherhood. (Why, why, why must the f-word be everywhere?!)

Aside from that pettiness, I really loved this book. (Oh, and the fact that Elisha Cooper himself enclosed a little handwritten note in the book was a nice touch, too. I hope he and his little family live happily ever after.) Excellent book, I recommend it, and I loved the little sketches at the beginning of each chapter. Do check out his website here.