David Bowers (1) (1962–)

The idea of a housekeeping book written just for dads may seem unnecessary or even condescending, yet David Bowers has written an extremely useful guide that speaks directly to dad sensibilities. Bowers’ main idea is that men – especially fathers - want to take a “no frills” approach to housekeeping, doing what’s absolutely necessary in the quickest, easiest way possible. He says it best right in the first chapter of the book: “Spotless perfection can’t be achieved in a house show more where kids live, and even if it can, it’s not worth it. When your children grow up, they’ll remember with fondness that you read to them, helped them with their math homework, and had time to play with them, rather that the beds were made with hospital corners or the laundry folded with military precision.”

Bowers devotes almost an entire introductory chapter, “A Man Around the House: Getting Psyched Up”, to negotiating expectations and managing responsibilities between men and their spouses. It has helpful sidebars such as What We Want Women to Know About Our Housekeeping including, for example, “We don’t expect you to do things our way. Don’t expect us to do things the way you do”. In addition, each individual chapter also includes additional advice on how to handle “the changing of the guard” for various household chores. This is useful advice for any household no matter what your family looks like, and one of the features that distinguishes this book from the many other housekeeping books out there.

The book is broken down into chapters which cover every aspect of keeping house, from cooking meals to cleaning to doing laundry. Bowers gives advice on how to manage each room at three general cleaning levels: Lick-and-a-Promise Clean, Average-Guy Clean, and Felix-Unger Clean. There are also additional chapters devoted to spaces such as the home office and the attic and basement. While the many helpful tricks and tips (on such topics as stain removal and the many uses of baking soda) alone are worth the price of this book, it is in speaking directly to fathers and our ways of thinking that Bowers really shines. Dad’s Own Housekeeping Book shows that a father can run a home without having to turn into Mr. Mom. Reviewed by Book Dads show less

Excellent source of Irish recipes for this family that is more than 50% Irish. The pictures of Ireland make me want to go back there, and the recipes are wonderful. The writing is excellent as well. The author made the process of making and eating blood pudding sound appetizing.

I'm the kind of annoying girl that, when my mother or father decided that is time to fix something i decided that is time to spend some time with them, so when i saw this book i thought that maybe i could learn something new.

This book is divided in cooking, sewing, clothes care, domestic skills, mechanic skills, work with wood and metal, and bicycle maintenance, or, saying in another way, the things that you should know at least in the theory if you decided to live alone. The way it is show more explained is really good and, even when some of the things here mentioned are opcional (like the tools you need in your house, personally i never need a wok, or you garage, i never use a chainsaw at home) give you clues to adecuate it at your lifestyle.

My favorite part is when start the life skills, about mechanic, plumbing and things like that because i almost never have the chance to learn this things, the images are good for a better understand of the instructions. And the list of thing you probably need are really good, just with one look you can identify what you really need for every day fix, and you probably gone to use so little but is good to know their names and uses.

A digital copy of this book was provided by NetGalley show less

The shop side looks more helpful, to me, as the diagrams seem clearer than others I've seen. The home ec side seems like it would be good to flip through for the "ah, I never realized that I could do that!" revelations, but then one might want to go online for more clarity and details.

At age 61, these are either ones I know, or they're irrelevant, or I don't care to learn. But it was still interesting to page through.

March 2024