Almighty Dad | A stay at home dad blog

Sugar Milk: Not a Book Review

7 Written by Keith on April 17, 2010 – 12:41 pm

  

I don’t do book reviews.  I read books.  I either like them or I don’t and I don’t have the energy to over analyze them.  Writing is art and if you think about it too much the magic disappears.  I read a book last week called The Road by, Cormac McCarthy.  The book was fantastic; I couldn’t put it down until I figuratively swallowed it, entirely.  I’ll be honest, Sugar Milk, by my friend Ron Mattocks, isn’t as good as The Road.  But that’s an unfair comparison because I like reading about people dying and stuff blowing up, and if Ron had talked about explosions and corpses in his autobiography I’d be captivated but also personally bummed out for the really shitty life Ron lives.  It’s better for Ron that it didn’t hold my attention for 6 straight hours. 

  

The Non-Review: 

  

Ron Mattocks is a popular blogger who plies his skills over at Clark Kent’s Lunchbox.  Some say he’s even more popular than me.  But, just between you and me, I think it’s just that he’s nicer and people like him more.  Sugar Milk: What One Dad Drinks when he can’t Afford Vodka is a look into Ron’s life and the events that brought him to where he is, a divorced dad of 3 boys and the stay at home stepdad to 2 girls.  That makes him the father of 5, and that’s a lot of stuff to juggle for a guy who once had a high profile sales job, drove a nice car and didn’t see any of this coming – his divorce, subsequent job loss, several moves and the meeting of his lovely new wife, Ashley, and her daughters is a journey not many of us have taken.  And, that’s why the book is worth reading. 

  

I’ve met lots of divorced dads who juggle family issues and I’ve met lots of kids who have stepparents whom they love like their biological moms and dads.  But, the coalescence of divorce, re-marriage, lost career, a new role as stay at home dad and several jarring moves?  I’ve never seen that before.  I’ve also never read such an open account of it from someone who isn’t afraid to admit his faults and lay himself out for public admonishment or accolades, whichever the truth dictates.  Ron’s honesty in his adventures is what I like.  It’s not exciting fiction or earth shattering revelations.  It’s a guy talking honestly about the struggles of a unique family life and the transition from big shot money maker to a job that is almost universally disparaged by people who have never done it, domestic engineer.  The secret to happiness is a road observantly traveled. 

  

Sugar Milk: Kindle Edition 

  

There’s more than one way to consumer your Sugar Milk.  It’s available on the Kindle, too.  Not only that, but it does text to speech (Kindle 2).  Listen for yourself (sorry for the out of focus shot.  I wanted to make sure to get the sound).