In Review

04 December 2008 03:55 BST

The A-Z of Having a Baby by Jeff Green

Published by sphere, out now in paperback, 224 pages, £6.99.

In a nutshell…

Bite-sized. Funny. Honest. Perfect gift.

What's it all about?

From the author who brought us A-Zs on being single and moving in together comes this next chronicle of what it's like to be catapulted into the next stage of growing up - parenthood.

Green relays the brutal truths of sharing your life with a baby in a no holds barred account of diaper duty and all the other joys of fatherhood. And it's not just the baby's bodily functions that are discussed in detail – he also describes the turnaround that can be anticipated in the infant's mum.

Not content to stop at explaining scary mood swings, Green warns those in a similar predicament to himself about the effect pregnancy has on the expectant mum's body – and he goes into far more detail than simply saying she grows bigger. The book offers warnings over how the arrival of your bouncing bundle of joy will impact on every aspect of your life, including a quick trip to the shops and the dwindling importance of your sex life.

Who's it by?

Award winning comedian Jeff Green is a well-known name on the British comedy scene. He first shot into the public consciousness when he received a Perrier Award nomination at the Edinburgh Festival 12 years ago. He went on to host The Comedy Club and tour with Jo Brand, after which followed sold-out tours in both the UK and Australia.

Green became a familiar face on TV with appearances on various shows, including Jeff Green Live – a 45-minute ITV special that was recorded live in the West End. This was followed by various other TV shows, including a stint for Sky TV's World Cup Comedy that was filmed in Australia, where Green has a significant fan base.

As an example…

"There can be few happier and prouder moments in a man's life (except maybe the first time you manage to pee completely over the urinal at school) than watching your partner desperately squatting over a mirror, legs in two different time zones, face the colour of a blueberry muffin, screaming, between gasps of gas and air, 'I'll get you for this, you evil bastard' and thinking: I did that."

"Just don't high-five the midwife, she's very busy."

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

Unlikely, although it can be expected that a number of the gags might be delivered live at a stand-up gig or two as a significant part of the text is written in dialogue form.

What the others say

"The funniest stand-up in Britain" – The Sun

"Stand-up's most irresistible rogue" – The Guardian

So is it any good?

A funny take on fatherhood, this A-Z instalment will definitely make a new dad feel less alone in his new predicament.

The book is not what can be described as an authoritative glossary of terms designed to prepare a man for the perils of becoming a papa, but the bitesized nuggets offer a good mix of useful tips and laugh-out-loud anecdotes. No detail is spared when Green relays tales and warnings of pregnant partners' piles, babies' boogers and nasty nappies – but fortunately he hasn't lost his sense of humour with his pre-paternity freedom.

Some of Green's takes on the evolution of his relationship with his hormonal, pregnant girlfriend, and his perceptions of her apparent personality change after becoming a mum, are hilarious. Disgust with infants' bodily functions does little to disguise the author's all-consuming love for his newborn.

Reading the book in instalments, rather than in one sitting, will ensure that the jokes remain fresh and funny.

A perfect gift for a new dad, The A-Z of Having a Baby will be a light of laughter in those dark nights when men will be weighing up the pros and cons of fatherhood.

6.5/10

Karen Moller