Rating: 
Summary: I don't like roller coasters, but i sure do like this book
Review: ...It was on this evening that the actor/singer B.D. Wong and his talent agent partner, Richard Jackson, became fathers in Modesto, CA. Their twin sons were born woefully, dangerously, nearly 3 months premature. Over the next several months, Wong kept his ever increasing list of friends informed of the roller coaster progress, the ups and downs, through a series of emailed updates. These introspective, mesmerizing, hopeful, honest emails got passed around, and have been compiled to create this book. At times it elicits chuckles, sometimes you will thank god for unsung heroic healthcare workers, and at other times your eyes will well up with tears. The book is an adventurous journey into fatherhood, Jewish and Chinese American families, medical miracles, social work, gynecology, as well as sprinkling asides into life in television and film acting, food, and parenting. The words are presented in a variety of fonts and styles to add drama to the reading. Graphics from the Milton Bradley games of Operation and Ka-boom also drive home some messages. Wong also includes some of the songs he wrote, such as his ode to Poop. The book is impossible to put down, as you hunger to learn whether first-born Boaz Dov Wong (Boaz: the swift, strong, hospitable, giving biblical character who rescues Ruth and fathers the line of King David; Dov: the quiet strength of a peaceful bear) and younger Jackson Foo Wong (Jackson/Yohanan: for his father's surname, graciousness of god; Foo: wealth, for his grandfather) will survive and thrive. At the end of each update, Wong includes snippets of the emails responses he received from friends, family, nurses, and doctors, including other famous celebrity/parents, such as Joel Gray, Jane Kazmarek, Barbara Barry, Margaret Cho, Michelle Kwan, and John Lithgow. David Hirson, a playwright, wrote it best when he repsonded in an email to Wong, that each bulletin [was] "...melancholy, funny, spirited, rallying, sometimes buoyant, sometimes exhausting..." For readers who need linear stories, start with Update 8; all other can begin with the Preface.
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Summary: The book has helped me become, hopefully, a better woman
Review: a perspective, from a single woman, with no children-yet:
Believe it or not, this book is one of my birthday presents to myself, to help improve the quality of my life. BD has helped me become a better woman. Hopefully, I will also become more responsible, as well. Hopefully, I will be better to cope with life's emotional issues, and handling them better. That's what drew me to the book. You see, while growing up, many, many people automatically assume that any given person should be able to handle anything thrown at them. You ask those around you for help, or you are impacted by something trumatic, and those around you automatically assume that you're tough enough to go through it, by yourself. Many a time, I would go through life, and not tell of my problems, because I felt that those around me would make the problem worse - or blame me for it. Some of us have a harder time getting through things. To say "get over it", is a cruel thing to say. I feel that sometimes, those saying such a thing, are really digging deeper into the mess, and allow for things to continue to spiral downward. I feel that this book allows people to communicate, in ways that go beyond the core scope of what the book was essentially written about. I find it ironic that 2 men, sharing their account of parenting, pregnancy, and love with the world, including me, would have more of an impact on me, than that from any woman, since I have never received this type of insight from women. I shouldn't have to get this type of insight about childrearing, etc., from men. However, I am indebted to BD and Richie, nonetheless. You see, women have this thing out there, where they feel that they don't like sharing, esepcially when it comes to things like child-birth and pregnancy. It's like this secret, kept to hurt those women coming up in the world. Growing up, you ask your female relatives about such things, details inolved, and those female relatives keep quiet! Women do not share everything, contrary to popular belief. Needless to say, this is one of the first things that has impacted me, while reading the book. The other is, of course the trauma, and roller coaster that BD talks about. Some of the things mentioned, bring me back to the trials in my life. I am thankful for the book, and the impact that the book has on my life.
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Summary: Follow Foo!!!
Review: An awesome tale every parent should read. The highs and lows of nurturing the young chestnut man are beautifully portrayed by the author. Follow Foo!
Rating:
Summary: He led, we followed
Review: As a charter member of the email club, I wondered if a book could capture the poignant scenes and cliffhanger moments of the actual experience. Remarkably, the writing is so immediate, you'll find yourself holding your breath. It's not just stories BD wrote to his family and friends to keep everyone posted on the latest developments, it's a love letter from a parent to his children; a sweet, scary, tough, funny, emotionally exhilarating memoir. Jackson's email musings are some of the most original and satisfying passages. You will believe you are inside his head. Looking at the picture of the quarter in Jackson's hand, and the picture of him now, you'll suddenly appreciate the depth of the drama in this book.
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Summary: This is one amazing book.
Review: First of all, I must say I have NEVER read anything like this book. I find this book very hard to categorise, as it's not exactly a memoir and not quite a journal ... it's a diary of thoughts, musings, worries, soliloquies, rants and observations, a stream of consciousness that the author has poured out through the medium of e-mail, then gathered together here in this volume. This is a very honest book, as the author bares his soul to the world. You will hear Wong being selfish, paranoid, afraid, but he acknowledges and faces up to these emotions. You will pick up his guilt as he is forced to fulfil work obligations on a movie project and the HBO TV show 'Oz', endlessly jetting between sets and visiting his son throughout his first crucial months, and you can taste his self-disgust, sweetened by his awe as he gives Jackson his first bath, or feels tiny fingers squeeze his. There is also a fine thread of humour running throughout the narrative, sometimes dark, often self-deprecating, but never inappropriate. As you are drawn into the book, you will pick up little asides about what he feels about his career, witness his strong love and appreciation for his family and friends, catch glimpses of his private life (hosting dinner parties in his Manhattan apartment for the likes of Alfred Molina), and awe at the miracle of the little ball of life that was now his responcibility. You learn a lot about the Wong behind the camera, who, completely unlike any of his screen or stage roles, is by turns manically obsessive or laid back and completely affable. The style of the book is, well, all over the place, but in a deliberate, Iain Banks sort of a way. His writing techniques, though myriad, are beautifully written and employ an often striking way of emphasising particulr words or moments. The book comprises the e-mails in which he circulated 'news bulletins' to friends and family, and the return messages of support from friends and well-wishers, but there are also poems, there are lyrics to songs, and there are clinical explanations of the ordeals of his child, all presented by the author in endlessly inventive typefaces and font sizes. Above all else, anyone who reads this book will have no doubt that Jackson Foo Wong is lucky to have parents like Richie and B.D. Wong. These guys are just so full of love and postive energy and a dawning appreciation of everything they have. I somehow felt it was a privilege to read this book and get a peek into these lives.
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Summary: B.D. Wong touches the heart and soul
Review: Following Foo is actor and writer B.D. Wong's account of the saga of his and his partner Richie's decision to have a child through surrogacy, and how that choice came to beautiful and heart wrenching fruition through the premature birth of twin boys Jackson (Foo) and Boaz. Oh, but it is so much more than a chronological recap of events in the process of pregnancy, birth and nurturing. It is a window into the daily and hourly emotional upheavals that attend the impending birth of a child (in this case, children)as well as the joys and sorrows experienced by loving parents and dedicated medical professionals as they join in the struggle to nurture new life. Moreover, this exceptional work is a moving tribute to the human spirit exemplified in the courage of two beautiful souls, Jackson and Boaz. Mr. Wong captures the very essence of the human capacity and need for love in this warm, often times humorous, always compelling work. A significant portion of the book is composed of supportive e-mails from friends and family. While at first glance, this might seem a distraction, it is actually an integral and enjoyable part of the journey, which serves not only to lighten the tension that is so ever present in the struggle for survival that all premature infants undergo and so effectively communicated to the reader by Mr. Wong, but it also serves to show a beautiful community of love and concern that was empowering and life-affirming. This superbly paced narrative is intelligent , whimsical and keenly observant of the human condition. It is highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: A good read but..
Review: I found it really hard to follow his writing style - and also found that most of the book is comprised of emails that he sent out to hundreds of friends and family members to keep them updated. The story is remarkable and Wong is to be commended, but I can't honestly say that I walked away having learned or experienced anything.
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Summary: A good read but..
Review: I just finished reading "Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man" and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having just read another book called "Gay Dads: A Celebration of Fatherhood", I felt that these two works perfectly compliment each other. "Gay Dads" gave 21 examples of gay men who wanted to have children and the ways they expanded their families. This story is an extension of that theme, showing the unexpected problems that can crop up in any birth. There is no guarantee, no matter how much you fantasize about the birth of child, that the stork will have a smooth landing and bring a baby that is perfectly formed, completely healthy and on time. B. D. Wong and his partner, Richie, learn this first hand when their twins, carried by a surrogate, come very early and riddled with complications. Wong, an actor in television programs such as "Oz" and "Law and Order: SVU", is obviously a creative man that uses email as a way to reach out to friends an family to update them on the progress of the baby (one twin, sadly dies shortly after birth). He soon receives responses from many people, giving him words of encouragement and showing a great deal of love for the tiny little boy trying his hardest to stay in this world with his two stressed out and loving dads. This book reveals what a serious undertaking parenting is and how dedicated and trying it can be. I'm not a parent but I certainly felt for these two men as they struggled with the constant health issues and feared for the life of their little tyke. There are lots of interesting responses and some are from familiar names: John Lithgow, Margaret Cho and Michelle Kwan, to name a few. But it is little Jackson that is the star in these pages and you find yourself drawn into his world, breaking out the pom poms and cheering "Go, Jackson GO!" A great book for any parent (gay or straight)....actually a good read for anyone! Give it a try. You'll not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Follow Foo.....you'll be glad you did!
Review: I just finished reading "Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man" and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having just read another book called "Gay Dads: A Celebration of Fatherhood", I felt that these two works perfectly compliment each other. "Gay Dads" gave 21 examples of gay men who wanted to have children and the ways they expanded their families. This story is an extension of that theme, showing the unexpected problems that can crop up in any birth. There is no guarantee, no matter how much you fantasize about the birth of child, that the stork will have a smooth landing and bring a baby that is perfectly formed, completely healthy and on time. B. D. Wong and his partner, Richie, learn this first hand when their twins, carried by a surrogate, come very early and riddled with complications. Wong, an actor in television programs such as "Oz" and "Law and Order: SVU", is obviously a creative man that uses email as a way to reach out to friends an family to update them on the progress of the baby (one twin, sadly dies shortly after birth). He soon receives responses from many people, giving him words of encouragement and showing a great deal of love for the tiny little boy trying his hardest to stay in this world with his two stressed out and loving dads. This book reveals what a serious undertaking parenting is and how dedicated and trying it can be. I'm not a parent but I certainly felt for these two men as they struggled with the constant health issues and feared for the life of their little tyke. There are lots of interesting responses and some are from familiar names: John Lithgow, Margaret Cho and Michelle Kwan, to name a few. But it is little Jackson that is the star in these pages and you find yourself drawn into his world, breaking out the pom poms and cheering "Go, Jackson GO!" A great book for any parent (gay or straight)....actually a good read for anyone! Give it a try. You'll not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Another Follower review
Review: I love reading thrillers, medical mysteries/marvals, true life and social history. This book has it all. It's a fascinating read that doesn't let you stop the ride until you've laughed, cried, sighed and sung.
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