Rating: 
Summary: Family Man was like a 180 page Christmas letter
Review: A letdown. I've enjoyed Calvin Trillin's writing over the years and looked forward to reading his latest book. Unfortunately, Family Man reminded me of one of those multi-page Christmas letters that we receive, with a cringe, from our better relatives. This series of anecdotes comes across as one long euphemism for family life. The writing is unrevealing and self-amused, containing the kind of witty, but shallow, stories you might expect to hear at a light social gathering. His wife, Alice, comes across as a dour, controlling presence; his children are anonymous to the point of being interchangeable. I have a tremendous respect for Trillin as a writer, but this book seemed empty, as if Trillin were unable or unwilling to really share meaningful revelations about his family life.
Rating: 
Summary: Aptly Titled Book charms.
Review: Calvin Trillin has always been one of my favorite observational humorists. His short commentaries have graced many a newspaper and brightened up many a day. This book, FAMILY MAN, is unique in that it has a cohesive theme, his family life. And although it is not chronological or compounding, the stories support each other and create a family environment. This is a wonderful book but it does not have the brief 2 or 3 page chapters that make it quick bathroom reading.
Rating:
Summary: Aptly Titled Book charms.
Review: Calvin Trillin has always been one of my favorite observational humorists. His short commentaries have graced many a newspaper and brightened up many a day. This book, FAMILY MAN, is unique in that it has a cohesive theme, his family life. And although it is not chronological or compounding, the stories support each other and create a family environment. This is a wonderful book but it does not have the brief 2 or 3 page chapters that make it quick bathroom reading.
Rating: 
Summary: almost perfect; 4 1/2 stars
Review: I enjoyed this breezy read; Trillin's dry sense of humor is laugh aloud funny in many spots. The family is depicted with gentle humor, and everyone's foibles are captured w/o getting into ridiculous detail. The best parts of the book deal with holidays and the differences in a marriage that Really (wink-wink) count. Alice comes across as a sensible lady trying to control family chaos, and the two girls seem like they were the kind of funny children adults always enjoy talking to. Fun. You'll read it in hours.
Rating:
Summary: Family Man was like a 180 page Christmas letter
Review: I have long thought that Calvin Trillin was one of the best, and most verstile, writers around. Here, he is in the gentle but comic territory of Travels With Alice. Some of us wish that he would take on weightier stuff, as he did early on in An Education In Georgia and more recently in Remembering Denny. Nevertheless, a very good read, particularly for those of us with kids.
Rating:
Summary: Familiar Material, But Still Among The Best Writers Around
Review: I have long thought that Calvin Trillin was one of the best, and most verstile, writers around. Here, he is in the gentle but comic territory of Travels With Alice. Some of us wish that he would take on weightier stuff, as he did early on in An Education In Georgia and more recently in Remembering Denny. Nevertheless, a very good read, particularly for those of us with kids.
Rating:
Summary: Poignant and relevant to a mom with two NY teenagers
Review: I really enjoyed this book at lot. Lots of amusing stories about family life, New York life, ex-Midwestern life. Living 60 miles from Trillum's Kansas City home town related to some of his Midwest episodes. The "Chigger" secton was very funny, even though I was scratching my own bites while reading. I especially liked the stories about the Halloween parades, and taking the kid to the local community musical productions. Lots of funny lines; I kept reading aloud from it to my wife -- she ended up reading the book to.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable humor; relaxing entertainmnet
Review: I really enjoyed this book at lot. Lots of amusing stories about family life, New York life, ex-Midwestern life. Living 60 miles from Trillum's Kansas City home town related to some of his Midwest episodes. The "Chigger" secton was very funny, even though I was scratching my own bites while reading. I especially liked the stories about the Halloween parades, and taking the kid to the local community musical productions. Lots of funny lines; I kept reading aloud from it to my wife -- she ended up reading the book to.
Rating: 
Summary: A cut and paste job.
Review: I was a big fan of Trillin's earlier light humor (the tummy trilogy, etc.). But this book was a huge disappointment. It is largely a cut and paste of his earlier books. The same old stories get rehashed--in fact, he even goes so far as to extensively quote from the old stories. About the only thing new here is that his secularist left-liberal biases against Christians and conservatives show through more clearly. Go buy the tummy trilogy books or Travels with Alice and give this one a pass.
Rating:
Summary: Poignant and relevant to a mom with two NY teenagers
Review: This a light and wonderful read - especially if you have experienced any significant part of the world about which Trillin writes - be it the mysteries, nuances, surprises and joys of being a connected parent - or the delightful pleasures of real New York City neighborhood living - and, even if you have missed those things, Trillin wings you lightly along on his entertaining personal flight - great literature, no - highly enjoyable, yes.
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