The Bottom Line
In his memoir, Bedtime Stories: Adventures in the Land of Single-Fatherhood, screenwriter and award-winning author Trey Ellis chronicles his first several years as a single parent. The book is at once gripping and raw as Ellis boldly shares the pure love he feels for his children, along with numerous "parenting-while-dating" mishaps and mistakes. While readers could easily be judgmental in response to his extreme candor, I suspect that just as many will appreciate Ellis' honesty and sympathize with his quest for love and approval.
Pros
- Witty, down to earth writing style
- An easy read
- Ellis is unfathomably honest with his readers
Cons
- This book is not a "how to"
- Ellis shares numerous mistakes that shouldn't be repeated
- Readers may not easily connect with Ellis' lifestyle of international travel and live-in nannies
Description
- Ellis eloquently puts to words the love he feels for his children, and the sheer awe he experiences in raising them.
- At the same time, Ellis is desperately trying to fulfill his idealistic, romantic fantasies of love.
- Be warned; Ellis himself refers to his memoir as being rated NC-17 and spares little detail recounting his sexual exploits.
- He is revealing of his own mistakes, including serially introducing lovers to his children too early.
- In the end, Ellis reveals the kind of growth and maturity he will need to employ as his children grow older and more aware.
Guide Review - Book Review of Bedtime Stories by Trey Ellis
This book is definitely not a "how to" for single parents. In many ways, it is a picture of what not to do as you strive to fold your romantic life into your existing focused-on-the-kids world as a single parent. At the same time, though, I do appreciate Ellis' honesty and boldness, even while I remain convinced that his story does not exemplify that of the "typical" single father. For one thing, he is surrounded by a team of caregivers, who seem to rotate in and out of his children's lives on the hour. (In fact, the co-parenting arrangement for much of the book - with his ex-wife caring for children each weekday afternoon - is actually ideal.) In addition, though, he portrays himself as nearly-addicted to pursing the next potential relationship, which appears in stark contract to the image of himself as a devoted, fulfilled single father. In summary, I found Bedtime Stories to be a well-written memoir symbolizing one dad's rocky transition into the world of full-fledged solo parenting while also adjusting to the complexities of adult dating.
