Non-Fiction Books

Fathers may suspect it's not easy for their daughters to become women, but those same daughters have no idea how hard it is for fathers to stand by and watch. According to W. Bruce Cameron, "Having a child mutate into a teenager is a bit like being an airline passenger who must suddenly take over for a stricken pilot and land the plane. And in this case, the passengers are all yelling, 'I hate you! I hate you!' and slamming the door to the cockpit."Cameron has two daughters, so he is doubly aware that raising teenage girls is well, impossible. He's been through braces (the most expensive metal on earth), kissing (do they have to use their lips?), teen "logic" ("I asked if I could go out with Lindsey and you said no, so I went out with Courtney"), and, of course, dating, which leads to the 8 Simple Rules. (Rule #1: if you pull into my driveway and honk, you'd better be delivering a package, because you're sure as heck not picking anything up.)If your little girl has moved out and a teenager has taken her place, this book will help you do something you probably thought was not possible in your situation: laugh.

Current research suggests there is a large group of people who have been trying to change men. For want of a better term, let's call these people "women." Their urge is understandable. We've all had to take measures to accommodate men, because they are involved in nearly every aspect of modern life except maybe housework and they like to run things like corporate meetings and the planet. The only other alternative has been to try to avoid men altogether, which is pretty hard to do if you are interested in stuff like reproduction or having your oil changed. That's why How to Remodel a Man is so indispensable-it is a clear, step-by-step guide for anyone who wants to alter the character and behavior of a man, written by an actual man. Author W. Bruce Cameron provides startling insight into male pattern thinking, explaining why men can open a refrigerator and not see the mayonnaise, or how it is that they can throw dirty clothes at the hamper or in front of the hamper or even on top of the hamper and yet not seem capable of getting any of it in the hamper. Normally, changing a man has certain obstacles, including, but not limited to, the fact that it is impossible. But Cameron is able to overcome this hindrance because he, himself, has been remodeled. In a move so bold it may be shocking to people unaccustomed to such personal courage, Cameron turned himself over to the women in his life and asked them to change him. It started with a list of his flaws (Cameron came up with four; the women came up with one hundred seventy eight) and ended with him writing How to Remodel a Man , so that others could learn from his experience. If you're a woman, you'll be amazed to learn that men can be trained to perform all sorts of tricks, like using the instruments on the sides of their heads (the ears) to listen to you, and the space between those instruments to think about you. If you're a man, you've been given this book so that you'll see that it's possible to watch television without holding the remote or to ask for directions from strangers without suffering a catastrophic loss of testosterone. Cameron changed, and you can too. How to Remodel a Man is the essential guide for anyone in the awkward position of having to interact with a person of the male gender.

Following the stunning success of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter -- which was adapted into a TV show for ABC -- W. Bruce Cameron returns with an even more hilarious look at fatherhood, capturing the predicament of the forgotten man in the tux at his little girl's wedding. As Cameron explains, modern weddings are much like royal coronations, only more expensive. Aside from the writing of checks, there is not much fathers understand about them. Why can't guests successfully eat, drink, and dance unless the whole event is as carefully choreographed as a Broadway production? With his characteristic wit, Cameron captures the aspects of the wedding that are the most ridiculous to paternal eyes, for example: • why the wedding needs a theme (this one is "We're all stressed out") • why the wedding has to be photographed as if it will be reviewed by the Warren Commission • why the bouquet must include a species of flower found only at the tip of the Himalayas • why the wedding dress has to strike the right mood (which, judging from everyone's behavior, might best be summed up as "crabby") Throughout it all, however, a father keeps faith that the wedding -- if not the wedding preparation -- will make his daughter a happy woman. Hilarious yet poignant, 8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter is sure to be a comfort to the legions of fathers (and mothers) who will one day have a daughter walking down the aisle.

In the beginning, children actually listen to Dad, mainly because they don’t realize they have any other choice. Sometimes even the dog pays attention. But gradually, things get out of hand. A DAD'S PURPOSE, from W. Bruce Cameron, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Dog's Purpose and 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, is an instant classic. In this heartwarming book, Cameron comes to grips with how the chaos of children and parents and pets and homes conspire to turn a once perfectly normal life completely upside down. He quickly learns that the role of "Dad" must wear many hats -- from novice yogi to Montgomery Moose stand-in, to chili contest judge and free financial advisor. Cameron balances the hilarious moments of parenthood with the profound, poignant aspects of a dad’s life. Because although there may come a day when a father is relieved to hang up his moose costume, he will always treasure the times when his child wasn’t yet embarrassed to hold his hand. These moments are fleeting, but Cameron has captured them in A DAD’S PURPOSE. Whether you have a dad, are a dad, or might become a dad, please know that no one else is doing fatherhood perfectly either, and read this book of camaraderie and appreciation. "Consistently funny...The book delivers a steady stream of quips and funny... readers of Dave Barry will be familiar with the exact register of Cameron's helpless self-depreciation and readers of David Sedaris will recognize that author's formula of ending each chapter with a funny paragraph, each paragraph with a funny sentence, and each sentence with a funny word. It's all enjoyable, lightweight riffing that may make new dads feel a little bit less alone." --Kirkus Reviews Praise for W. Bruce Cameron: "W. Bruce Cameron has the knack, which he shares with Dave Barry and James Thurber, of playing the fool in a consistently hilarious way."--The New York Times "Makes the reader laugh out loud."--USA TODAY "This famous traitor to his sex reveals what men are really thinking."--O, The Oprah Magazine "The talk of parents nationwide."--People Magazine "Dead-serious humor reminiscent of Erma Bombeck."--The Chicago Tribune "W. Bruce Cameron is the Dave Barry of modern family life."--The Denver Post "Down to earth and funny, funny, funny."--The National Society of Newspaper Columnists "Hilarious!"--The Toronto Sun About the Author: W. Bruce Cameron is the #1 bestselling author of the novel A Dog's Purpose, now a major motion picture. He started his career as a humor columnist at the Denver Rocky Mountain News. Another of Cameron's bestselling books, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, was adapted into a popular television show for which he served as a writer as well. Visit Cameron at www.adogspurpose.com or his author site, www.wbrucecameron.com.