Househusband

February 25, 2002
The novel of feminist awakening is given an unexpected twist in Hudler's entertaining debut: its protagonist is a man. Lincoln Menner, once a California landscape designer, is now a stay-at-home dad who knows every creak and crevice of his huge suburban Rochester, N.Y., house. He is plagued by insecurities about wife Jo's high-profile job, three-year-old daughter Violet's schooling and development and his own wrestling with wanting—and not wanting—to be the perfect man to everyone. In a burst of self-pity, he contemplates his situation: "I felt as helpless as Amelia Earhart, alive on some island, reading a copy of Aviation Today
that had washed up on the beach." Meanwhile, Linc's mother, Carol, a deferential wife who temporarily escapes her unimaginative car-salesman husband after stealing one of his own vehicles and driving off to explore the country and herself, provides an alternate voicing of desire and longing through her on-the-road e-mails to her son. The themes of career, family and power struggles between the sexes are prosaic, and the occasional recipes inserted into the text seem out of place, but Linc's plaintive observations about passing days alone and, finally, his self-acceptance, redeem his narrative. 5-city author tour.

May 1, 2002
Linc Menner's wife, Jo, is given the chance to climb the corporate ladder, but it means moving from California to Rochester, NY. Tired of running his own landscaping business, Linc agrees to give up his job to take care of their young daughter, Violet, while they move and get settled into their new home. Linc immediately bonds with Violet and has the house running smoothly, but he soon discovers the downside to being a stay-at-home dad: most of the neighborhood women snub him, he wonders if he will ever get back into the "real" workplace, and he feels that Jo doesn't truly appreciate what he does. Hudler, who is a househusband himself, creates a light and humorous tone that is a perfect match for this entertaining look at how much work really goes into keeping a house clean and a family fed. A scattering of real recipes is included, and somewhere in between the cooking, cleaning, and childcare comes a genuine glimpse at the guilt and joy that only other stay-at-home parents really understand. This first novel is a great choice for most public libraries. John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2002
Successful Hollywood landscape architect Linc agrees to give up his business and move to the East Coast when his wife, Jo, is offered a job they both know she cannot pass up. Work is not easy to find in their new town, and Linc finds himself staying home, raising their daughter, cooking, cleaning, and running the household. Angered by other men who suggest he doesn't "work" and feeling unappreciated by his wife, Linc must come to terms with his new position in life. Exhausted from long hours at work and jealous of Linc's time and relationship with their daughter, Jo struggles with the guilt of her unmotherly role. Both discover unanticipated strains on their marriage as they acclimate to a new home, new friends and colleagues, and new responsibilities. While funny and sappy at times, Hudler is also serious, illustrating the trade-offs people must make when choosing priorities in life. Hudler's first novel is an entertaining and moving story that gives a fresh perspective on the challenges and frustrations of a typically underappreciated job.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)