Melanie Gideon

author of Did I Say You Could Go & Wife 22

  • Home
  • About
  • Books
  • Events
  • Contact

The Dangerous Book for Forty-Something Women

August 19, 2009 By melgideon@gmail.com

Recently I bought my son a copy of The Dangerous Book For Boys. Okay, I know, I’m a little late to the game here. I read the book that night from cover to cover and saw just how we had failed him.  All the knots we hadn’t taught him to tie.  All the rabbits we hadn’t shown him how to skin.  All the constellations we hadn’t pointed out to him in the night sky.

There was knowledge out there, ESSENTIAL INFORMATION that somebody should have told him about.  

I began to wish I had a book.  A dangerous book.  A Dangerous Book for a Forty-Something Woman.  In my dangerous book would be entries on:

How to remember the name of the movie (book, restaurant, TV show) you just saw, read, ate at or TIVO-d.

How to avoid  being exposed as somebody who doesn’t remember the name of the movie, book, restaurant or TV show you just saw, read, ate at or TIVO-d.

The One Thing Every Forty-Something Woman Should Never Say at a Party:

1.  Oh  my god,  I can’t wait to tell you. I just saw, read, ate or Tivo’d the most amazing . . . the most amazing . . .you know, that thing, were you with me?  Wait, it was something really good.  Didn’t we do it together?  Wasn’t that you?  We were eating.  We were watching.  I gave you a copy.  Did you ever give it back to me?  Wasn’t it amazing?   I felt so good afterwards.  Didn’t you?  Not too full.  But full enough.  You know the eat until you’re only 80% full kind of full.

How to Skin A Rabbit

Buy your kid The Dangerous Book for Boys and a swiss army knife and make him do it for you.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Lesli says

    August 20, 2009 at 1:50 pm

    Just heard your interview with Mimi Geerges on BookNow. I had to keep reciting the title of your book so that when I got to my office, I could write it down. Can’t wait to read The Slippery Year!

  2. Andrea Kremer says

    September 2, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    This is the greatest idea I’ve ever heard. If you need help writing this book, I’m available. I could contribute important chapters on a wide variety of subjects, including:

    – getting a job in a youth-oriented industry (tip: a lady never reveals the date of her college graduation)
    – the many benefits of going to bed at the same time as your preschooler
    – boredom, ennui or midlife crisis: how to stay awake/interested/sane enough to tell them apart

    Seriously. Have your people call my people.

  3. Neko says

    September 15, 2009 at 10:27 pm

    I spent weeks searching for your book PUCKER, I couldn’t find it in any bookstore! I checked a least seven different places. But I finally ordered a copy online and I’m so excited to read it! 🙂

  4. Judy says

    October 8, 2009 at 2:24 pm

    I would so read this book. I’m loving the forties (reach the big 4-3 in a few weeks) but am also baffled by them.
    So far my guidebook is “I Feel Bad About My Neck” by Nora Ephron but it is more for the fifties…we need a 40s version. Go for it! I’d buy it for all my friends.
    BYW, LOVE the Slippery Year….I find myself sneaking off from life obligations to get in just one more chapter. That’s a good sign. 🙂
    Judy

Copyright © 2025 Melanie Gideon · Site design: Ilsa Brink