(凱莉的賬本

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內容介紹

<p>From Publishers Weekly In this irreverent look at new motherhood， playwright Howie (coauthor of the off-Broadway musical Cowgirls and author of the 1998 novel Snow) attempts to track the financial costs a baby imposes as one indication of the enormous changes parenthood brings. She "bills" her daughter before she's even born， for items as large as a changing table and as small as prenatal vitamins. After Callie arrives， the charges keep mounting， and Howie divides them into categories such as "etiquette" (e.g.， stamps for thank-you notes for the many gifts she receives， $6.12)， "sanitation" (e.g.， a 68-pack of Pampers for $12.97) and "furniture" (e.g.， a 3-in-1 bouncy chair for $25). Along with the financial details， readers get a glimpse of the emotional and interpersonal turmoil that accompanies the arrival of a baby， and also learn that Howie's exhaustion is only rivaled by her enormous love for her daughter. The author wants her audience "to have a firm grasp on a hard number before they roll around and make themselves one of these little bundles of sweetness and light." Throughout， she admits that some costs cannot reasonably be charged to Callie， as when she asks， "How do I charge you for stealing my want to do anything but stare at you?" This amusingly realistic account of a year on the front lines of parenting may not be a definitive guide to the financial costs involved， but it does provide a new perspective for moms and dads-to-be.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book Description When Betsy Howie became pregnant， she realized a frightening truth: She was about to lose control. So， she itemized her concerns: Can I physically handle it? Do I have the patience for the job? Can I have my career and take care of a baby? Will I be able to sidestep my own neuroses and negativity enough to raise an at least slightly healthy human being? And， of course: Do I have enough money? Only the last question seemed answerable. "How much does a baby really cost?" she wondered-and began saving receipts. The result was Callie's Tally， the real-life， day-by-day diary of her daughter's first year of debt. In this deliciously engaging and irreverent memoir， Callie's expenses-Pampers， formula， York peppermint patties for Mom's postpartum blues-mount as Howie searches for a tiny corner of order in a world otherwise lost to sleepless， timeless mayhem. Part Bridget Jones's Diary (after Bridget snags the boy) and part Operating Instructions (for the fiscally obsessed)， this is a wickedly funny and fresh story of shifting relationships within a modern American family. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. See all Editorial Reviews</p>