Go the F--k to Sleep

By: Adam Mansbach

Narrated by: Samuel L. Jackson

Length: 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction) rocks this mock bedtime story, capturing a hilarious range of emotions as the voice of a father struggling to get his child to sleep. 

Go the F--k to Sleep is a bedtime book for parents who live in the real world, where a few snoozing kitties and cutesy rhymes don’t always send a toddler sailing blissfully off to dreamland. California Book Award-winning author Adam Mansbach’s profane, affectionate, and radically honest verses perfectly capture the familiar - and unspoken - tribulations of putting your little angel down for the night. In the process, he opens up a conversation about parenting, granting us permission to admit our frustrations, and laugh at their absurdity. Beautiful, subversive, and pants-wettingly funny, Go the F--k to Sleep is a book for parents new, old, and expectant. Due to its explicit language, you probably should not play it for your children. 

"I was anxious to do the audio read of this book because my agent has twins and he gave me the book and I read it and I fell out laughing. And I remember all those times when I did read to my daughter when she was that age and everybody tells you that reading stories will put kids to sleep, but it never works. It didn’t in my house. Actually if I picked her up and made up a story it worked a lot better. But I did say ‘Go the F--k to Sleep’ to her a lot, and I think at some point she would look at me when I would come into her room, and she would look at me and say ‘Go the F--k to Sleep, Daddy!’. And I would say ‘Yeah, go the f--k to sleep'." - Samuel L Jackson

©2011 Adam Mansbach (P)2011 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Total genius." (Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn, father of two)

"I wish this book had been around during my daughter's overly protracted sleep rituals! Finally, someone tells it like it really is. This is no-guilt funny and a godsend!" (Cristina Garcia, author of The Lady Matador's Hotel, mother of one)

"A children's book for grown-ups! I really did laugh out loud - hilarious!" (David Byrne, musician, father of one)

Brilliant - can't beat Samuel's narration

I had heard pieces of this and had heard people rave.

It's great - and despite the language my 88 year old mother (who never swears) thought it was very funny too.

SLJ - just has a brilliant voice and carries this off better than every other version I've heard.

ROFLMAO

Oh any parent can appreciate this and Samuel L Jackson, well he alone makes this, I was laughing so hard I almost wet myself!!

PS - If your not a parent, you may not appreciate the perils of trying to get that little one to go the f--k to sleep!

Pathetic

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I doubt whether anyone with a genuine sense of humour would enjoy this. It has one potentially humourous line, (which is the title) but its effect is immediately dissipated by its repetition.

What was most disappointing about Adam Mansbach’s story?

The banal repetition

How did the narrator detract from the book?

He couldn't

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment.

do you the F word

i am glad the story wasn't a long one,it did make me laugh in a few places

Don't pass this Up

What did you love best about Go the F--k to Sleep?

Samuel L Jackson. His delivery was superb. He made it, I've seen this book in stores and perused it but would never consider buying it.

Has Go the F--k to Sleep turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not at all.

Which scene was your favorite?

No you can't go to the bathroom......You can go......Samuel say's it just how I want to say it to my kids.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, It's a short listen but oh so funny.

Any additional comments?

More of Mr Jackson please Audible.

This is certainly not a book for kids

Would you consider the audio edition of Go the F--k to Sleep to be better than the print version?

hmmmm. i love Samuel L. Jackson, so am a bit biased. I liked hearing his voice in my head rather than my own when i was reading it to myself

If you’ve listened to books by Adam Mansbach before, how does this one compare?

Nope. First timer

Have you listened to any of Samuel L. Jackson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Nope. First timer also

Who was the most memorable character of Go the F--k to Sleep and why?

all the 'F--K' said in it. Plus, the 's--t' also. hilarious

Any additional comments?

Nice nice nice

'Humourously performed'

Samuel L Jackson performs this funny rendition of Alan Mansbach's night-time tale with absolute acknowledgment, of a parent's frustration brought about by the bedtime ritual. The sarcasm of Samuel's interpretation is hilarious and I would recommend this to any parent who had or has had a sleep deprived night just like this one!

go to sleep

I thought this was going to be funny but it wasn't. I thought it was a bit OTT.

The Ideal Parenting Tool

What did you like most about Go the F--k to Sleep?

I encapsulated exactly what I've always wanted to say to my daughter when want's she asks me to do my Barbie voice at 2am.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Go the F--k to Sleep?

Samuel L. Jackson's performance - sublime.

What about Samuel L. Jackson’s performance did you like?

It's menacing, you can tell he's channeling all his anger and frustration from years of sleepless nights.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I've not sure if 'moved' is the right word, but if this could be used as a parenting aid, it would no doubt bring tears of joy to millions of parents.

F--king loved it

Laugh out loud funny, even though I've not got kids....

Listen with headphones though, certainly not work safe...

And Samuel L Jackson is pure genius. It's like Jules from Pulp Fiction having a hard time with the kids...

You'll Replay This Over and Over

Totally and utterly brilliant especially with Samuel L Jackson as narrator. Will be replaying this over and over whenever I need a good laugh.

So true...

Any parent who listens to this just HAS to be able to relate...Love it!! I couldn't think of anyone better to read it.

Did not tickle my bone!

I can only say "Thank God I got this free!". Got it after reading all the wonderful reviews. Sorry but it was loud, crude and absolutely NOT FUNNY! I do have a sense of humour and laugh with the best of them, and have been through the go to sleep routine (am still doing it as a matter of fact) but I'm affraid this defeated me.

A must for anyone with children

As mother to a very independant toddler who fights sleep every step of the way, this book really illustrated how I feel most nights trying to get her to sleep. The choice of Samuel L Jackson to narrate it was excellent as you could just hear the tension and stress in his voice.

To anyone who has ever tried and failed to get a youngster to sleep, download this and enjoy listening to someone voicing exactly how you feel...and don't be afraid to laugh, you won't be able to help yourself.

Hilarious

Love this book, very tongue in cheek. Brilliantly narrated by none other than the most critically acclaimed potty mouth Samuel L. Jackson. Don't think I'll be reading it to the little ones though but great laugh.

Bleep sleep

A very funny 6 minutes. In the same way that you would listen to Morgan Freeman reading the phone book I could listen to Samuel L Jackson swear his way through anything. I would urge anyone to add this to their basket and go the f**k to the check out.

Hilarious

This is absolutely hilarious! Whether you have children or not everyone knows someone who has tried to get a toddler to sleep or you remember what it was like when your own parents were trying to get you to go to sleep! Also Samuel L. Jackson is fantastic, I couldn't honestly think of a better narrator for this!

WHAT!

I was looking forward to an amusing 6 mins. Which it could have been but for the amount of f**ks in this little book. Which in my opinion where well and truly over done and spoilt what could have been a funny piece, one at the end would have had a much bigger and better impact.