A review by boxtagram
Do-Over!: In Which a Forty-Eight-Year-Old Father of Three Returns to Kindergarten, Summer Camp, the Prom, and Other Embarrassments by Robin Hemley

4.0

I guess I cannot fully relate to a forty-eight year old man trying to relive such insignificant and yet monumental moments in his life, but I did enjoy this book immensely. While I have always been one to follow the theory of running as fast as physically possible (literally and figuratively) from an embarrassing moment, Robin Hemley has recorded himself throwing himself back into situations that have haunted him for years in order to relate to his two daughters. The parallels he draws between his current life, the past experiences, and his reasoning for reliving them all come together in a quirky and interesting read. There were times I was embarrassed for him as he remembered and then relived those moments. The most shocking for me was when he took another man’s wife to prom. I know there was full consent given, but I squirmed a bit (I guess this shows my immaturity). Prom is generally acknowledged to be one of the greatest moments of one’s high school years, but to go at such an…old… age is a bit too uncomfortable for me.
In all it was interesting to look through his eyes and wonder myself what embarrassments and mistakes, or moments of cowardice have affected my life. His application of his life events as a father and preparation for the upcoming years with his daughters was sweet. His style of writing made me feel like he was sitting in front of me telling me these stories himself in a tongue-in-cheek manner.