Go the F*** To Sleep

By Dan Friedman May 12, 2011

It’s not porn, that’s colonizing the viral virtual space of business America in early May 2011 but a children’s book written by Adam Mansbach.

Mansbach is best known for his cheerily titled books “Angry Black White Boy: A Novel” and “The End of the Jews: A Novel,” But he has clearly met with parenthood in a meaningful way and his new book, “Go the F***| to Sleep” has touched a chord beyond his normal readers.

Somehow a rogue pdf of the book has been circulated. I got mine from a lawyer who got his from a lawyer who got his (hers?) from a recruitment consultant who got it from I don’t know where. Elsewhere in the virtual world cover pictures are being exchanged along with rumors of rhymes that didn’t make it to the final edition.

Among the rhymes that did make it is:

The wind whispers soft through the grass, hon.
The field mice, they make not a peep.
It’s been thirty-eight minutes already.
Jesus Christ, what the f***|? Go to sleep.

Akashic Books and Mansbach are staying tightlipped on the whole leak, but, with only a month until launch date, they surely aren’t too bothered with the pre-publication buzz, after all, a pdf is no substitute for a hardback book for a new parent. And 32 pages is about all they’ll have time to read.

Dan Friedman is the former executive editor and whisky correspondent of the Forward, and is the author of a book about Tears for Fears, the ’80s emo rock band.

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