Go the Fuck to Sleep
 | |
| Author | Adam Mansbach |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Ricardo Cortés |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | Akashic |
Publication date | Jue 2011 |
| Publication place | United States |
| ISBN | 978-1617750250 |
Go the Fuck to Sleep is a book written by American author Adam Mansbach. Described as a "children's book for adults", it reached #1 on Amazon.com's bestseller list, thanks to an unintended viral marketing campaign which consisted of booksellers forwarding PDF copies of the book by email.
Background
When Adam Mansbach's daughter Vivien was two, she would take up to two hours to fall asleep. Exhausted and exasperated, one night Mansbach posted a note on Facebook, "Look out for my forthcoming children’s book, Go the — to Sleep". Following his post, friends of Mansbach responded enthusiastically, so that Mansbach began writing what was then only a hypothetical book. Mansbach had the illustrations for the book done by a friend, illustrator Ricardo Cortés, and aproached Akashic Books, a book publisher from New York.[1]
Go the Fuck to Sleep was subject to an unintended viral marketing campaign after PDF copies of the book, presumably from advance copies sent to booksellers, were distributed via email. While the book was originally scheduled for release in October 2011, by the end of April the book had hit #2 on Amazon.com's bestseller list,[1] and by May 12 the book was #1. In the meantime, the publishing date was moved up to June. Akashic is trying to prevent piracy of the book, while maintaining the marketing effect that has come with the piracy.[2]
Content and critical response
The cats nestle close to their kittens now.
The lambs have laid down with the sheep.
You’re cozy and warm in your bed, my dear
Please go the fuck to sleep.[3]
Go the Fuck to Sleep is written as a "children's book for adults".[2] While it has the writing style of classic children's bedtime stories, it also includes the parent's profanity (the "f-bomb" is "generously dropped"[4]) as commentary on the tricks used by Mansbach's daughter to prevent from having to go to bed.[4]
Positive initial response to the Facebook posts was matched by positive criticism from reviewers. Macy Halford, writing for The New Yorker, said "the book is super funny, and the art, by Ricardo Cortés, is perversely sweet, so sweet and genuine that it made me cringe."[3] Some of the reviewers chimed in from experience, as did Sarah Western Balzer, writing for Here Is The City. After citing a stanza in which the parent comments on the child's supposed thirst ("I know you’re not thirsty. That’s bullshit. Stop lying. / Lie the fuck down, my darling, and sleep."), she says: "It goes on a bit too long, and by the end, he's kind of in a rage. But then, putting a two- or three-year old to bed can be totally fucking enraging at times."[4]
References
- ^ a b Harmanci, Reyhan (28 April 2011). "A Whim, A Book, And, Wow!". New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
- ^ a b Harmanci, Reyhan (12 May 2011). "'Go the F--- to Sleep': The Case of the Viral PDF". The Bay Citizen.
- ^ a b Halford, Macy (5 May 2011). "The Mystery of Go the F to Sleep Solved". The New Yorker. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
- ^ a b c Balzer, Sarah Western (12 May 2011). "Go The F*ck To Sleep (REVIEW)". Here is the City. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
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