More Martinis…

Before Daddy needed a drink and Mommy discovered that sippy cups were not for chardonnay, Christie Mellor published her wildly popular The Three-Martini Playdate: A Practical Guide to Happy Parenting (Chronicle Books, 2004). In her hilarious debut, Mellor instructed beleaguered parents to stop pandering to their kids, find their disciplinarian mojo, and take back their grown-up time.

I reviewed The Three-Martini Playdate three years ago, and I (along with thousands of other parents) have been hoping for a sequel ever since. Good news, my cocktail-loving compadres: that sequel is finally here. It’s called The Three-Martini Family Vacation: A Field Guide to Intrepid Parenting (Chronicle Books, 2007).

The Three-Martini Family Vacation is very similar to the Three-Martini Playdate in terms of message, tone, and style, but this time around Mellor takes aim at overdone family vacations (no, you don’t have to go to a massively crowded theme park—try camping in the back yard!) and overdone major holidays (no, you don’t have to buy your kid a $300 iPod—bubble wrap makes a great gift instead!). This Three-Martini book is just as snarky as the original; if anything, Mellor sounds even more irritated with today’s wussy parenting —and that’s a good thing. An irritated Mellor is a funny Mellor. God forbid the woman should go all Zen or empathetic or something.

— Jennifer Eyre White

Catch Christie Mellor on her book tour (check www.christiemellor.com for updates):

San Francisco Area Events

When: Wednesday, June 13
Where: Books Inc., Alameda 1344 Park Street, Alameda, CA
What: Reading & Signing Time: 7:30 p.m.

When: Thursday, June 14
Where: Bookshop West Portal 80 West Portal Avenue, San Francisco, CA
What: Reading & Signing Time: 7:00 p.m.

When: Saturday, June 16 Where: Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera, CA
What: Reading, Signing & Martinis! Time: 6:00 p.m.