What can possibly go wrong in the adult dating pool if you never splashed in the kiddie pool as a teen?
Young Todd wants a better married life than his parents have, but his distracted dad and passive-aggressive mom offer little guidance. His dad's departing concerns are morning sit-ups while wearing bright red, teeny-tiny briefs and hooking up with fellow real estate agents while his mom "protects" him from the evils of Batman and steals his peanut butter sandwiches: "You're only feeding your pimples!"
In the old-school world of the 1980s, where swiping through dating apps is not an option, adult Todd figures out this dating thing on his own. His journey begins with a payphone moment straight out of a Hollywood movie and continues through a series of near tragic date-night movie choices and an awkward hot tub encounter.
After his dipsy-doodling aunt unknowingly suggests he write a personal ad (his mind works in strange ways), is he finally on the road to marital bliss?
praise
"I laughed. I cringed. I was completely swept up in Ford's quest to find true love. The best memoirs not only let you see what the author saw but feel what they felt along the way. This Dating Thing will resonate with anyone who remembers longing for more out of life and wondering if they would ever find their own love story worthy of a Hollywood movie. Highly recommended!" - Anita Casey-Reed, from The Cinema 100 Film Society
"Maybe it's the film buff in me, maybe it's the rom-com lover lurking within, maybe it's just my fondness for well-crafted tales-whatever the reason, I was utterly charmed by Ford's memoir. Ford hooked me early on with a classic young-love-gone-nowhere and kept me engaged throughout with his wit and clever film references. It's the perfect book for anybody hoping to laugh with someone else about the absurdity of dating, the struggle of finding love, and the sometimes-difficult task of fitting in." - John Katsanakis, author of Pomegranate
"As honest as it is witty, Ford's memoir acts as both a meditation on modern love and an ode to family and cinema. More than that, This Dating Thing truly is one of the more enjoyable literary experiences I've had in recent years. Simply put: It's that good." - Luke Ganje, author of The Beginning and The End
about the author
Todd Ford leads two lives. By day, he's a systems analyst for a utilities company. By night, he's a reader, writer, movie lover, and guy on a mission to combine all three. He lives in an empty nest with his wife, Trissa, in Mandan, ND. Together, they've had twelve cats and two dogs.
