The expletive-sprinkled book that has reached best-seller lists is similar to Metaxas' 2008 bedtime book.
Christian author Eric Metaxas says the new book Go the [Expletive] to Sleep (Akashic Books) released earlier this week is a parody of his own bedtime book It’s Time to Sleep, My Love.
The profanity-laden children’s book, written by Adam Mansbach and illustrated by Ricardo Cortés, has lept to the top of bestseller lists, but Metaxas is confused why the book doesn't mention his earlier rendition. “As soon as I saw it, I thought ‘Oh my gosh, they’re parodying my book,'” he told me."I’m kidding when I ask, ‘Should I sue?’ but for some reason, the publishers are not letting on that it’s a parody."
Before it was published Tuesday, the parody saw advance sales of more 100,000 copies printed more than 400,000, according to Reuters. The movie rights were purchased by Fox 2000.
It’s Time to Sleep, My Love (Feiwel and Friends) features a lullaby by Eric Metaxas and illustrations by Nancy Tillman with 175,000 copies in its first printing in 2008. Tillman’s art and Cortés’s art both depict sleeping tigers.
Lines from Time to Sleep, My Love include “It’s time to sleep, / it’s time to sleep, / The fishes croon in waters deep. / The songbirds sing in trees above, / It’s time to sleep, my love, my love.” Lines from Go the [Expletive] to Sleep include “The windows are dark n the town, child. / The whales huddle down in the deep. / I’ll read you one very last book if you swear / You’ll go the [expletive] to sleep.”
"I’m able to appreciate how funny and well done this book is, but on the other hand, it’s saddening to me that this kind of language has found itself in the mainstream that it becomes a number one bestseller," he said.
Metaxas, who used to write for Veggie Tales, says that he knows the context makes it humorous and speaks to the frustration many parents have with their children's sleeping habits but is concerned about the language.
"It’s not a hill worth dying on, and I’m not speaking out harshly and denouncing it, but it’s a sad cultural marker for me," he said about the title. "I’m fully aware of how even saying that puts you at risk of being thought prudish. It's like reading a joke on the internet. You never look at it again because it’s not worth it."
Although his children's book is not a Christian book per se, Metaxas is a well-known Christian author. He says his Bonhoeffer biography has sold more than 200,000 copies and will be translated into German later this year.
Ellen Painter Dollar wrote about lessons from the expletive-laced book for our women's blog.
Posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey on June 16, 2011 9:22AM
Comments
Metaxes doesn't seem to get that this book is a parody of the dozens and dozens of children's books out there. As a librarian, I've seen most of the books on this theme: children, animals, sleep.
Posted by: Ruth at June 17, 2011
Because the title of the parody book still has the power to surprise and shock us means that the f-bomb is still not quite acceptable in polite society. That makes me happy. I agree--it's a cheap laugh and I'm not ready to allow it into my own everyday vocabulary. But we could be in the minority soon--my teen daughter and friends, raised in Christian homes and Christian schools, seem quite comfortable using the word in texts and conversation. I guess they've heard it so much in movies and music that it just serves to express what they want to say. Eavesdropping on random conversations at the movie theater or at the mall demonstrates that many teens pepper their conversations with it, too. So Eric, I think we've lost the battle with the word as far as teens go. But perhaps the next generation will use cleaner language in protest---who knows?
Posted by: Susy Flory at June 17, 2011
susy, just to give you a word of encouragement, you may probably hear the F word from your kids and their friends now, but my experience is that they stop using it once they're 20 or in their early 20's if they once used it. I've never heard a bad word from my youngest, and it was rare from my older 2, but I overheard it several times from their friends. Now I can honestly say I haven't heard that word in over a year from my kids or their friends. Actually, once they moved out of dorms or sororities and they just lived with their close friends or at home, that language just stopped. My youngest just graduated from a Christian school, and I've never heard her use it or any of her friends. I'm definitely not saying that the other kids don't use it or something, but I've never heard my youngest or her friends use it. It seems like the kids in the dorms and the sororities use it more commonly, and once they're away from that, their language improved, and they once again spoke how they were raised. I hope and pray our society never degrades to that extent, and call me a prude if you want, but I think that language is coarse and rude, and I'm glad I don't hear it anymore, except from an occasional stranger. I actually don't have much hope that society won't continue to become cruder, but all I can do is my best and hope to pass it on to my kids and set an example. I don't think it's "cute" or "funny" to be in the title of a so-called Christian book. I had a very difficult, colicky baby, and that word never crossed my mind.
Posted by: Barbara at June 17, 2011
Barbara - it's not a Christian book.
It's for adults, it sits on our highest bookshelf, and we were one of the advanced sales. My husband and I found it to be funny because we've been there and still are.
Posted by: Kate at June 19, 2011
Kate, and that's certainly your right. But Jesus would not own that book, He was sinless. We are supposed to be changed and transformed if we're Christians, see Colossians chapter 3. None of us is perfect, but we're to strive to live Christ-like lives. Is it on the top shelf just because you have other children, or does anything at all tell you that this is not God-pleasing? God sees it no matter where it is. Do you really live your life trying to please Him? Only you can answer this of course. This is just a part of Col 3:
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come."
Posted by: Barbara at June 19, 2011
I do not agree that we have lost this generation of teens to vulgar language. I have met many teens who get what it means to "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." I have many of them in my life and who have passed through my home. These teens "get" that unwholesome speech is just that...unwholesome. They get that their speech is meant for better things and their vocabulary is not limited to the gutter. I know many teens who are offended by the "F"
word and maybe just maybe their parents ought to be, too. There are some great kids out there and I do not think we should sell them short or give up on "their" generation.
Posted by: BJ at June 19, 2011
It sounds like you are venting because a lawyer explained you have no case for infringement. . .Satire and parody are great legal protections; especially when what is parodied is it's self un-original in theme and concept.
Posted by: eric at June 23, 2011
Eric-
Actually, I don't see anything in this article to indicate he even considers suing the author. He simply expresses his dismay that something he intended as a healthy expression of childhood bedtime ritual has been parodied in this vulgar fashion. In his own words, "I’m able to appreciate how funny and well done this book is, but on the other hand, it’s saddening to me that this kind of language has found itself in the mainstream that it becomes a number one bestseller,"
Posted by: Jan at June 23, 2011
I find it interesting that the book gets denounced in the churchian culture for it's use of the "f-word;" but there's two other words, used once each; that offended me much, much, more.
Maybe i'm just too postmodern, but the 4 letter words in the book did not offend me at all (and, sadly; i think actually add to the humor - though my time working baggage at O'Hare may have desensitized me). HOWEVER, i was offended by the use of my Savior's name taken in vain, as well as another profane use of the name of God in the book.
I would say that it's a sad cultural marker for the Church; that Christians are more offended by a word that is culturally vulgar; than by language that denigrates our God. It is actually the second charge that will give me greater pause should i be trying to decide whether to buy the book.
Posted by: russ at July 1, 2011