Don't Mind Him; He's Pregnant

With irreverent humor, Hallen, a New York City advertising executive in his early 30s, recounts the pregnancy of his wife Barbara, who also works at an ad agency. Hallen begins as a reluctant, yuppie father-to-be, wondering in the beginning, for example: ""Could we afford a baby and a video-club membership?'' For much of the book, his wisecracks rarely let up. (Noting that fetuses hear sounds and become comfortable with them, he states, ``I figured I would make Barbara sit near the TV during telecasts of Mets games so the baby would get used to hearing the announcers' voices.'') But by birth, he becomes as mushy as his wife and gets angry when his best friend reminds him of his earlier penchant for telling dead-baby jokes. This is an enjoyable book that will strike a chord in any man who feels ambivalence and confusion when his wife takes the lead toward creating a family. (April)