NO PALTRY THING: Memoirs of a Geezer Dad

The beauty of Meyer's account about becoming a "geezer dad" is its blending of self-effacing humor with bleak honesty. On the eve of his 59th birthday, Meyer learned he was to become a father for the sixth time. His response, when asked by his "young wife" (no age given) if he would be able to handle it, was, "You probably will. I won't." Undergoing coronary bypass surgery and, later, playing baseball with his sixth child (which aggravated his gout, arthritis and bursitis) were grim reminders of his mortality. But Meyer's tone remains upbeat. He brings alive the pleasure of taking his four-year-old to a baseball game, which has particular significance, since he'd established the bonding-over-baseball ritual 25 years earlier with his now-grown sons. When his youngest child reaches driving age, he relives the panic of watching his older children learn to drive, and is even more anxious about the dangers confronting the younger one now. Meyer lives a double life of sorts, as a retired journalism professor who divides his time between attending Girl Scout ceremonies and compulsively reading the obituary pages. He doesn't recommend geezer parenthood, but at 71, he has no regrets, and he concludes his chronicle with poignantly practical advice for those in the same boat. (Feb. 15)