Book Review: Manual Not Included by Hilaria Baldwin
An Honest, Heartfelt, and Surprisingly Hilarious Survival Guide to Parenthood and Partnership, Hilaria Baldwin’s Manual Not Included is a refreshingly candid and deeply human look at the messy, beautiful chaos of modern motherhood. With humor, vulnerability, and hard-earned wisdom, Baldwin invites readers into her world — not as a celebrity, but as a woman navigating the joys and trials of raising seven children while maintaining her identity, sanity, and sense of humor.
What makes Manual Not Included shine is its relatability. Baldwin doesn’t sugarcoat the sleepless nights, emotional overload, or the impossible quest for balance. Instead, she leans in — with grace and grit — and offers practical insight for parents, partners, and anyone trying to keep it together when life feels overwhelming. Whether she’s writing about postpartum identity shifts, co-parenting challenges, or the little victories that make it all worthwhile, she does so with a voice that is both deeply personal and universally understood.
There’s also a refreshing lack of pretense here. Baldwin isn’t offering a foolproof parenting formula — in fact, she’s adamant that there isn’t one. The book’s title says it all: no manual exists for life’s biggest roles. But her stories, reflections, and raw honesty come close to being the next best thing.
Ultimately, Manual Not Included isn’t just for parents. It’s for anyone learning to embrace imperfection, laugh through the madness, and find peace in the unpredictability of life. Baldwin’s openness feels like a breath of fresh air in a world that often demands perfection, and her ability to find meaning in mayhem is downright inspiring.
In a crowded landscape of parenting books and memoirs, Hilaria Baldwin’s latest offering stands out — not because it pretends to have all the answers, but because it gives you permission to admit you don’t. And somehow, that’s exactly the comfort so many of us need.
Join Hilaria at ARI celebrating the release of her new book
MANUAL NOT INCLUDED
Wednesday, June 18th 6:00 PM — 8:00 PM
471 W Broadway, New York, NY
RSVP to concierge@arisoho.com
