Do Fathers Matter? - Hardcover

Paul Raeburn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374141045 ISBN 13: 9780374141042

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014

Synopsis

In Do Fathers Matter? the award-winning journalist Paul Raeburn collects the latest research to show that fathers have a profound impact on their children's lives - from conception to adulthood. He explains how fathers' roles are distinctly different from those of mothers, as well as how fathers' play helps to prepare children for the outside world. And he reveals how the connection between children and fathers goes both ways: children influence fathers' stress, hormones, and relationships with their partners. Raeburn discards the myths of fatherhood as he searches for what we really know about non-traditional families, new fathers, and fathers of adult children, and introduces us to groundbreaking research that will change the way we think about parenting. Weaving in fascinating findings from genetics, brain research, animal behaviour, and his own experience of parenthood, Raeburn delivers an incredibly rich and eye-opening look at the impact fathers can have on their children.

About this title

Review:

Raeburn's book reveals the fascinating ways in which dads matter to children, and how children matter to dads . . . at center stage here is Raeburn's ability to present research in ways both engaging and clear.--Jenni Laidman, Chicago Tribune A zippy tour through the latest research on fathers' distinctive, or predominant, contributions to their children's lives, Do Fathers Matter? is filled with provocative studies of human dads -- not to mention a lot of curious animal experiments . . . [Paul Raeburn] writes clearly, untangling cause from effect, noting probabilities and inserting caveats. . . he is an ideal guide to tricky, uncertain research in a nascent field. . . . father research cuts across disciplines, and Mr. Raeburn excels at mapping the twistiness of the road ahead.--Mark Oppenheimer, The New York Times. Raeburn shows with mounting evidence the role of the father and his effect on the care and nurturing of children . . . As the father of a rapidly growing and changing little girl, I gained more from Raeburn's work than all the daddy lit put together.--Kent Black, The Boston Globe[Do Fathers Matter? is] a clear-eyed march through the history of family studies and a helpful review of the new generation of research devoted to identifying the impact of dads . . . [it] gathers an impressive diversity of studies into a single, highly readable volume, covering such topics as conception, pregnancy, infants, teenagers and aging fathers.--Bruce Feiler, The Washington Post [Raeburn's] lively tour through the latest research in biology, ethology, psychology, sociology and neuroscience is intriguing.--Joshua Kendall, Los Angeles Times A valuable, compelling book for fathers, mothers, grandparents and parents-to-be -- and perhaps even for their children . . . Do Fathers Matter? uncovers a trove of good research about fathers and parenting.--Kevin Begos, Associated Press[Do Fathers Matter] is astounding in its scope and perspective on fatherhood, with some of its revelations being downright shocking.--The Washington Times A warm, enjoyable collection of stories about the science of fatherhood . . . a highly readable account.--Psychology Today When science journalist Paul Raeburn first assessed the available research on fathers, he found the pickings decidedly slim. Scientists are now redressing the balance, and Raeburn has rounded up key findings in developmental psychology, evolutionary biology, genetics and neuroscience.--Nature I recommend Do Fathers Matter? to anyone who has ever wondered if indeed fathers are as important as mothers when it comes to setting the stage for success later in life. My prediction is you will be able to relate to Raeburn's well-developed and wonderfully executed book in a way that will change the way you feel about both of your parents.--Aaron W. Hughey, Bowling Green Daily News As food for thought, [Do Fathers Matter?] provides an ample helping for anyone willing to look at the ways fathers are portrayed, the realities of male parenting and all the gray areas in between.--Kirkus Reviews Whisking readers through research in evolutionary biology, psychology, sociology, and genetics to provide a new understanding of the biology of fatherhood, Raeburn is on comfortable ground discussing the hard science, such as the discovery of imprinted genes, and his personal concern about the medical price paid by older fathers...Raeburn's attempt to promote the modern father as a similarly nurturing and attentive parent might indeed help, as he hopes, prompt a more informed cultural conversation.--Publishers Weekly To answer the provocative question 'Do fathers matter?, Paul Raeburn draws extensively on cutting-edge science, animal research, neurobiology, and large-population studies. Anyone interested in parenthood, human development, and culture Josh Levs, CNN journalist and dad blogger fathers' rig --Various

About the Author:

Paul Raeburn is the chief media critic for the Knight Science Journalism Tracker site at MIT. His most recent book is Acquainted with the Night. A Parent's Quest to Understand Depression and Bipolar Disorder in His Children. He writes the About Fathers blog for Psychology Today and is a regular guest on NPR. Raeburn was formerly the science editor at BusinessWeek and the Associated Press. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Discover, and Scientific American, among other publications. A past president of the National Association of Science Writers, he lives in New York City with his wife and children.

About this edition

• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0374141045
• ISBN 13: 9780374141042
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288