The role of fathers has never been more complex. On the one hand, the nuclear family is disappearing fast. On the other, fathers are increasingly involved with their offspring, from waterbirths and dirty nappies, to spending quality time with the children.
This anthology, spanning 2000 BC to AD 2000, is the first of its kind exploring the relationship between father and child using a wealth of sources, from fiction to personal letters, ancient Greek poetry to eighteenth century childcare manuals, newspaper reports to 'The Simpsons'.
'Fatherhood' is both a celebration of the joys of fatherhood and a more sober exploration of the responsibilities and vulnerabilities that go with it. With selections from, among others, Mark Twain, Tony Parsons, Groucho Marx, Ernest Hemingway, William Blake and Fergal Keane, this is a book for every father, but also for everyone who wants to understand just what it is to be a dad.
