Publishers Weekly
★ 03/15/2021
Shapiro (The New Childhood), former Forbes education columnist, invites cisgender male parents to dive deep into concepts of masculinity, identity, and fatherhood in this thorough guide. He identifies four foundational principles to becoming a feminist dad: cultivating critical consciousness that interrogates problematic narratives; practicing responsive fathering that gives up narcissistic paternal authority in favor of valuing others’ perspectives; fighting locker-room gender essentialism and biological determinism with explicit antisexism; and practicing and modeling rigorous inclusivity in the home and in the world. Shapiro highlights how media properties such as Star Wars codify the father-child role and establish rugged individualism as something to be admired, and takes on tropes of “good dad” masculinity—such as monopolizing dinner conversations with well-meant advice or indulging in the notion that fathers should be the model against which a child models future romantic partners— to show how such thinking is grounded in outdated models of authority. Shapiro’s narrative style is collegial and extraordinarily approachable considering the well-entrenched ideas he aims to dislodge; readers turned off by other man-to-man treatises on discarding toxic masculinity will find this to be nonjudgmental while still unrelenting in reinforcing the necessity of doing “self-intervention” work. Urgent and intellectually rigorous, this survey comes at a perfect moment. Agent: Bonnie Solow, Solow Literary. (May)
From the Publisher
This book redefines what it means to be a good father. It’s for anyone who dreams of a world where dads are both strong and kind—a world where children of any gender can look up to the men in their lives.”—Adam Grant, author of Think Again
"Utterly mindblowing." —New York Times
“This pandemic has revealed a crisis in American caregiving. I hope Shapiro's fearless book kickstarts a woke dad revolution, because Goddess knows we need one.”—Anya Kamenetz, NPR correspondent and author of The Art of Screen Time
"Father Figure is exactly the book that our family needed, and we imagine yours does too. Shapiro questions what the traditional ‘dad’ offers a modern household. He reminds us that feminism liberates everyone, not just women. And he offers supportive and profound suggestions for fathers. You can be a vital member of your family’s journey without being a patriarchal tyrant."—Ben Lee and Ione Skye, musician, actress, partners, parents
“Holy smokes! This book is a revelation and a revolution. This is required reading for every person who is or will be a caregiver in their lifetime — which is all of us. Father Figure is a brilliant mix of memoir, manifesto, and action. Shapiro offers us hope for a future where fatherhood is radically reimagined, and this is the road map to get us there.”—Eve Rodsky, author of Fair Play
“It’s about time someone addressed the role fathers play in raising feminist children, and Shapiro has nailed it. I am happy to add Father Figure to my bookshelf of essential parenting reads.”—Jessica Lahey, author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation
"Father Figure is the rare book brave enough to approach feminism from the point of view of the people least likely to identify as feminists — straight dudes — and makes a compelling case for why we should not only be allies, but also feminists ourselves."—Michael Ian Black, Comedian, Actor, Author
"A lucid and moving articulation of how patriarchy harms men. I'm going to buy it for every dad I know. We have needed a book like this so badly."—Melissa Febos, author of Girlhood, Abandon Me, and Whip Smart
"This book heralds a revolution. Young men, fathers, grandfathers, and pretty much anyone who cares about masculinity, families, and a healthy future for us all should buy this book. I loved Father Figure and have recommended it everywhere!"—Sonora Jha, author of How to Raise a Feminist Son
"This is the kind of foreplay that us modern women really are looking for." —Brandy Ferner, author of Adult Conversation
"I'm excited about this, I want to be a feminist dad." —Maz Jobrani, Comedian, Pandemic Warrior (Peacock), Immigrant (Netflix)
