Paperback
A sweeping history of men, fathers, and family across millennia.

Fatherhood

A History of Love and Power

$22.07

  • Paperback

    320 pages

  • Release Date

    3 November 2026

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Summary

An ambitious history of masculinity and family, from the Bronze Age to the contemporary ‘crisis of men’, Fatherhood dares to offer a more caring and affirmative vision of the roles men play at home and in the world.

‘Superbly intelligent … a rewarding Sapiens-style big history’ - The Sunday Times

‘A lightness of touch that recalls Bill Bryson or Craig Brown at their non-fiction best’ - The Observer

What is fatherhood, and where did it come from? How has the role of men…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781035035786
ISBN-10:1035035782
Author:Augustine Sedgewick
Publisher:Pan Macmillan
Imprint:Picador
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:320
Release Date:3 November 2026
Weight:218g
Dimensions:16mm x 131mm x 199mm
A-Format
B-Format
Fatherhood by Augustine Sedgewick - ISBN: 9781035035786
131 × 199 mm
C-Format
A4
mm / in
What They're Saying

Critics Review

An invigorating, impressively researched and honest read. Anyone doing the work of dismantling and reframing the heavy role of the father will find something here – Raymond Antrobus, author of Signs, Music
An engrossing chronicle of fatherhood … studious research and literary agility makes Fatherhood a deeply fascinating and strikingly humane read. * The Observer *
A winsome and erudite study of patriarchy … in elegant, evocative prose. Fatherhood is a fresh and insightful meditation on the paternal dilemma. * Publishers Weekly *
Intelligent … The author is an undeniably talented prose stylist with estimable dot-connecting abilities. * Kirkus *
‘A richly absorbing piece of history embedded in a wealth of wonderful storytelling. A pleasure to read’ - Vivian Gornick, author of Fierce Attachments – Vivian Gornick, author of Fierce Attachments and The Odd Woman and the City
Absorbing, rigorous, and profoundly moving, Fatherhood is an exquisite narrative history that offers new ways of thinking about masculinity and the modern family – Kate Bolick, author of Spinster
Examines not only recent shifts, but the continuous process of change that runs through the centuries … a fascinating survey and a book with a particular relevance today. * Unseen Histories *
Explains the surprising roots of our modern masculinity crisis. * GQ *
Artfully examined … highly informative … Shows that the hidden truth of fatherhood and masculinity is that they are concepts we make and can be remade. * Financial Times *
When Robert Collins reviewed Fatherhood, he called it “superbly intelligent”. I’m inclined to agree * The Times *
An American scholar describes how thinking about dads has changed over time * The Economist *

About The Author

Augustine Sedgewick

Augustine Sedgewick is the author of Coffeeland: A History, a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection and the winner of Italy’s Cherasco History Prize. He earned his doctorate at Harvard University and lives in New York City with his son. Fatherhood is his second book.

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