Fatherhood

An ambitious history of masculinity and family, from the Bronze Age to the modern day, Fatherhood dares to offer a more caring and affirmative vision of the roles men currently play in society. What is fatherhood, and where did it come from? How has the role of men in families and society changed across thousands of years? What does the history of fatherhood reveal about what it means to be a dad today? Chronicling the intimate stories and struggles of some of history’s most famous fathers, historian Augustine Sedgewick explores the origins and transformation of one of the most potent ideas in human history: fatherhood. From the anxious philosophers of ancient Athens and Henry VIII’s obsessive quest for an heir, to Charles Darwin’s theories of human origins, Bob Dylan’s take down of ‘The Man’, and beyond, Sedgewick shows how successive generations of men have shaped our understanding of what it means to be and have a father, and in turn our ideas of who we are, where we come from and what we are capable of. _____ Praise for Augustine Sedgewick’s Coffeeland : ‘Thoroughly engrossing . . . a deeply satisfying reading experience’ - Michael Pollan ‘Wonderful, energizing’ - The Guardian 'There is much here to entertain, educate and stimulate' - Financial Times 'Sedgewick is a stylish writer' - i 'Epic, illuminating . . . a pocket history of globalisation itself' - Telegraph

An ambitious history of masculinity and family, from the Bronze Age to the modern day, Fatherhood dares to offer a more caring and affirmative vision of the roles men currently play in society. What is fatherhood, and where did it come from? How has the role of men in families and society changed across thousands of years? What does the history of fatherhood reveal about what it means to be a dad today? Chronicling the intimate stories and struggles of some of history’s most famous fathers, historian Augustine Sedgewick explores the origins and transformation of one of the most potent ideas in human history: fatherhood. From the anxious philosophers of ancient Athens and Henry VIII’s obsessive quest for an heir, to Charles Darwin’s theories of human origins, Bob Dylan’s take down of ‘The Man’, and beyond, Sedgewick shows how successive generations of men have shaped our understanding of what it means to be and have a father, and in turn our ideas of who we are, where we come from and what we are capable of. _____ Praise for Augustine Sedgewick’s Coffeeland : ‘Thoroughly engrossing . . . a deeply satisfying reading experience’ - Michael Pollan ‘Wonderful, energizing’ - The Guardian 'There is much here to entertain, educate and stimulate' - Financial Times 'Sedgewick is a stylish writer' - i 'Epic, illuminating . . . a pocket history of globalisation itself' - Telegraph

An Economist, GQ and Times Book of the Year 2025 An ambitious history of masculinity and family, from the Bronze Age to the modern day, Fatherhood dares to offer a more caring and affirmative vision of the roles men currently play in society. '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 in families and society changed across thousands of years? What does the history of fatherhood reveal about what it means to be a dad today? From the anxious philosophers of ancient Athens and Henry VIII’s obsessive quest for an heir, to Charles Darwin’s theories of human origins, Bob Dylan’s take down of ‘The Man’, and beyond, Sedgewick shows how successive generations of men have shaped our understanding of what it means to be and have a father, and in turn our ideas of who we are, where we come from and what we are capable of.

An Economist, GQ and Times Book of the Year 2025 An ambitious history of masculinity and family, from the Bronze Age to the modern day, Fatherhood dares to offer a more caring and affirmative vision of the roles men currently play in society. '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 in families and society changed across thousands of years? What does the history of fatherhood reveal about what it means to be a dad today? From the anxious philosophers of ancient Athens and Henry VIII’s obsessive quest for an heir, to Charles Darwin’s theories of human origins, Bob Dylan’s take down of ‘The Man’, and beyond, Sedgewick shows how successive generations of men have shaped our understanding of what it means to be and have a father, and in turn our ideas of who we are, where we come from and what we are capable of.