Michael Lewis may be the best non-fiction writer working today. From his business-related books (Boomerang, Liar’s Poker, The Big Short) to sports-related books (Moneyball, Blind Side; both GREAT books but WAY over-rated movies), he always nails his subject with both intelligence and humor.
Michael Lewis’ memoir on fatherhood, “Home Game” contains his typical wit and wisdom
While introducing his highly-recommended memoir, “Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood”, Lewis writes:
“This book is a snapshot of what I assume will one day be looked back upon as a kind of Dark Age of Fatherhood. Obviously, we’re in the midst of some long unhappy transition between the model of fatherhood practiced by my father and some ideal model, approved by all, to be practiced with ease by the fathers of the future. But for now, there’s an unsettling absence of universal, or even local, standards of behavior. Within a few miles of my house I can find perfectly sane men and women who regard me as a Neanderthal who should do more to help my poor wife with the kids, and just shut up about it. But I can also find other sane men and women who view me as a Truly Modern Man and marvel aloud at my ability to be both breadwinner and domestic dervish – doer of approximately 31.5 percent of all parenting. The absence of standards is the social equivalent of the absence of an acknowledged fair price for a good in a marketplace. At best, it leads to haggling; at worst, to market failure.”
I agree that this is an odd time to be a father. There is no acknowledged one best way, which leads us all on individual journeys appropriate for our situations. This makes it harder to share experiences, learn from each other and develop fatherhood networks. But it also makes the need to share and discuss these issues more important than ever. That’s part of why I write the blog, and part of why, I guess, you read it. Thanks.
Oh, on a blog-related note, we are almost half-way to my goal of 100 email/twitter/wordpress followers of the FathersWorkandFamily blog. For each new follower, I am donating $2 to the National Fatherhood Initiative, and if we reach 100, I will double the total to $400. Please see this for more details. Please sign up and spread the word!
What are your thoughts about Michael Lewis’ passage, and about the expectations of fatherhood? Let’s discuss in the comments.
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