Fatherless America: Confronting our Most Urgent Social Problem

Fatherhood is a social role that obligates men to their biological offspring. For two reasons, it is society's most important role for men. First, fatherhood, more than any other male activity, helps men to become good me: more likely to obey the law, to be good citizens, and to think about the needs of others. Put more abstractly, fatherhood bends maleness ... in particular, male aggression ... toward prosocial purposes. Second, fatherhood privileges children. In this respect, fatherhood is a social invention designed to supplement maternal investment in children with paternal investment in children (David Blankenhorn, p.24)

David Blankenhorn has given us a superb picture of the state of "Fatherhood" in the United Sates ... at least 10 years ago (as this book was published in '95). But ... and that's a big nasty but that needs to be wiped ... things have only gotten worse.

Rather than waxing eloquent on tips for being better fathers, Blankenhorn looks much broader to the contemporary notion of fatherhood itself. That is a huge distinction that consumes 90% of his much needed message. In addition to giving the contemporary scene, he briefly reviews the historical drama leading up to the demise of fatherhood, as well as giving a picture of healthy fatherhood and some public policy directions which should be heeded.

Filled with then contemporary research, solid thinking, and masterful phrasing, this book is not merely hard to ignore ... its hard to put down. I lapped up every word that dripped from its oasis-like pages, eagerly hoping to hug my wife and baby girls a bit more passionately. If you only read one book on fathers, fathering, or fatherhood this year ... choose this one.