Memoirs About Fatherhood

From Slate staff writer Aymann Ismail comes an exquisite memoir about fatherhood, religion, and the search for identity in an ever-shifting world. In lucid, confident prose, Aymann Ismail questions the sturdy frameworks of religion and family, the legacies of his childhood, and what will become his children’s ethical and intellectual inheritance. To reckon unflinchingly with these questions offers him a road map for his young Muslim children on how to navigate the singular journey into adulthood.

Author and founder of the popular Diaper Dude parenting brand Chris Pegula dives into the first two years of parenting and furthers his deeply held belief that you don’t have to lose yourself when you become a father. Filled with useful information, hilarious stories of dad madness, a little psychology and science, and engaging sidebars, Diaper Dude covers everything from bonding, babyproofing, and when you’ll have sex again to toddlerhood, tantrums, and tag-teaming with your partner to cover all the bases while staying (somewhat) sane.

An unsparing, loving account of fatherhood and the surprising, magical, and maddening first five years of a son’s life. By turns hilarious and poignant, Raising Raffi is a story of what it means to invent the world anew.

A practical guide for modern-day parenting geared towards stay-at-home dads, offering advice on everything from learning to cook and clean with children, to dealing with mental health and relationships and addressing male loneliness, with the easygoing perspective that dads can use their natural talents to parent any way that they choose.

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Beautifully woven from personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me clearly illuminates the past, bracingly confronts our present, and offers a transcendent vision for a way forward.

From some of today’s most critically acclaimed writers — including Dennis Lehane, Justin Cronin, Andre Dubus III, and Benjamin Percy — comes a rich collection of essays on what it means to be a dad. From making that ultimate decision to have a kid to making it through the birth to tangling with a toddler mid-tantrum, and eventually letting a teen loose in the world, these fathers explore every facet of fatherhood and show how being a father changed the way they saw the world — and themselves.

An unforgettable memoir of fatherhood, grief, and the life-saving power of love and art in the wake of unimaginable loss. Schnipper’s candid prose and clear-eyed storytelling tackles the darkest, most unfathomable elements of living, but also the miracle of love and the shimmering moments that ultimately give life meaning.

From the author of My Documents and Chilean Poet, a wise, humorous, and captivating literary exploration of the delights and absurdities of childhood, fatherhood, and family life. Written in Zambra’s brilliantly warm, playful, and philosophical voice, these pieces explore the lives of families and their stories through a wide variety of topics — from screen time and “soccer sadness” to personal libraries, fishing, and psychedelics. Throughout, Zambra captures the texture of daily life and deep truths about how we feel and live, with particular insight into the ways parents and children challenge, enrich, and entertain each other.

If you’re a tired dad, that means that you’re a good dad. Parenting is some of the hardest work you’ll do. Jon Gustin — writer, content creator, and father of two — has lived this, and he knows one thing with certainty: The effort you put in will outlast you. It becomes your legacy. You’re doing a good job, Dad. Keep showing up. It matters.

The Awkward Thoughts of W. Kamau Bell is a humorous, well-informed take on the world today, tackling a wide range of issues, such as race relations; fatherhood; the state of law enforcement today; comedians and superheroes; politics; and much, much more.

A sharp, funny, and heartfelt memoir from the author of The Night the Lights Went Out, The Hike, and The Postmortal about fatherhood and the ups and downs of raising a family in modern America. Someone Could Get Hurt offers a hilarious and heartfelt look at child rearing with a glimpse into the genuine love and compassion that accompany the missteps and flawed logic. It’s the story of head lice, almost-dirty words, flat head syndrome, and a man trying to commit the ultimate act of selflessness in a selfish world.

From new parents to empty nesters to Jim’s twenty-something fans, everyone will recognize their own families in these hilarious takes on everything from cousins (“celebrities for little kids”) to growing up in a big family (“I always assumed my father had six children so he could have a sufficient lawn crew”) to changing diapers in the middle of the night (“like The Hurt Locker but much more dangerous”) to bedtime (aka “Negotiating with Terrorists”). Dad Is Fat is sharply observed, explosively funny, and a cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.

A philosophical memoir about becoming a father in an increasingly terrible world — can I hope the child growing in my partner’s womb will have a good-enough life? Part memoir, part theory, and part reflection on fatherhood, Infinitely Full of Hope asks how we can cling to hope in a world marked by crisis and disaster.