My Book
Forty Fathers: Men Talk About Parenting was published in 2019 by Douglas and McIntyre, receiving wide national acclaim.
Forty Fathers is a non-fiction anthology that brings together the voices of forty Canadian men from diverse backgrounds reflecting honestly on their experiences of fatherhood. The book was born out of my realisation that books offering candid, father-to-father insight into parenting were few and far between. Having worked with many dads, I was aware that men can feel unprepared and unsupported when they became fathers, and they rarely lean on each other the way women do.
Many contributors speak candidly about their own struggles, childhood wounds, being limited by prevailing cultural narratives and the ways they have worked to be more present and emotionally responsive with their own children. The stories, complemented by my photographs of fathers and their children underscore the profound and lasting impact that fathers have on their children and on family life across generations.
The contributors are an eclectic group of Canadian dads, ages 29 to 89 and include wrestler Bret Hart, hockey player Trevor Linden, musician Alan Doyle, academic Niigaan Sinclair, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, restaurateur Vikram Vij, as well as a colourful bunch of writers, athletes, artists, and everyday dads, giving readers a comprehensive and textured portrait of what it means to be a father.
Material from the book is being used by the Dad Hero Project, serving fathers in thirty prisons across the country. This wonderful project helps dads develop communication and parenting skills, fostering a better relationship with their children. See https://www.cfcn-rcafd.org/dad-hero-project.
Excerpts from Forty Fathers are being used by the national fatherhood group, Dad Central (www.dadcentral.ca), who also feature “Champion Dads” on their website.
I am thrilled to know that the book is making a lasting difference for Canadian families.
Hearing and gathering the stories from Canadian men for my book “Forty Fathers” will remain one of the most heartfelt, uplifting and privileged experiences of my life.
Meet the Fathers
