"Contributions by John W. Travis, MD"--Cover.

Across the political spectrum, unwed fatherhood is denounced as one of the leading social problems of today. Doing the Best I Can is a strikingly rich, paradigm-shifting look at fatherhood among inner-city men often dismissed as “deadbeat dads.” Kathryn Edin and Timothy J. Nelson examine how couples in challenging straits come together and get pregnant so quickly—without planning. The authors chronicle the high hopes for forging lasting family bonds that pregnancy inspires, and pinpoint the fatal flaws that often lead to the relationship’s demise. They offer keen insight into a radical redefinition of family life where the father-child bond is central and parental ties are peripheral. Drawing on years of fieldwork, Doing the Best I Can shows how mammoth economic and cultural changes have transformed the meaning of fatherhood among the urban poor. Intimate interviews with more than 100 fathers make real the significant obstacles faced by low-income men at every step in the familial process: from the difficulties of romantic relationships, to decision-making dilemmas at conception, to the often celebratory moment of birth, and finally to the hardships that accompany the early years of the child's life, and beyond.

What They Are Saying About BREAKING THE RULES; TALES OF A PATERNITY LEAVE DAD "Jerry became the beacon of hope for dads throughout the country, if not the word because of his historic decision to put his family first. His journey down the path of parenting and being granted the first paternity leave will have a lasting effect on future national and global policies. Granting Jerry a paternity leave was one of the most profound decisions made by me and unanimously by members of the New York City Central Board of Education. Reading his Fun Book about how he raised his children, well, it was a treasured experience." Steve Aiello, Past President of the New York City Board of Education. "A story well told, with humor and sensitivity by the father awarded the first paternity leave from the New York City Board of Education 45 years ago." Dr. Hazel Dukes "" Past National President and Board Member, NAACP "Nothing is more important than our relationship with our families. It is the foundation for all we do. This book embraces those relationships and offers insight, encouragement and some humor that enriches us all. Jerry Cammarata is the Godfather of modern parenting." Nicholas Pileggi, Producer, author, and screenwriter. Among his notable works are Goodfellas, Casino, Father Hood, Blye, Private Eye, and City Hall. "Jerry's story provides reassurance by both Moms and Dads, especially in today's online world, that rule books and how-to-guides are not needed for parents or children, and that the greatest joy of parenting is making it up as you go along." Ron Kuby, Civil Rights Lawyer & former Radio Talk Show Host. "Jerry Cammarata has again written of the most essential books for parents and their children." Stan Corwin, author of THE CREATIVE WRITER'S COMPANION. "Government needs to listen to what Dr. Cammarata is saying about being able to enjoy parenting. Government and business must see the family as the center of our culture which will be the future success of our nation. Working toward a national family leave policy is another moment in our civil rights journey. Jerry gets it." David Paterson, Former Governor of New York. "What a marvelous story about finding human parenting skills through observing the animal kingdom, and to better understand how best to live on this planet. Every parent should read this book." Marilyn Vasta, Climate Activist and Psychotherapist.

"In Do Fathers Matter? the award-winning journalist and father of five Paul Raeburn overturns the many myths and stereotypes of fatherhood as he examines the latest scientific findings on the parent we've often overlooked. Drawing on research from neuroscientists, animal behaviorists, geneticists, and developmental psychologists, among others, Raeburn takes us through the various stages of fatherhood, revealing the profound physiological connections between children and fathers, from conception through adolescence and into adulthood--and the importance of the relationship between mothers and fathers. In the process, he challenges the legacy of Freud and mainstream views of parental attachment, and also explains how we can become better parents ourselves."--www.Amazon.com.

“A documentary filmmaker and daughter of the late, great New York Times columnist David Carr celebrates and wrestles with her father’s legacy in a raw, redemptive memoir.”—O: The Oprah Magazine “A breathtaking read . . . a testimony equal parts love and candor. David would have had it no other way.”—Ta-Nehisi Coates, bestselling author of Between the World and Me NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY GLAMOUR AND MARIE CLAIRE Dad: What will set you apart is not talent but will and a certain kind of humility. A willingness to let the world show you things that you play back as you grow as an artist. Talent is cheap. Me: OK I will ponder these things. I am a Carr. Dad: That should matter quite a bit, actually not the name but the guts of what that name means. A celebrated journalist, bestselling author (The Night of the Gun), and recovering addict, David Carr was in the prime of his career when he suffered a fatal collapse in the newsroom of The New York Times in 2015. Shattered by his death, his daughter Erin Lee Carr, at age twenty-seven an up-and-coming documentary filmmaker, began combing through the entirety of their shared correspondence—1,936 items in total—in search of comfort and support. What started as an exercise in grief quickly grew into an active investigation: Did her father’s writings contain the answers to the question of how to move forward in life and work without her biggest champion by her side? How could she fill the space left behind by a man who had come to embody journalistic integrity, rigor, and hard reporting, whose mentorship meant everything not just to her but to the many who served alongside him? All That You Leave Behind is a poignant coming-of-age story that offers a raw and honest glimpse into the multilayered relationship between a daughter and a father. Through this lens, Erin comes to understand her own workplace missteps, existential crises, and relationship fails. While daughter and father bond over their mutual addictions and challenges with sobriety, it is their powerful sense of work and family that comes to ultimately define them. This unique combination of Erin Lee Carr’s earnest prose and her father’s meaningful words offers a compelling read that shows us what it means to be vulnerable and lost, supported and found. It is a window into love, with all of its fierceness and frustrations. “Thank you, Erin, for this beautiful book. Now I am going to steal all of your father’s remarkable advice and tell my kids I thought of it.”—Judd Apatow

When journalist Josh Levs was denied fair parental leave by his employer after his child was born, he fought back—and won. Since then, he’s become an advocate for modern families and working fathers. In All In, he explores the changing face of fatherhood and what it means for our individual lives, families, workplaces, and society. Fatherhood today is far different from previous generations. Stay-at-home dads are increasingly common, and growing numbers of men are working part-time or flextime schedules to spend more time with their children. Even the traditional breadwinner-dad is being transformed. Dads today are more emotionally and physically involved on the home front. They are “all in” and—like mothers—they are struggling with work-life balance and doing it all. Journalist and “dad columnist” Josh Levs explains that despite these unprecedented changes, our laws, corporate policies, and gender-based expectations in the workplace remain rigid. They are preventing both women and men from living out the equality we believe in—and hurting businesses in the process. Women have done a great job of speaking out about this, Levs—whose fight for parental leave made front page news across the country—argues. It’s now time for men to join in. Combining Levs’ personal experiences with investigative reporting and frank conversations with fathers about everything from work life to money to sex, All In busts popular myths, lays out facts, uncovers the forces holding all of us back, and shows how we can all join together to change them.

All summer Oliver and his dad played together, laughed together, sang together, and read together. Now it's time for Oliver to start school On the first day, Oliver's dad isn't quite ready. . . . Suddenly he feels nervous. His tummy hurts, and he would rather stay home. But Oliver isn't convinced. What if the first day is really fun? What if it's the start of an exciting year? In this charming story of first-day jitters, acclaimed author and illustrator Mike Wohnoutka perfectly captures the mixed emotions felt by kids and their parents when big changes are afoot.