San Antonio College Library

"From conservative hopes for the return of Old Testament patriarchs to "wildmen" searching for lost fathers, from deadbeat dads to "daddy trackers," the cultural meaning of fatherhood has become highly contested." "Fatherhood in America is the first full-scale historical analysis of men's lives as parents. Illuminating the critical connection between fatherhood and male identity, this book explores the vital relationship between fathers, the men's...

Who was the Victorian patriarch, and what kind of father was he? In this study, Stephen M. Frank presents the first account of nineteenth-century family life to focus on the role of fathers. Drawing on letters, diaries, memoirs, and other primary sources, Frank explores what fathers thought about their family responsibilities and how men behaved as parents. His findings are often surprising. Beneath the stereotype of the starched Victorian patriarch,...