Forty Fathers: Men Talk about Parenting

As told to Tessa Lloyd

Tessa Lloyd is a counsellor, writer, and photographer. She has used all these skills in compiling this volume of Canadian men discussing parenting. This is a very handsome volume. The dads here are some of Canada’s most famous, including both Justin and Pierre Trudeau, Marc Kielburger, Robert Bateman,

Scott Moe, Rick Hansen, and Ben and Mark Mulroney. There are other lesserknown fathers, a couple of them whose circumstances are a bit more unusual. She includes advice on parenting from a dad who is incarcerated, and one who transitioned from female to male. The subjects covered are both broad and deep. Most of the fathers are humble. Almost all of them admit they should have or could have spent more time with their kids. While celebrating their children, they frequently admit to not knowing what they were doing upon first becoming a father. Several admit that men need more help and support in parenting but often don’t know how to ask for it. The book is full of photographs and each chapter begins with a detailed biography of the dad who then speaks to us directly. This is a major contribution to research on how boys become men. Highly recommended.