Very little can prepare you for fatherhood. You can read all of the books, listen to all of the podcasts, and consult all of the fathers you know, and you still won't have a clear picture of your unique parenting journey. "The Alphabet for New and Expecting Fathers" isn't the truth, but a truth. It details one man's journey from not wanting to have children, to trying to be the best father he can be, every single day. Told through 26 essays, each corresponding with a letter of the alphabet, Shawn Taylor details the highs, lows, and the rocky in-betweens of contemporary fatherhood.
What people are saying about, "The Alphabet for New and Expecting Fathers":
"Taylor's fatherhood book is like no other. Both more insightful and more questioning than the standard fare, his book will break through the loneliness that characterises many men's experiences of early fatherhood."
- Andie Fox, columnist, Sydney Morning Herald
"An astounding book about the "highs, lows, and messy in-betweens" of fatherhood. This book speaks to the journey of transformation and becoming of fatherhood, and Taylor reminds us of the power and importance of joy, love, and forgiveness as we navigate parenting in a society shaped by patriarchy, racism, and sexism. It is a beautiful collection of stories inspiring us to keep showing up, and that our presence in our childrens' lives matters."
- Dr. Craig Elliot, coach and education consultant
"Among the greatest gifts we can give our children are the gifts of our growth, healing, and self-awareness. Shawn Taylor’s The ABCs for New and Expecting Fathers is a clarion call for becoming the kind of father many of us wish we’d had. Part memoir, part straight-no-chaser advice manual, this book chronicles the losses and triumphs of fatherhood, with lessons and support for everyone from fathers-to-be to seasoned, veteran dads. Taylor reminds us that it’s never too late to course correct and be who are children need us to be. He writes with humor, candor, and vulnerability about aspects of parenting we don’t talk about enough: the loneliness, the missteps, our insecurities. Timely, deeply personal, and political, these ABCs cover more than the basics. They offer a beautiful and ultimately hopeful blueprint for raising capable, confident, free children who thrive in the world."
— Deesha Philyaw, author or Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce and The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
"Being a father is a daunting task. Add in race, class, mental health, generational trauma, and seismic shifts in parenting philosophy, and it can at times feel impossible. In this poignant book, Shawn Taylor engages with all the beauty and all the grit of parenting with a great deal of heart, smarts, soul, and humor. He himself states that no one book has all the answers for fathers. But this book contains a great deal of hard won insight, rendered with great care, and is essential reading for the modern dad."
- Bao Phi, author of Thousand Star Hotel and A Different Pond
You can purchase it here and here and here
You can download the press release here