Father and Child Reunion: How to Bring the Dads We Need to the Children We Love
Like his earlier Women Can't Hear What Men Don't Say, Farrell's latest book will evoke strong responses with its polemically argued thesis: that fathers are often missing from the family equation and that this is to the detriment of both children and mothers. His research shows, for instance, that children with involved fathers score better on academic and social competence measures as well as on physical and psychological health tests. Issues like child support, visitation, and the female domination of legal proceedings are critiqued and shown to be frequently unfair to men. Unfortunately, Farrell's intensely pro-male tone pits men against women and obscures otherwise thought-provoking comments. In addition, the style is often overly dramatic, e.g., the author asserts that the denial of father-time is "one of the most documentable forms of child abuse." For a positive, supportive title, try Divorced Dad's Survival Book: How To Stay Connected with Your Kids (Perseus, 2000. reprint). For only the largest public and academic libraries. Douglas C. Lord, Hartford P.L., CTCopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.