Fatherhood doesn’t come with an instruction manual, and no single book will solve the complexities, joys, and struggles that come with raising a child. But the right book can offer powerful insights, guidance, and a sense of camaraderie in a role that often feels overwhelming and under-discussed. Whether you're expecting your first child, navigating the chaos of babyhood, raising curious kids, trying to strengthen your marriage, or just searching for meaning in this new chapter of life, this list brings together thoughtful reads to support you along the way.
Pregnancy
We're Pregnant! The First Time Dad's Pregnancy Handbook by Adrian Kulp (2018)
What to Expect When You're Expecting by Heidi Murkoff (Updated in 2024)
Your Pregnancy Week by Week (Your Pregnancy Series) by Glade B. Curtis & Judith Schuler (2016)
Baby
Brain Rules For Baby: How To Raise A Smart And Happy Child From Zero To Five by John Medina (2014)
We're Parents! The First-Time Dad's Guide to Baby's First Year: Everything You Need to Know to Survive and Thrive Together by Adrian Kulp (2019)
Cribsheet: A Data-Driven Guide to Better, More Relaxed Parenting, from Birth to Preschool by Emily Oster (2020)
Childhood
Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids by Mona Delahooke (2022)
There Are Dads Way Worse Than You by Glenn Boozan (2024)
The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel M.D. & Tina Payne Bryson (2012)
Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE (2019)
Parenting With Love and Logic: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans, End Power Struggles, and Transform Your Relationship With Your Explosive Child by Aliza Payne (2024)
No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel M.D. & Tina Payne Bryson (2016)
Good Inside: A Practical Guide to Resilient Parenting Prioritizing Connection Over Correction by Dr. Becky Kennedy (2022)
The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired by Daniel J. Siegel M.D. & Tina Payne Bryson (2021)
Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by Ph.D. John Gottman & Joan Declaire (1998)
Raise Emotionally Empowered Kids: Develop Mentally Strong, Resilient Children in the Digital World by M. D. Anderson (2024)
Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety: A Complete Guide to Your Child's Stressed, Depressed, Expanded, Amazing Adolescence (Parenting Tips, Raising Teenagers, Gift for Parents) by Dr. John Duffy (2019)
Raising Men: Lessons Navy SEALs Learned from Their Training and Taught to Their Sons by Eric Davis & Dina Santorelli (2016)
The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults by Frances E. Jensen, MD & Amy Ellis Nutt (2016)
Failure to Launch: Why Your Twentysomething Hasn't Grown Up...and What to Do About It by Mark McConville Ph.D. (2021)
How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims (2016)
Fatherhood & Life
Life Of Dad by Anna Machin (2018)
Daditude: the Joys and Absurdities of Modern Fatherhood by Chris Erskine (2018)
Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons by Tim Russert (2006)
Healing the Shame That Binds You by John Bradshaw (2002)
The Dad’s Edge: 9 Simple Ways To Have: Unlimited Patience, Improved Relationships, and Positive Lasting Memories by Larry Hagner (2015)
Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan (2013)
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (2006)
Being a Dad is Weird: Lessons in Fatherhood from My Family to Yours by Ben Falcone (2018)
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2018)
Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern (2010)
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz (1997)
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle (2018)
Home by Marilynne Robinson (2020)
The Light Years by Elizabeth Jane Howard (1995)
Miracles of Life by J.G. Ballard (2014)
Marriage & Relationships
No More Mr. Nice Guy: A Proven Plan for Getting What You Want in Love, Sex and Life by Robert A. Glover (2004)
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life: Life-Changing Tools for Healthy Relationships by Marshall B. Rosenberg PhD (2015)
Getting to Zero: How to Work Through Conflict in Your High-Stakes Relationships by Jayson Gaddis (2022)
Black Belt Husband: A Marriage Book for Men by Quentin Hafner LMFT (2018)
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (1998)
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