What explains those rare families that boast multiple siblings who achieve extraordinary success? An award-winning New York Times journalist weaves story with science to explore the circumstances that set those families apart.
βAt once clear-eyed and compassionate, The Family Dynamic uncovers how parentsβand siblingsβshape and fuel individual success.ββLisa Damour, bestselling author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
An Olympic athlete. An award-winning novelist. A successful entrepreneur. All raised under one roof. What can we learn from those families whose children aim high and succeed, sometimes in widely varied fields? Just as important: What were the costs along the way, and what can we glean from their travails and triumphs?
The acclaimed New York Times journalist Susan Dominus offers compelling profiles of six such families in search of the factors that led to their successβwas it an inherited quality, a specific way of parenting, the influence of a sibling, or a twist of luck? Inspired by the iconic BrontΓ« sisters, whose remarkable literary success prompted endless speculation, Dominus, the mother of twin teenagers, sought out contemporary high-achieving families who shared intimate stories of their upbringing. She introduces us to the Chens, young parents who fled their countryβs one-child policy to open a Chinese restaurant in Appalachiaβthen sent four children to elite colleges and on to careers that give back in technology and medicine; the Groffs, whose claim to fame is not just an award-winning novelist but an Olympic athlete and a notable entrepreneur; the Wojcickis, whose daughters made inroads as STEM pioneers in Silicon Valley; and the Murguias, who rose from exceptionally humble origins to become powerful jurists and civil rights champions. Woven into these and other stories is an account of centuries of scientific research into the ongoing question of nature versus nurture.
Elegantly written and extensively researched, The Family Dynamic is more than a checklist of how-toβs. Itβs a deep and moving exploration of the complexity of family life and the rewardsβand burdensβof ambition.
β[W]onderfully engaging. . . . [Dominus] expertly interweaves stories of the BrontΓ« sisters with those of contemporary families and academic studies on factors that contribute to childrenβs excellence. She makes clear that the current research provides no definitive set of answers to the cereal question. Instead, it hints at certain heuristics, which are illuminated by Dominusβs careful, detailed portraits.ββThe New York Times
βThe Family Dynamic will no doubt disappoint readers looking for bullet-pointed parenting-for-success tips. Itβs just not that kind of book. Itβs better. Dominus is smart, honest and wise, and at her best, very funny. Her findings offer a science-based reality check, while her fluid, artful writing can give parents a much-needed break.ββThe Washington Post
βI can think of no other book more helpful in understanding not just the inner workings of families, but how best to help children from all walks of life to thrive despite a world filled with challenges. Susan Dominus has given us all a brilliant gift.ββRobert Kolker, bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road
βThe Family Dynamic makes the idea of a βfamily cultureβ feel tangible and real, as it elegantly explores the degree to which parents can (and just as often cannot) shape the people their children become.ββRachel Aviv, bestselling author of Strangers to Ourselves
βThis powerful book will ignite essential conversations about the often-hidden costs of pursuing successβa must-read for parents, educators, coaches, grandparents, and anyone shaping the next generation.ββJennifer Breheny Wallace, bestselling author of Never Enough
βAt once clear-eyed and compassionate, The Family Dynamic uncovers how parentsβand siblingsβshape and fuel individual success. This richly drawn portrait of family life is as captivating as it is insightfulβI canβt wait for the world to read this book.ββLisa Damour, bestselling author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers
βSusan Dominus has given us an absolute stunner of a debut book. It would hardly surprise me if this book became a touchstone of family psychologyβan exemplar of literary nonfiction, taught for many years to come.ββJennifer Senior, Pulitzer Prize-winner and bestselling author of All Joy and No Fun
βA captivating book on how our early roots shape our later success. Susan Dominus serves up a delicious smorgasbord of rich stories and rigorous social science to illuminate how multiple kids in the same family go on to achieve great things.ββAdam Grant, bestselling author of Hidden Potential
βA brilliantly empathetic portraitist, Susan Dominus is the ideal writer to explore the mystery of family ambition. The perfect gift for the brother or sister who made you the person you are.ββEmily Nussbaum, Pulitzer Prizeβwinning culture critic and author of Cue the Sun!
β[The Family Dynamic is full of] compelling advice for those seeking guidance in setting up their children for success.ββKirkus Reviews
βEmpathetic and written with a novelistβs knack for characterization, this entrances.ββPublishers Weekly
Susan Dominus has worked for The New York Times since 2007, first as a Metro columnist and then as staff writer for The New York Times Magazine. In 2018, she was part of a team that won a Pulitzer Prize for public service for its reporting on workplace sexual harassment. She won a Front Page Award from the Newswomenβs Club of New York and a Mychal Judge Heart of New York Award from the New York Press Club. She has studied as a fellow at the National Institutes of Health and Yale Law School. Her article about menopause in The New York Times Magazine won a National Magazine Award in 2024. She teaches journalism at Yale University.
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