Of War and Men: World War II in the Lives of Fathers and Their Families

Abstract

Fathers in the fifties tend to be portrayed as wise and genial pipe-smokers or distant, emotionless patriarchs. This common but limited stereotype obscures the remarkable diversity of their experiences and those of their children. To uncover the real story of fatherhood during this transformative era, Ralph LaRossa takes the long view--from the attack on Pearl Harbor up to the election of John F. Kennedy--revealing the myriad ways that World War II and its aftermath shaped men. Offering compelling accounts of people both ordinary and extraordinary, Of War and Men digs deep into the terrain of fat.