cover image Rad Families: A Celebration

Rad Families: A Celebration

Edited by Tomas Moniz. PM, $19.95 trade paper (272p) ISBN 978-1-62963-230-8

Moniz (editor of Rad Dad) once again collects a variety of stories from parents often excluded from mainstream parenting books. Moniz connects this book to his previous title, describing it as “less sequel, more evolution,” and many of the essays are written by fathers, though voices from other kinds of parents (and some non-parents) are included. The essays are short and personal, discussing parenting from a variety of viewpoints: anarchist, feminist, incarcerated, mentally ill, non-white, queer, and trans. Along with essays, Moniz includes interviews, lists (“How Fathers Can Help Fight Patriarchy”), and “Ask a Dad” entries that read like excerpts from an online discussion forum. The book is positive and inclusive, and the writing is always serviceable and at times rises to beauty. Most authors employ terminology that sounds straight out of a seminar on critical analysis of race and gender (“Any self-pity others would foist upon me seemed strictly a function of straight privilege”). The book has the informal, do-it-yourself vibe of the zine culture and its sincerity and earnestness are strengths. Moniz advises readers to dip in and out, but a linear read-through will also leave the reader inspired by the many possible approaches to parenthood. (Nov.)