P-Wave Press, based in Poole, England, will publish Becoming Dad: Reflections for New Fathers by L. A. Davenport in paperback and ebook on 2 February 2027. The book is a work of fragmented non-fiction that asks who a man must become as a father, rather than how to care for a child.
A Book on Becoming a Father#
The book is not a self-help guide and contains no checklists, milestones or promises about infant care. Davenport instead offers a series of contemplative reflections on the first years of fatherhood.
The reflections cover insecurities and failures, the renegotiated relationship with a partner, and the moments of connection that make the rest worthwhile. They also examine the constructed nature of the father-child bond and the ambiguous expectations placed on the modern father.
The book’s origin is described in the following passage:
The book began at our first obstetrician appointment after the pregnancy test came back positive. He argued with us over the conception date, insisting our certainty was wrong because it didn’t fit his calculations. The implication was clear: I couldn’t be the father. That moment stayed with me. I started noting down thoughts on my phone whenever they came, about what it meant to become a father, what was happening to me as my sons grew.
Structure and Form#
The book is divided into eighteen numbered sections, often a single line to a page. It is designed to be read slowly, one reflection at a time, and revisited.
Some fragments resonate with the reader, some are unsettling, and all invite the reader to pause and consider why. The form is disjointed and nonlinear, and it ends without a neat resolution.
About the Author#
L. A. Davenport is a Cambridge graduate and medical journalist. He is the author of the novels The Nucleus of Reality and Escape, and the founder of P-Wave Press. He has two sons.
Publication Details#
- Title: Becoming Dad: Reflections for New Fathers
- Author: L. A. Davenport
- Publisher: P-Wave Press, Poole, England
- Publication date: 2 February 2027
- Formats: Paperback and ebook
- ISBN (International Standard Book Number), paperback: 978-1-916937-50-5
- ISBN, ebook: 978-1-916937-51-2
- Extent: 186 pages
- Price, paperback: £15.99 (pounds sterling) / $19.99 (US dollars)
- Price, ebook: £7.99 / $9.99
- Availability: Available to order from all major retailers
