The Family Dynamic - by Susan Dominus (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Is there a secret sauce behind those rare families that boast multiple highly successful children? Award-winning New York Times journalist weaves story with science in pursuit of answers. Acclaimed New York Times investigative journalist Susan Dominus profiles six families with several exceptionally accomplished children in order to tease apart the various factors that might have led to their success, including inherited tendencies. She starts with the iconic Brontèe sisters, whose remarkable literary success inspired endless speculation about the reason for so much talent under one roof. Dominus, herself the mother of twin teenagers, then moves to the present moment, relating the fascinating trajectories of families from diverse cultural, racial and socio-economic backgrounds, including young parents from China who fled the one-child policy to open a Chinese restaurant in Appalachia and sent four children to elite colleges and careers that give back in technology and medicine; the Groff family, whose claim to fame is not just an award-winning novelist but an Olympic athlete and a notable entrepreneur; and the Holifields, raised in the Jim Crow South and boasting two powerful attorneys, both Harvard law school graduates, and a cardiologist, all three influential, in their own ways, in civil rights. Woven into these and other inspiring stories is an account of centuries of scientific research into the question of nature vs. nurture in predicting outcomes"--

Book Synopsis

What explains those rare families that boast multiple children who achieve extraordinary success? An award-winning New York Times journalist weaves story with science to explore the circumstances that set those families apart.

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 success--was it an inherited quality, a specific way of parenting, the influence of a sibling, or a twist of luck? Inspired by the iconic Brontë 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 country's one-child policy to open a Chinese restaurant in Appalachia--then 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-to's. It's a deep and moving exploration of the complexity of family life and the rewards--and burdens--of ambition.

Review Quotes

"I 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."--Robert Kolker, bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road

"The Family Dynamic makes the idea of a 'family culture' 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. The role of siblings, so often given short-shift, is finally treated as a serious object of study."--Rachel Aviv, bestselling author of Strangers to Ourselves

"This powerful book will ignite essential conversations about the often-hidden costs of pursuing success--a must-read for parents, educators, coaches, grandparents, and anyone shaping the next generation."--Jennifer Breheny Wallace, bestselling author of Never Enough

"At once clear-eyed and compassionate, The Family Dynamic uncovers how parents--and siblings--shape and fuel individual success. This richly drawn portrait of family life is as captivating as it is insightful--I can't wait for the world to read this book."--Lisa Damour, bestselling author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

"Susan Dominus has given us an absolute stunner of a debut book. It would hardly surprise me if this book became a touchstone of family psychology--an exemplar of literary nonfiction, taught for many years to come."--Jennifer Senior, Pulitzer Prize-winner and bestselling author of All Joy and No Fun

"A 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. It's a must-read for anyone who's ever marveled at a set of siblings."--Adam Grant, bestselling author of Hidden Potential

"A 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."--Emily Nussbaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning culture critic and author of Cue the Sun!

"In this engaging exploration, Dominus . . . offers an intimate look into the lives of six families from various locations and walks of life whose children had all achieved high levels of success, in an attempt to find the commonalities that exist among them. [The Family Dynamic is full of] compelling advice for those seeking guidance in setting up their children for success."--Kirkus Reviews

"Dominus is an expert storyteller whose nuanced family portraits acknowledge the emotional toll that often accompanies her subjects' achievements. . . . Empathetic and written with a novelist's knack for characterization, this entrances."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

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 Newswomen's 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.