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Journalist Explores Father's Toxic Masculinity Legacy in New Book

4/9/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Tom Junod, a journalist, examines his father’s life and a legacy of toxic masculinity—adultery, addiction, and alcoholism—in In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man.
The examination unfolds at his father’s funeral, where Junod confronts the darker aspects of his father’s influence.
Through oral histories and archival research, the book portrays mid-century masculinity and its harmful effects on future generations.

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Story summary

Tom Junod, a journalist, examines his father’s life and a legacy of toxic masculinity—adultery, addiction, and alcoholism—in In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man.
The examination unfolds at his father’s funeral, where Junod confronts the darker aspects of his father’s influence.
Through oral histories and archival research, the book portrays mid-century masculinity and its harmful effects on future generations.