Originally published on June 17, 2021 (Episode 210)
Introduction
One California afternoon William Damon received a call from his daughter. A sleepless night had led her to do a little internet sleuthing, and the result was Damon discovering that the father he had thought died in World War II had in fact not only lived, but had a career in the United States Information Agency before dying in Thailand in 1992 after a long illness.
One of the results of that discovery, and the years spent not only learning about his father but reviewing his own life, is Damon’s new book A Round of Golf with My Father: The New Psychology of Exploring Your Past to Make Peace with Your Present. As one friend of Damon’s has written, it is “a gripping detective story, a deeply touching personal memoir, a critique of developmental psychology, a compendium of life-giving maxims, and a celebration of disciplined life review.”
About the Guest
William Damon is Professor of Education at Stanford University and Director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence, which will conclude its operations at the end of 2025. His work focuses on human development, purpose, and character, and his books and research have shaped generations of educators and psychologists.
For Further Investigation
Frederick Buechner, Telling Secrets
Joseph Amato, Jacob’s Well: A Case for Rethinking Family History
Episode 50: Family History is Knowing Yourself — a conversation with Joseph A. Amato
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