13 - Father and Son by Edmund Gosse

Father and Son is a riveting memoir penned by the renowned poet and critic, Edmund Gosse. Published in 1907, the book is subtitled a study of two temperaments, and offers an in-depth look into Edmunds upbringing in a devout Plymouth Brethren household. His mother, a Christian tract writer, succumbs to a painful battle with breast cancer early in his life. After her death, Edmund is taken to Devon by his father, Philip Henry Gosse, an influential invertebrate zoologist and marine biology enthusiast with little formal education. The memoir delves into Philips reaction to the emerging evolutionary theories of his time, particularly those introduced by his peer Charles Darwin. It also portrays Edmunds gradual estrangement from his father and the fundamentalist religion he fervently adhered to.