Artfully merging the author's formidable storytelling gifts with research findings, The Family Dynamic: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success by Susan Dominus examines the rare domestic alchemy that motivates siblings from the same household to reach great heights. An enduring fascination with the "rites and rhythms" of high-achieving families fuels Dominus's debut, offering readers an opportunity to hear directly from, among others, Ellis Marsalis Jr., father of acclaimed musicians Wynton, Branford, and Jason, and elite athlete Sarah True, sister of award-winning novelist Lauren Groff.
Dominus is a writer for the New York Times and mother to twin teenage boys. Her goal here is to introduce parenting themes gleaned from the notable families she interviewed, and to share insights on the values and habits, including "dinnertime rituals," that shaped their path. Parental inspiration matters but, as Dominus finds, siblings are often the ones who guide the direction of family achievement, as demonstrated through delightful forays into the lives of the phenomenally accomplished Brontë sisters.
Mary Murguía, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, is one of several extraordinarily successful siblings. Her parents demonstrated a solid work ethic but it was the children who pushed one another to succeed, motivated by a desire to "[burnish] the Murguía name." Dominus refers to Harvard economist Raj Chetty's research on the power of a neighborhood to shape a child's future, and her interview with members of the highly accomplished Holifield family of Tallahassee, Fla., reinforces the idea that raising children in a college town offers them multiple advantages.
Embracing failure and "a culture of boldness" characterized the Groff family's approach to child-rearing. Interviews with the siblings reveal a family climate of goal-setting in which parents were always asking, "what's next?" Discussing the costs associated with ambition, the sisters admit to feelings of discontent--however much they succeed, it's still not enough.
Caregivers who set high expectations for themselves and let children see them struggle yet not give up provide a great example. "Learning to struggle is an education in and of itself," says Julia Leonard, assistant professor of psychology at Yale University. Are family expectations "a blessing and a gift or a burden that came with a steady low-grade pressure?" According to a 2014 study, if the expectations are framed in "the right way," they can improve a child's performance. Unearthing what constitutes this elusive right way is at the heart of Dominus's excellent book. --Shahina Piyarali
Shelf Talker: Susan Dominus examines factors that motivate siblings from the same family to reach great heights through interviews with, among others, author Lauren Groff and her sister, Olympian Sarah True.