It is here! “The Family Dynamic” is officially out today, and it feels incredible. I am so very proud of this book, and so grateful to the wonderful families who let me into their lives so we could all learn a bit more about each other, and how we learn from the people who got to love us first. I’ am so gratified by the attention the book has gotten so far (today has been especially busy… thank you for not unfollowing me across social media platforms) and I’m just so grateful for all the support I have been so lucky to receive from my family (my family! don’t worry, they are getting their own special post), my friends, my colleagues, the great people at Penguin and Crown, my wonderful agent @elysefcheney, the generous, generous colleagues who lent their names to this book via blurbs or joining me on book tour, everyone who has taken the time to interview me about what I’ve learned about exceptional families (and how that can apply to all of us), and everyone who read, tagged, and posted, commented, and buoyed me through the long, long process of brining a book into the world. I’m very grateful and I’m very happy. Thank you so much. Sue
Good thing my (New York loving) brother and father are not on Instagram, so they will not see how excited I am to have copies of the Gods of New York to give them for their birthdays. One of these stays with me—looking forward to having it inscribed the by the great jonathanmahler!
Best Nonfiction Books of 2025 (So Far) We’re only halfway through 2025, but it’s already shaping up to be a banner year for nonfiction. From paradigm-shifting science to soul-deep creativity, this year’s most compelling books are tackling big questions with clarity, heart, and fresh insight. Whether you're looking to change your personality, rethink aging, understand AI, or unlock your moral ambition, these titles deliver bold ideas you’ll be thinking about long after the final page. Here are our favorite nonfiction books from the first half of the year. 🔗 Link in bio to full posts with links to summaries and more.
MVBF2025 Author Spotlight: 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. In THE FAMILY DYNAMIC: A Journey into the Mystery of Sibling Success, 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. Author Photo: Audrey deWys
@suedominus tells the story of how Michelle Obama’s guidance counselor said she wasn’t Princeton material on the latest episode of NST
It was an honor to spend time with the beautiful Listro family for @nytmag as they captured Peter Listro’s memories and thoughts, so they could access them going forward with the use of AI, as if conversing with him, even after his death. The family knew full well that the technology would not change the reality of grief; but it would offer them a different kind of comfort that until now was not available. Their love was palpable, their mutual understanding extremely moving. Photos by @elinorcarucci, videos by Singeli Agnew.
We have the amazing @suedominus joins us on Dadville! We talk about her amazing new book, birth order, and the magic of family dynamics. Send this episode to your siblings!
✨My grandma Lola was truly INNcredible. I was honored that @suedominus wrote about my grandparents and my mom’s famous siblings, playwright Wendy Wasserstein, investment banking pioneer Bruce Wasserstein, glass ceiling breaking marketing wiz Sandra Mayer and my mom Georgette, innkeeper of @thewilburton in her new book, The Family Dynamic. What makes a family have so many famous siblings? Grandma would say it was her being there at 3pm each day when the kids got home from school. Read Susie’s wonderful book and learn the secrets for yourself! Grandma would be honored to be in the same book at The Kennedys and Bronte sisters! Congratulations Susie on your wonderful book. Thanks for helping me get the perfect birthday gift for my sister :-). 🎁 #thefamilydynamic #INNcredible #melissalevis #siblings #grandma
Please join me for these upcoming June events in DC and NYC! On 6/22 I will be in DC at @politicsprose with bestselling author @mark_leibovich, on 6/24 I will be in NYC at @mm_jccmanhattan with bestselling author @ajjacobsinc, and in 6/25 I will be at @centralsynagogue with Senior Rabbi Angela Buchdahl kicking off her “Conversations With Angela” series. I am so looking forward to each of these conversations and would love to see you there!
Some more kind words for “The Family Dynamic” — so gratifying! Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read the book and share their thoughts.
A thrill to see “The Family Dynamic” included in this @nytimes list of Father’s Day recommendations! With headlines appealing to perfectionists and pragmatists alike!
