An acclaimed non-fiction author who searched for father figures by placing adverts - or “dadverts” - in newspapers and magazines will come to Warwick Books next month to share the story of her adventure.

On Tuesday 28 October, Georgie Codd - who began the personal project aged 31, after being inspired by a stranger’s practical joke - will talk about the events that shape her second book, Never Had a Dad: Adventures in Fatherlessness (William Collins). Described by The Times as a “dating quest with a difference”, and by the Daily Mail as a “strange, touching but often very funny account of one woman’s search for a father figure”, Never Had a Dad is now under option for a TV series. 

Georgie Codd said: “I’m really excited to come to Warwick and start some new conversations about fathers and parenthood - including the weird and wonderful ways we can build the family structures we want in our lives. More than 50 men applied in my search to find the perfect dad; something I thought would never be in my reach, considering my biological father was completely absent. Each of these men brought something different to the experience, and all of them helped me work out what I should be aiming for - though not without a few bumps in the road… 

“I’ll try not to give away too many spoilers, but the results of the project were not at all what I’d predicted. As part of the journey I also interviewed fascinating experts around the world to learn what dads are really for, along with exploring the impacts of growing up without a father. This is a subject that always gets people talking. I can’t wait to connect with the audience at Warwick Books to hear their thoughts.” 
Mog Giacomelli-Harris, who runs Warwick Books with her wife Pauline, said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Georgie to our shop for what will surely be a very entertaining evening.” 

Georgie’s first book, We Swim To The Shark - a non-fiction adventure about the sea, scuba diving, and the roots of fear - was published by Fleet in 2020, sparking coverage from BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, ABC Melbourne, TLS and more. Two years later, the personal quest behind Never Had a Dad caught the attention of the hit US radio show This American Life, which previewed it to millions of listeners globally. The paperback was published in June, and the story has so far been featured by the BBC World Service, The Express, i News and others. 

Mog and Pauline Giacomelli-Harris took over Warwick Books in April 2015, and have been building a bookish community from the shop on the square ever since. Their welcoming team includes their Junior Bookseller, who joined the pair in summer 2022 and can often be found helping herself to a picture book or 10! 

To learn more about this event and the shop, visit the website. Advanced booking is recommended.