About Henry
Like many of you, I am a student of life — past, present, and future. I write and share my thoughts on how we can prepare for the future and on parenting for that future.
Henry O. A. (Osoisi Agama) Atang is the author of What the Future Knows About the Past, a book about reinvention, intentional parenting, and making thoughtful choices in a world that changes faster than most of us were prepared for. Now in its third edition, the book reflects a journey of learning, revision, and deeper clarity. Writing from North East England, Henry brings the perspective of someone who started late, learned the hard way, and wants others—especially the next generation—to have a clearer path forward.
Why I wrote this book
I did not grow up with the tools this book tries to give. No one coached me on how to sell myself, how I would need to reinvent myself several times in life, or how patience is active, not passive. I learnt those things late, and some of them I am still learning.
If I could write a letter to my childhood self, it would say: You were a child for far too long. You learnt too little and prepared even less for the future. To my teenage self: I wish I could have armed you with the skills to give you a better chance. To my twenties: all that energy and passion meant little when I knew so little about how the world actually works.
Those letters became questions. Why are some people so bold, regardless of the challenge? Why are some so clear on direction? Can these things be learnt later in life, or are they shaped during childhood? And if they can be learnt, how does one start?
From those questions came the book. I examined what my own upbringing had produced — and what it had failed to produce. I looked at the world my children would inherit: disrupted by technology, demanding skills that most schools are not yet teaching, and constantly changing.
What the Future Knows About the Past offers some answers. It doesn’t answer every question, but it is an honest merging of questions with approaches that can address some of them.
If a negative experience can condition a child to produce a definite outcome, what could a positive, intentional one achieve?
What I do
I write about reinvention, career strategy, and the future of work. My articles explore themes from the book in shorter form — spotting trends, building competence, and making sense of a changing job market.
I offer one-to-one conversations for anyone navigating a career change, a late start, or the challenge of preparing a child for a future that looks nothing like the past.
I also take on a small number of biography commissions each year — for families who want to capture and hand down the stories of those they hold dear.
Get in touch.
Press, speaking, or collaboration: henry@osoisi.com
Workbook templates or book requests: thefuture@osoisi.com