89 of 96 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What makes a man a man?, February 8, 2010
This review is from: The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man (Paperback)
Men don't have many places to turn for solid lifestyle advice. Most men's periodicals and websites offer trendy fitness fads, designer suits or softcore bikini photos with all the lifestyle help of a beer commercial.
And then there's The Art of Manliness. As time goes by I've gained great respect for Brett and Kate McKay and the classic-yet-fresh take on masculinity on their Art of Manliness website. True to form, their first book isn't an e-book sold on Clickbank, it's a paper-and-ink tome fittingly titled The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man.
This book delivers on its promise in spades. If you get past the swaggering Victorian dandy on the cover you'll find practical advice that applies here and now, for almost every aspect of a man's life.
Its eight chapters reflect all sides of the total man. "The Gentleman," for example, includes tips and advice on becoming well-groomed and well-mannered, from how to fold a pocket square and iron pants to the "lost art" of wet shaving with a safety razor. If you want to know the difference between the American Man Hug and the International Man Hug, how to land a plane in an emergency or how to braid your daughter's hair, it's in there.
As a bonus, I found Art of Manliness to be a quick, engaging read. Where the AoM site frequently discusses its topics at length, the book is concise and well-structured, quickly laying out the steps to a tip or the case for a concept and then moving on.
Tying these tips and trivia together is the notion that what makes a man a man has never changed -- it just gets lost in the noise. A well-put-together guy still has a better shot at the women, fathering is still a manly art, and a man who practices common courtesy as well as his fighting skills still has a leg up on both the meathead and the mouse. Many of the references here are from a "golden age" of manliness that may or may not be a tad idealized, but the information is solid.
Most of this book is just plain common sense, and you'll find yourself nodding in agreement with advice like "Stop Hanging Around with Women and Start Dating Them" and "Give and Accept Criticism Without Coming Off as a Cad." That's not to say there aren't some concepts that might make you think twice: reading the McKays' advice on "Modern Technology and the New Rules of Etiquette," you might realize you've been using your cell and e-mail less like a man and more like a cross between a 14-year-old girl and Unfrozen Caveman Computer Nerd. (Yes, it IS possible to use actual grammar in an e-mail message!)
Reading deeper, another key concept surfaces: one change we suffer in the modern world is that the brotherhood of men has become less of a brotherhood and more like a loose circle of disposable acquaintances. And that, son, makes you disposable too. How many of us under the age of 50 (hell, 65) have thought of joining a fraternal organization? And how often have you planned a vacation with your buddies that involved gathering firewood or catching your own dinner? I think the McKays nailed it on the head: there's an underlying homophobia that keeps us leery of true male friendships, and a modern detachment that keeps us closed off from (or worse, antagonistic toward) our communities.
Rant over. The point is, you WILL learn something from The Art of Manliness, and you WILL come away a better man no matter where you come from. The first print run completely sold out before Christmas, but the second printing is finally available, so make haste before it's gone too.
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23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Read, October 8, 2009
This review is from: The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man (Paperback)
Simply put, The Art of Manliness is a must read.
Finally, a men's book that isn't focused on "12 easy steps to getting ripped," or "10 secrets to hooking up with your coworker." If that is what you are looking for then The Art of Manliness is not for you. (Actually, it is probably more of a must read for you than you realize, but I digress).
The Art of Manliness is a witty, well-written collection of topics that are pertinent to true men. Topics your grandfather and father should have taught you. With today's limited quality of options related to men's literature, The Art of Manliness is a welcome change.
Go ahead - make the purchase. You'll be glad you did.
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27 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A mixed bag, June 13, 2011
This review is from: The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man (Paperback)
I love the concept behind this book and ordered a copy hoping I could share it with my son. Sadly after reading it cover to cover, I'll be sending my copy to the resale shop.
The authors spent a significant amount of time examining some of the great men in history (a good place to start) but couldn't seem to apply what they learned to the modern male. For example, they correctly identified the art of self defense as an area worthy of study but then chose "Bartitsu", a style of self defense that died out almost 100 years ago, as what a modern man should become proficient in. A quick Google search shows there isn't a "Bartitsu" school within 200 miles of me and I'm pretty sure the 10 pages devoted to "Bartitsu" moves won't be enough to teach you anything useful.
There is some useful discussion on respect, honesty, integrity, reliability mixed in with some everyday skills everyone should know, like how to change a tire and jump start a car. Then they teach you how to find North/South/East/West with a stick and your analog watch but not how to read a map to figure out where you are and how to get where you're going. It's not like they ran out of room, because there's sections in the book on how to land an airplane and treat a snake bite.
Bottom line, there seems to be a lot of random "skills" like the fireman's carry and making fire without matches mixed with advice on how to be a man of character that never really gel. It was a good idea, just poorly executed.
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