The Broken American Male: And How to Fix Him (Hardcover)

~ Rab. Shmuley Boteach (Author) "AT THE heart of modern American living is a paradox that no one can quite figure out..." (more)
Key Phrases: soulless capitalism, broken male, healthy ambition, The Broken American Male, Bill Clinton, Broken Ambition (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

From a very young age, Boteach explains, men are bombarded with messages defining success "exclusively by money, power, fame, and preferably a corrosive amalgamation of all three" (think Donald Trump); for the average American man, this definition results in a deep but hard-to-pin-down sense of failure that stains his perception-of himself and his environment-and inevitably corrodes his relationships, "bringing down the American female and family with him." Boteach, Rabbi of Oxford University, author of Kosher Sex and star of the Learning Channel's "Shalom in the Home," offers a detailed prognosis of the current state of the American family based on his work with families facing familiar crises (constant fighting, depression, anorexia, sexless marriage), "approximately 70 percent" of whom suffer from "Broken American Male syndrome." The book's first third takes a hard but sympathetic look at the syndrome's symptoms and effects (such as waning libido, empty ambition, escapism and substance abuse); the middle third examines underlying causes ("soulless capitalism") and collateral damage ("The Inadequate American Female," "The Uninspired Child") on the way to chapters providing sound advice and practical solutions-beginning with a "New Definition of Success," one measured "by the quality of our relationships." Though rooted in Judaism, Boteach's lessons are applicable to anyone hoping to understand and overcome feelings of failure in themselves or their loved ones.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“A vital and fascinating repair manual.”—A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living Biblically

 

“A refreshing kick in the teeth.”—USA Today

"Boteach's lessons are applicable to anyone hoping to understand and overcome feelings of failure in themselves or their loved ones."--Publishers Weekly

 

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 22, 2008) Language: English ISBN-10: 0312379242 ISBN-13: 978-0312379247 Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #508,942 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
AT THE heart of modern American living is a paradox that no one can quite figure out. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
soulless capitalism, broken male, healthy ambition, male success

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Broken American Male, Bill Clinton, Broken Ambition, Wholesome Ambition, United States, Donald Trump, New York, Bill Gates, Wall Street, Nobel Peace Prize, King Solomon, Michael Jackson, Burnout Mom, The Talmud, Los Angeles, Monica Lewinsky, Valley Forge, Garden of Eden, Oxford University, Nelson Mandela, Wesley Autrey, Civil War, Paris Hilton, Jack Welch, Abraham Lincoln

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews 5 star:  (4) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:  (2) 1 star:  (1)           Average Customer Review 3.5 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 28 of 38 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Great topic, decent execution, February 5, 2008 By  Ryan C. Holiday (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)       After catching a few episodes of his TV show, I felt like Boteach "got it" in the way that Dr. Drew and occasionally Dr. Phil got it. He has the ability to cut to the core of the issue, understand when people are acting unhealthily and are unafraid to point fingers. The book confirmed my initial impression. Boteach is definitely onto something about male culture. His analogy of women and eating disorders and then men and workaholicism is apt. They are both a result of a tendency to apply internal identity to external factors. A woman feels she is as worthy as her beauty and a man as special as his wealth. No question, modern culture perverts many natural urges to unhealthy access--and we often examine how that effects women but rarely do the same for men. His book finally does this. If there is any criticism to be leveled at this it is the mass of generalizations, feel-good assertions, and unsupported idealism. Look, men's behavior is not totally a result of culture. The traits he derides in the book existed long before man had developed to ability to speak, let alone build office buildings. To think that it could all go away with a few parenting changes is ridiculous. And as always, religion (namely the bible) is a poor place to found any theory. Being that he is a Rabbi, he rests heavily on scripture and the notion of "G-d." In this instance, I think he could have made an equally persuasive case without it. He didn't and the book suffers. I would recommend a few ev psych books to balance Boteach's words with some science such as Sperm Wars, The Evolution of Desire or even The Moral Animal. Regardless, if you're a young person, you should read this before you go the way of your parents generation. And if you're older, maybe it's not too late to turn it around. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Much needed advice for the modern American male, September 10, 2009 By  Migzilla "TMM" (Arizona) - See all my reviews This review is from: The Broken American Male: and How to Fix Him (Paperback) The only male role models many American men have these days are people on TV. Imagine if we all lived like most of the greedy philanderers we see on TV! What kind of a culture would this be? What would happen to the American family? If you have kids, I doubt that's the kind of society you would want them to grow up in or the people you want them to become! A lot of men feel like failures because they don't have a new girlfriend, car, boat, house, etc. every so often. Men like me who are committed to their family aren't living the "cool" life as seen in the movies and on TV (though the celebrities aren't either, and that's why so many of them are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol). And so sometimes a man asks himself, why do I make this sacrifice? I'm getting old, my hair is falling out, my belly is getting bigger (not that we can't help that), and I'm barely caught up on my bills! It takes a book like this to make a man realize he's acting like a wimp. I personally understand the pressure in our society. TVs are everywhere! They tell you that you don't have enough and are not good enough. Bimbo male celebrities have become the role models! Our nation's leaders aren't doing a very good job of being role models and neither are many religious leaders. Many of them are getting in trouble for having affairs and stealing money. We have TVs now in the break room at my work, in the gym, and I get to see tons of advertisements on billboards on my drive to and from work. It's hard to just shut the media off and start living once again. But if you want to be a good father, husband, and not spend the rest of your life in vain pursuits and depression, it's something you'll have to do. Read this book and pass on the advice to your children. And yes, Rabbi Shmuley is religious and his ideas are old school in many ways. Yes, he does believe the feminine is greater than the masculine. If those things offend you, this book won't help you much. Rabbi Shmuley's tone may seem a bit harsh in this book, but it's written for men. His assumption is that male readers probably won't break down and cry because he's being so mean. This book is good for both Jew and non-Jew alike. Though I felt it should have been shorter, I liked it enough to give it 5 stars. 3.0 out of 5 stars Important but needs more discussion, July 21, 2009 By  Bard Hovenga (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: The Broken American Male: and How to Fix Him (Paperback) There's a lot of truth to what Shmuley is saying here, but his explanations and suggestions on "how to fix" men are questionable. His basic thesis is spot-on, where he goes wrong is with his support. Some of the chapters are wishy-washy and could be cut out entirely. At times, the text focuses too much on religion and spirituality, ignoring other aspects of the problem and solution. That being said, this book is still very important. After years of feminism dominating American culture, books like this and Palahniuk's "Fight Club" are starting to discuss a different problem: countless men who are unhappy, restless, and lost. Shmuley's book does a great job describing the problem and part of the solution, hopefully we continue to see more books addressing this subject.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 1.0 out of 5 stars Narcissism at it's worst Take out every paragraph that has the word "I" in it more than once and you'll reduce the book to 1/10th its current length. Read more Published 3 months ago by Dill 2.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Male Condemnation with Few Helpful Suggestions This is the first book I have read by Shmuley (after seeing him on a talk show) and he isn't as impressive on paper as he is on TV. Read more Published 6 months ago by Mediaman 3.0 out of 5 stars A bit depressing I loved Boteach's earlier books, Kosher Sex: A Recipe for Passion and Intimacy and Kosher Adultery: Seduce and Sin With Your Spouse but this one is a bit depressing. Read more Published 9 months ago by Sarah 2.0 out of 5 stars Misses the real problem I skimmed the first half of this book and various chapters in the second half. I wasn't impressed by Boteach's frequent use of the label "pathetic" for men who don't live as he... Read more Published 14 months ago by Sisu 5.0 out of 5 stars Shmuley does it again! He really hits the nail on the head, once more! A great read for any adult wanting to learn more about themselves and others! Published 15 months ago by gma7938 5.0 out of 5 stars The Broken American Male Rabbi Boteach has written an excellent book. It is very thought provoking. Every man and women should read this book in order to understand what is going wrong today in this... Read more Published 20 months ago by Valerie Tucker 5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book! I saw Shmuley on 700 club and was instantly anxious to own the book. My husband is reading it as well as myself, it is worth the read for both wife and husband. Read more Published 21 months ago by BleuHoney Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312379242
• ISBN-13: 978-0312379247
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #508,942 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great topic, decent execution, February 5, 2008

By	Ryan C. Holiday (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After catching a few episodes of his TV show, I felt like Boteach "got it" in the way that Dr. Drew and occasionally Dr. Phil got it. He has the ability to cut to the core of the issue, understand when people are acting unhealthily and are unafraid to point fingers. The book confirmed my initial impression. Boteach is definitely onto something about male culture. His analogy of women and eating disorders and then men and workaholicism is apt. They are both a result of a tendency to apply internal identity to external factors. A woman feels she is as worthy as her beauty and a man as special as his wealth. No question, modern culture perverts many natural urges to unhealthy access--and we often examine how that effects women but rarely do the same for men. His book finally does this.

If there is any criticism to be leveled at this it is the mass of generalizations, feel-good assertions, and unsupported idealism. Look, men's behavior is not totally a result of culture. The traits he derides in the book existed long before man had developed to ability to speak, let alone build office buildings. To think that it could all go away with a few parenting changes is ridiculous. And as always, religion (namely the bible) is a poor place to found any theory. Being that he is a Rabbi, he rests heavily on scripture and the notion of "G-d." In this instance, I think he could have made an equally persuasive case without it. He didn't and the book suffers. I would recommend a few ev psych books to balance Boteach's words with some science such as Sperm Wars, The Evolution of Desire or even The Moral Animal.

Regardless, if you're a young person, you should read this before you go the way of your parents generation. And if you're older, maybe it's not too late to turn it around.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much needed advice for the modern American male, September 10, 2009

By	Migzilla "TMM" (Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Broken American Male: and How to Fix Him (Paperback)

The only male role models many American men have these days are people on TV. Imagine if we all lived like most of the greedy philanderers we see on TV! What kind of a culture would this be? What would happen to the American family? If you have kids, I doubt that's the kind of society you would want them to grow up in or the people you want them to become!

A lot of men feel like failures because they don't have a new girlfriend, car, boat, house, etc. every so often. Men like me who are committed to their family aren't living the "cool" life as seen in the movies and on TV (though the celebrities aren't either, and that's why so many of them are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol). And so sometimes a man asks himself, why do I make this sacrifice? I'm getting old, my hair is falling out, my belly is getting bigger (not that we can't help that), and I'm barely caught up on my bills! It takes a book like this to make a man realize he's acting like a wimp.

I personally understand the pressure in our society. TVs are everywhere! They tell you that you don't have enough and are not good enough. Bimbo male celebrities have become the role models! Our nation's leaders aren't doing a very good job of being role models and neither are many religious leaders. Many of them are getting in trouble for having affairs and stealing money. We have TVs now in the break room at my work, in the gym, and I get to see tons of advertisements on billboards on my drive to and from work. It's hard to just shut the media off and start living once again. But if you want to be a good father, husband, and not spend the rest of your life in vain pursuits and depression, it's something you'll have to do. Read this book and pass on the advice to your children.

And yes, Rabbi Shmuley is religious and his ideas are old school in many ways. Yes, he does believe the feminine is greater than the masculine. If those things offend you, this book won't help you much.

Rabbi Shmuley's tone may seem a bit harsh in this book, but it's written for men. His assumption is that male readers probably won't break down and cry because he's being so mean.

This book is good for both Jew and non-Jew alike. Though I felt it should have been shorter, I liked it enough to give it 5 stars.

3.0 out of 5 stars Important but needs more discussion, July 21, 2009

By	Bard Hovenga (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Broken American Male: and How to Fix Him (Paperback)

There's a lot of truth to what Shmuley is saying here, but his explanations and suggestions on "how to fix" men are questionable. His basic thesis is spot-on, where he goes wrong is with his support. Some of the chapters are wishy-washy and could be cut out entirely. At times, the text focuses too much on religion and spirituality, ignoring other aspects of the problem and solution. That being said, this book is still very important. After years of feminism dominating American culture, books like this and Palahniuk's "Fight Club" are starting to discuss a different problem: countless men who are unhappy, restless, and lost. Shmuley's book does a great job describing the problem and part of the solution, hopefully we continue to see more books addressing this subject.