As parents, we all want our boys to grow up to be happy, healthy and successful. For this to happen, it’s vital we understand their world, their challenges, and how our relationship with them must change as they become young men. Using real-life examples, parenting expert Dr Arne Rubinstein clearly explains the risks teenagers face today, including drugs, alcohol, technology and peer group pressure. He then shows how you can equip your son to make safe and sensible choices. Whether you’re a single mum of a happy-go-lucky eight-year old, or the parent of a troubled teen, The Making of Men is a practical, commonsense guide to helping your son transition from a boy to a young man who is motivated and inspired. ‘Funny, encouraging, gritty and real.’ Steve Biddulph, bestselling author of Manhood and Raising Boys
A collection of “artful, emotional” and “manly” short stories from the acclaimed author of The Wake of Forgiveness (Dallas News). From the critically acclaimed author of The Wake of Forgiveness—“a mesmerizing, mythic saga,” as described by the New York Times—come ten remarkable stories that uncover unexpected beauty in the struggles of the modern American male. Like Richard Russo, Bruce Machart has a profound knowledge of the male psyche and a gift for conveying the absurdity and brutality of daily life with humor and compassion. Whether they find themselves walking the fertile farmland of south Texas, steering trucks through the suffocating sprawl of Houston, or turning logs into paper in the mills just west of the Sabine River, the men of these stories seek to prove themselves in a world that doesn’t always welcome them. Here are men whose furrows are never quite straight and whose hearts are near to bursting with all the desires they have been told they aren’t supposed to heed. “Bruce Machart is one of our most ambitious and fearless young writers. With Men in the Making, he has composed a remarkable paean to the complex fragility of the American male. I read these stories in a state of tender amazement.”—Steve Almond, author of Rock and Roll Will Save Your Life
Many forces in our culture have declared war on young men. Men in the Making is a bold new book that empowers young men to be pure, brave, and stand strong against the destructive forces of Satan. It provides a framework that helps young men learn to honor the older, protect the weak, overcome sexual temptation, control their tongues, and stand for the Truth.
Stories of heroism, exploration, and sacrifice -- including Apollo XIII and Scott of the Antarctic -- that inspire boys to be courageous, selfless, and open to adventure Tales of brave and selfless deeds used to be part of every boy’s education. We grew up sharing stories with our fathers, uncles, and grandfathers of how other men had lived their lives, met their challenges, reached their goals, and faced their deaths. Becoming a man was about comradeship and standing by your friends whatever the circumstances. And it meant that sometimes it was more important to die a hero than live a coward’s life. Through Neil Oliver’s vivid, stirring accounts we can rediscover the stories that inspire men to perform acts greater than themselves. These are the epics that we should all know by heart; the tales of courage, endurance, and sacrifice that made men out of boys. Amazing Tales for Making Men Out of Boys is packed with classic stories of courage and heroism from around the world and includes four stories especially for the American edition: Omaha Beach, June 6th 1944; The Alamo; The Civil War Battle of Shilo; and The Revolutionary War Sea Battle of John Paul Jones and the Bon Homme Richard.
Step into the world of Alison Armstrong, where love, care, and attention from men are normal and relied upon-and a way of life available for every women. Do you have to sell our soul? Not even close. This book can be your guide, an unexpected friend, even a prophecy for your future. Funny information-packed text, illustrative charts and enlightening side-bars will deliver priceless insights into men their motivations and their inspirations. Making Sense of Men will teach you:"Why men pursue some women for sex and others for heart-felt relationships"How to tell when a man is emotionally involved"How to inspire generosity and attentiveness in all men"How you can be strong and successful-without discouraging men
Adam Sandler movies, HBO's Entourage, and such magazines as Maxim and FHM all trade in and appeal to one character the modern boy-man. Addicted to video games, comic books, extreme sports, and dressing down, the boy-man would rather devote an afternoon to Grand Theft Auto than plan his next career move. He would rather prolong the hedonistic pleasures of youth than embrace the self-sacrificing demands of adulthood. When did maturity become the ultimate taboo? Men have gone from idolizing Cary Grant to aping Hugh Grant, shunning marriage and responsibility well into their twenties and thirties. Gary Cross, renowned cultural historian, identifies the boy-man and his habits, examining the attitudes and practices of three generations to make sense of this gradual but profound shift in American masculinity. Cross matches the rise of the American boy-man to trends in twentieth-century advertising, popular culture, and consumerism, and he locates the roots of our present crisis in the vague call for a new model of leadership that, ultimately, failed to offer a better concept of maturity. Cross does not blame the young or glorify the past. He finds that men of the "Greatest Generation" might have embraced their role as providers but were confused by the contradictions and expectations of modern fatherhood. Their uncertainty gave birth to the Beats and men who indulged in childhood hobbies and boyish sports. Rather than fashion a new manhood, baby-boomers held onto their youth and, when that was gone, embraced Viagra. Without mature role models to emulate or rebel against, Generation X turned to cynicism and sensual intensity, and the media fed on this longing, transforming a life stage into a highly desirable lifestyle. Arguing that contemporary American culture undermines both conservative ideals of male maturity and the liberal values of community and responsibility, Cross concludes with a proposal for a modern marriage of personal desire and ethical adulthood.
Mairtin Mac an Ghaill explores how boys learn to be men in schools while policing their own and others' sexuality. The text focuses on the students' confusions and contradictions in their gendered experiences; and upon how schools actively produce, through the official and hidden curriculum, a range of masculinities which young men come to inhabit. The author attempts to do full justice to the complex phenomenon of male heterosexual subjectivities and to the role of schooling in forming sexual identities.
This book presents a landmark in-depth study of how mass media contributes to the making and remaking of male identity. It concludes that, unless addressed, the effects of negative discourse on the self-identity and self-esteem of men, are potentially devastating and that the longer-term and wider social implications will also be costly.
In May 1787, in an atmosphere of crisis, delegates met in Philadelphia to design a radically new form of government. Distinguished historian Richard Beeman captures as never before the dynamic of the debate and the characters of the men who labored that historic summer. Virtually all of the issues in dispute—the extent of presidential power, the nature of federalism, and, most explosive of all, the role of slavery—have continued to provoke conflict throughout our nation's history. This unprecedented book takes readers behind the scenes to show how the world's most enduring constitution was forged through conflict, compromise, and fragile consensus. As Gouverneur Morris, delegate of Pennsylvania, noted: "While some have boasted it as a work from Heaven, others have given it a less righteous origin. I have many reasons to believe that it is the work of plain, honest men."
Men Talk draws on rich conversational material from a wide range of contexts to illuminate our understanding of men and masculinities at the turn of the millennium. Draws on rich conversational material to illuminate our understanding of men and masculinities at the turn of the millennium. Collects data from a wide range of conversations, including garage mechanics on a break, carpenters at the pub after work, and university academics chatting after hours. Focuses on stories, which occur within all-male conversations. Makes a distinctive contribution to our understanding of the intersection of language and masculinity.