How to be a Man

by John Birmingham, Dirk Flinthart

John Birmingham and Dirk Flinthart have learned the hard way how to be civilized, successful and cool. Now they make it easy for the uninitiated Australian Male to achieve unimagined heights of sophistication, expertise and personal magnetism. In this book they answer questions many men are just too embarrassed to ask, How do you swallow a sword? How do you dress well without looking like a complete goose? And how do you talk intelligently about Salvador Dali, Copernicus and Simone de Beauvoir without sounding like a pompous git?

In tackling these and hundreds of other seirous subjects, Birmingham and Flinthart enlist the aid of experts as diverse as Alex Buzo, Paul Barry, Len Evans and Helen Wellings.

Genres: Nonfiction, Comedy, Humor

Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

John Birmingham grew up in Ipswich, Queensland and was educated at St Edmunds Christian Brother's College in Ipswich and the University of Queensland in Brisbane. His only stint of full time employment was as a researcher at the Defence Department. After this he returned to Queensland to study law but he did not complete his legal studies, choosing instead to pursue a career as a writer. He currently lives in Brisbane.

While a law student he was one of the last people arrested under the state's Anti Street March legislation. Birmingham was convicted of displaying a sheet of paper with the words 'Free Speech' written on it in very small type. The local newspaper carried a photograph of him being frogmarched off to a waiting police paddy wagon.

Birmingham has a degree in international relations.

Reviews

[Edward Hockenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because I have to google how to tie a tie every time I have to tie a tie. This book has a very good explanation on how to tie a tie.

It has other stuff about cars and stuff that I intend to read someday but I haven't.

But I give it a 4/5 stars for teaching me how to tie a tie. I forgot how already, but I can open this book up again. My father died when I was 6, so I guess this book is the closest thing I have to a dad?

[Alex Rappel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some decent stuff in here - such as 'how to tie a windsor knot', and 'work-dress etiquette'. However, it is - at times - a tad sexist (not overtly, more in a mostly casual way), and has it's fair share of useless sections.

[Mandy Partridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed so loud reading this book that I woke up my house-mates. "How to be a Man" by John Birmingham and Dirk Flinthart, gives the nineties or millennial young man some solid advice for life. Times have changed, with feminism and political correctness and all, so the authors advise young men around self presentation, and communicating with women. The introduction by Commander Harrison Biscuit brings back the legend of the Semper writers group. Biscuit, with his sexy sidekick, Doctor Speed, had weird adventures on and off the campus of Queensland University, illustrated in splattery pen and ink. Biscuit tells it like it is - this book is a cheat sheet for new millennium men. It reveals how to do the absolute minimum with personal hygiene, manners and clothes to be accepted by women. Then goes on to drop wisdom about Drinking, fighting, cooking, cars and hardware, which men must understand to be accepted by other men. The chapter on housework should be essential reading for all young people, men and women alike. Great info and many laughs.

[Rik Schnabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book by a bunch of girls from the Herald & Weekly Times Marketing department. They thought it would be funny to give me this as in their corporate world of sniper tactics, I seemed a bit to calm, a bit too in touch with my feminine side as well as my masculine.

Though I got the last laugh, as I finally read it, and it's actually a good book full of great tips and advice for men - in fact, for anyone.

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book for a gift or to leave sitting around an office/living room table. Funny stories and good advice for general man stuff, though today much of the info isn't as applicable to typical man life. If you are easily offended, be open-minded for a change, and learn to find the humor in everything. Life's not that serious.

[Steph Pepprell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some useful tips for life but on the whole, the homophobia and talk of how to avoid feminists really jarred with me.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hilarious few hundred pages from Mr. Birmingham, this time on the subject of all things male. As the title suggests, it reads like a how to guide, with sections on everything from how to dress properly for business, how to buy, drive and maintain a car, and even how to cook with the specific intent of impressing a woman. If you find any of this sexist or offensive, then you're missing the point, this is meant to be funny. Oh, and it also includes emergency instructions on how to land a 747 jumbo jet, in case you ever find yourself in that particular situation. That alone is worth the price.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read and written with a very, very dry sense of humour. I thought the section on how to pick up women was quite amusing. The author has led an interesting life by the sounds of it. I heard his more well known novel "He died with a felafel in his hand" was quite good as well (but that the film pretty much sucked). Will have to check it out now as I dont mind his style.

[Darrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliantly written humorous "How to" book for us blokes by a couple of Aussies (Dirk Flinthart, John Birmingham) who know their audience well.