The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood

by William J. Bennett

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MAN Raising up men has never been easy, but today is seems particularly tough. The young and old need heroes to embody the eternal qualities of honor, duty, valor, and integrity. In The Book of Man , William J. Bennett points the way, offering a positive, encouraging, uplifting, realizable idea of manhood, redolent of history and human nature, and practical for contemporary life. Using profiles, stories, letters, poems, essays, historical vignettes, and myths to bring his subject to life, The Book of Man defines what a man should be, how he should live, and to what he should aspire in several key areas of war, work, leisure, and more. "Whether we take up the sword, the plow, the ball, the gavel, our children, or our Bibles," says Bennett, "we must always do it like the men we are called to be." The Book of Man shows how.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Parenting, Education, Christianity, Personal Development, Self Help

546 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

William J. "Bill" Bennett is a politician and author who served in the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, as chief of National Endowment for the Humanities and later Secretary of Education under Reagan, and Drug Czar under Bush. He is a nationally well-known figure of political and social conservatism and authored many books on politics, ethics, and international relations.

Reviews

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a recent op-ed on CNN.com entitled, “Why men are in trouble," William Bennett stated the current challenges among young men today. He writes,

“Today, 18-to- 34-year-old men spend more time playing video games a day than 12-to- 17-year-old boys. While women are graduating college and finding good jobs, too many men are not going to work, not getting married and not raising families. Women are beginning to take the place of men in man way. This has led some to ask: do we even need men?”

He ends the piece with an unashamed exhortation: “Get off the video game five hours a day, get yourself together, get a challenging job and get married.”

While it’s easy to bemoan the current state of manhood (or the lack thereof), Bennett has helpfully put together an assortment of readings “on the path to manhood." They are:

- Man in War
- Man at Work
- Man in Play, Competition, and Leisure
- Man in the Polis
- Man with Woman and Children
- Man in Prayer and Reflection

Bennett writes of the hope he has for this book:
“There are examples worthy of emulation, stories worth knowing, lives worthy studying and remembering, and counsel worth hearing. I have tried to gather a wide sampling of material that can encourage and guide. And so, while this book cannot make you a good man, it should give you a helpful idea of what a good man is.” (xxii)

This is not a book to read in one sitting, although one could very well do that. Instead, it is an assortment of timeless and often unknown wisdom. Consider it a 500-page manual that contains the code of a gentleman. In a culture that exalts unmanliness, this resource then serves as a father-mentor of sorts. Sometimes the best instructors in life are those who are no longer alive.

I wouldn’t agree with all the selections included in this volume, especially some in the section on prayer and reflection (note: William Bennett is a Roman Catholic). But by and large I’m enthusiastic in recommending this tome on manhood. I’m hopeful that many men would tap into this profound well of wisdom. As Bennett would say, “it’s time for men to man up.”

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is very one note. Be a good soldier. Be a good capitalist. Be a good servant of god. It feels hollow and not capable of approaching the fullness because it is joyful, vibrant and messy. If you don’t do complicated, this is the book for you.

[Ann Saylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Tool for Raising Men with Character and Purpose

If you liked William Bennett’s Book of Virtues, you are sure to like his newest book, The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood. This beautifully bound book has 500+ pages of inspiring and educational stories. He shares statistics on boyhood and manhood and culture that are staggering.

Bennett’s stories will educate, enlighten and inspire. He includes 250 poignant and crisp excerpts from speeches, biographies, poems, essays, articles and books. Each excerpt also includes an introduction by Bennett, explaining necessary background and critical pieces to understand.

Readers will recognize many contributors in the six thematic chapters:
Man in War – Alexander the Great, Winston Churchill, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ronald Reagan
Man at Work – the Bible, Theodore Roosevelt, Jack London, Mark Twain, William Penn
Man in Play, Sports, and Leisure – Pistol Pete Maravich, Leo Tolstoy, Cal Ripkin, Aaron Rodgers
Man in the Polis – David Crockett, William Jennings Bryan, Benjamin Franklin, John F. Kennedy
Man with Woman and Children – Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, Homer, Edgar Allan Poe
Man in Prayer and Reflection – George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Francis of Assisi

This is a great gift book for any teenage boy that enjoys reading and learning. It’s a great book for grandfathers, fathers and sons to read together. It would be a powerful teaching and mentoring tool for a Boy Scout Group or boy’s focus group. It’s a great textbook for social studies in a boy’s school. It’s a great read for anyone (male or female) who wants to learn more about cultural heroes.

Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Brian Schulz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This type of book is full of quotes and stories and nuggets about being a better and more righteous version of yourself. The quotes provided become the type of things that motivate and discipline a man to serve God and others as well as to accomplish his pursuits.

[Kevin Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book if you like history stuff, but a really good read for Men to read or teenage boys to learn what being a man is all about.

[Chainsaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

With so many fathers today passing up the responsibility to raise up their sons in a constructive way, and with society's positive reinforcement of "heroes" as role models seemingly having gone the way of the dinosaur, the author provides an outstanding collection of brief historical biographies, works of literature, and vignettes that provide examples worthy of reflection regarding what it means to be a man...

In War,
At Work,
In Play, Sports, and Leisure,
In The Polis,
With Women and Children,
In Prayer and Reflection.

While it could certainly be read in one go, "The Book of Man" is an excellent bedside or ebook to keep available for times when a reader has a few opportune moments (waiting in line, for instance) or only a short time available to read a quick section or two. It is likewise appropriate for more dedicated reading & reflection, but its content makes either option perfectly suitable.

Regardless, this is a fine body of work that could provide parents or young people food for thought regarding what kind of character a man should develop, how he should behave, and what responsibilities he should embrace as a constructive member of our society.

An outstanding book well worth reading. Highly recommended!

[Abdullah Almuslem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was too American for my appetite. It talks about the art of manliness and how men should be acting in their life. So, it is a collection of speeches, short stories, letters and acts. The book is divided into six chapters: One: Man in War, Two: Man at Work, Three: Man in Play, Sports, and Leisure, Four: Man in the Polis, Five: Man with Woman and Children, and Six: Man in Prayer and Reflection.

The chapter where he talks about war is very American! The author glorifies the acts of soldiers during unjust wars such as the Iraqi war and Vietnam war, calling them heroes and the like. The chapter where he talks about work was to some extend good. Third and fourth chapters were very American where the author want you to think that America is the greatest place in the world to live in. I liked chapter five because it talks about family, raising children and marriage. Final chapter was focused mainly on Christianity.

Although, I may seem negative about the book, I am impressed by the number of letters and speeches gathered in the book irrespective whether I agree with them or not. I highlighted many passages in the book.

Overall, very long and difficult to go through if you are not an American.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on man: work, politics, religion, family life and more. Wonderful book, very positive, supportive and uplifting for all men young and old.

[Robert Stump · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homo Homini Lupus
http://manisawolftomen.blogspot.com/

William Bennett's The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood carries the reader through six major aspects of Manhood: War, Work, Play, Community, Women & Children, and Prayer & Reflection. The work is structured around this topics with each having allocated to it a series of essay setup in Bennett's own words as "examples worthy of emulation, stories worth knowing, lives worth studying and remembering, and counsel worth hearing." In a way Bennett plays the part of both editor and author as he combines sources of manly ensample throughout history and present times--including a number of men he has himself known, or known of through his radio program. The breadth of the work only would give cause to praise with essay, poems, and prose from such fine men as Douglas MacArthur, Homer, John Stuart Mill, Daniel Webster, James Baldwin, Teddy Roosevelt, Alexis de Tocqueville, Emerson, Carlyle, Wordsworth, Shakespeare, Twain, Franklin, Washington, Hesoid even! But there are unknown men entwined with these giants which brings the book back to everyman.

The Book of Man delivers, and so, in such a way, that I find that I can come back to it for a nibble after the first chew through is over. This is a book which encompasses all the aspects of that famous Bacon quote: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." Once over chewed and digested and I suspect like myself one would be back for seconds. In a similar fashion, as the Havard Classics is a liberal education on a five-foot-shelf, so the book of man is a manly education in a 5-inch-binding. There is so much packed into these over 576 pages, that I am sure given the time, Bennett could allow each its own space and create a five-foot-shelf.

Now the title may lead the ladies to expect that this book is not for them, but, not so; it is just as well that the women in our lives know the road map that leads a man to act like one, that such a title is not a misnomer on a casement that looks like a man but is little more than boy. In this way they will not be fooled by false bravado without virtue, voice without content, action without motive prevalent today; and moreover, like our ancestors, it is duly falling to the women in our lives to tame the wildness of a man. Here she will find the proper form, and not be fooled by our societies androgynous image of spineless men, or ladies wearing pants--HA!--and not dresses (Not true: Don't let my crass sense of humor turn you away from this book, Bennett doesn't once tell ladies they should wear skirts. . .no matter how nice they are).

The binding on the book is beautifully done, the paper is of a fine grade, with rough edges, I assume to give even the paper a rugged manliness--as though, manliness were rough edges, ooooh, or maybe that a man can't be so easily delineated. . . or maybe Bennett sells enough books to warrant such niceties?-- The work supports itself and you won't have to worry about the spine cracking as you get the the 300th page as some lesser quality tomes.

So if you are a man, or even if you just look like one, or even if you know a man, or would like to, this is a book not to pass up.

5/5

Propter Sanguinem Agni,
RS

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I was not coerced or cajoled. Honestly, this is how I feel. Promise.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am fortunate to have a really good husband, but as the mother of two grown daughters I know how hard it is to find a good man. I don’t mean that there aren’t any—I have a wonderful son-in-law who makes me very proud. But I have noticed for some time now that boys in America seem to have a hard time growing up. Young men who should be mature and starting a family and career are still spending all of their time in adolescent pursuits and activities. They seem to have no interest in duty, family, defending their country, or being men of honor. Instead, the vast majority of young men seem to be lazy, ill-mannered, self centered, and immature. How did this come about? Our culture seems to bombard young people with the message that responsibility and self worth are no longer things to strive for and sadly the “stars” and famous people they look up to are not worthy of “idol” status. This has changed greatly from the time when our school textbooks were filled with the true stories of the heroes who made this country great and even television shows were moral, clean, and portrayed men of honor. Many parents see the messages from society and wonder how to get back the ideals that were once prevalent in this country.

Enter William Bennett’s newest offering, The Book of Man. Filled with stories, letters, poems, essays, myths and legends, as well as profiles of real life heroes; this book will give boys something that has sadly become a thing of the past—heroes to look up to and emulate. This beautiful 546 page volume is divided into six sections where you will find tales of courage, love, devotion, bravery, and sacrifice—the makings of a true man. This book would be a prefect devotional springboard for a father and his sons as well as a wonderful resource for the homeschooling family. Written about men for men, I believe that this book would also be very beneficial to girls and young women as well in helping them to see what kind of man is worthy of their interest. Destined to be a classic like The Book of Virtues, The Book of Man will give every young male who reads it the inspiration to become a true man in the eyes of God and his peers.



I received this complimentary copy from the Thomas Nelson Publishing through their BookSneeze program. A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed here are my own.

[Brenten Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was a commercial on TV when I was younger featuring Charles Barkley and the tagline, “I am not a role model.” It was a rather groundbreaking and controversial message for the time – and imagine, it was an ad for sneakers – but what really came to light was a general abducation of responsibility for public figures. No longer did they have to try to be worthy of emulation or practice positive behavior. They weren’t role models anymore – at least, not all of them – but moreso, they weren’t heroes.

Now, with my own two boys, I’m even more sensitive towards this need. Boys need examples of men to look up to. Men of courage and integrity, who do what’s right, regardless of the cost. And there are only so many Tim Tebows in the world (one, actually).

Bennett recognizes this shortfall as well and has put together this extensive volume chock full of character profiles, literary passages, poetry, Scripture, and essays all providing examples and evidence of good, manly behavior in all aspects of life. The Book of Man offers ample material to share with the next generation and exemplify how to maintain proper perspectives and priorities as we navigate life at work and at play, in our families and our country and pretty much everywhere in between. I’m going to enjoy sharing these entries with my boys for years to come.

-from trudatmusic[dot]com[slash]raw

[Jaroslav Tuček · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of classical stories, speeches and poems demonstrating what it means to be a man in all aspects of life - or at least that's the idea. While Bennett divides the book into sections dealing with separate areas of daily life - war, work, leisure, family, community and spirituality - the problem is that the book's picture of a heroic, manly role-model is very lopsided towards an ideal of military virtue. Most of the cited authors are great historical leaders - high ranking government officials or generals. To Bennett, "War provokes the highest virtues of man's soul ... honor, fortitude, service and sacrifice." At places the book reads like an Uncle Sam recruitment brochure praising loyalty and obedience to orders, or as one of the speeches says it (from JFK), "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country." Needless to say, you will read too little from the world's greatest thinkers, scientist or businessmen.

Lopsided or not, I still recommend the book, especially for young boys who otherwise might get all their ideas about manhood from popular culture - there surely are worse choices to counterweight that picture than Theodore Roosevelt or Marcus Aurelius.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reasons the author wrote this book give pause to the state of men and how we are raising our boys:

"For boys to become men they need to be guided through advice, habit, instruction, example, and correction.”

The other, simply put, is that men are no longer men the way they used to be - a sense of responsibility to their faith, families, politics, in play and leisure, work and jobs, and in war. One could easily attack and go on the offensive about how men have become lazy and irresponsible in these areas during this era, but instead, Bill provides uplifting and encouraging sources of material, supporting a better definition of 'Manhood' than what we currently have.

I especially appreciate the excerpts about men, both famous and unknown, as well as the historical speeches and literature pieces used to highlight and support the important parts the make up being a 'man'. A great read for any man, and especially for a father to pass onto his sons.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Man is a collection of quotes, stories, writings, prayers, and advice from a WIDE variety of sources and time periods. It is a textbook, a keepsake, of guidance for the boy to become a man with integrity and honor. Written by famed William J Bennett.

It covers man in six areas:

War--human suffereing and endurance, bravery and courage

Work--hard, fruitful work with devotion

Play, Sports and Leisure--enjoying life responsibly

Polis (society)--serving to provide for common interests and protect the general welfare

Woman and Children--how to treat a woman and fulfilling responsibilities in fathering children

Prayer and Reflection--man's internal GPS system, neglecting these is being without a map or compass


It is a valuable treasure...one I'm considering adding to my own library!

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bennett pulls from classic writings to promote good role models regarding men in various scenarios; in war, politics, with women and children, and with God. He crosses the board with respect to all these areas, having sections with writers of different faiths and political parties than his. For instance, despite his Republican background, he still includes JFK's Inaugural Address, "...ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.", emphasizing that responsibility should lie in the hands of the individual, not the government. There are dozens of writings used, each one set up by the author as to why it's included in the section, and putting it into historical context. As a former Secretary of Education, Bennett has written a masterpiece of history, rhetoric and ethics that would be a nutritious part of anyone's literary diet.

[Brandon H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood by William J. Bennett, the radio talk show host and former Secretary of Education for President Ronald Reagan, is a substantial work on the subject of manhood. The breadth of references to stories and quotes of famous men of the past is impressive in this large offering.

This is a good resource for fathers to share with their sons and to even meditate on occasionally when wanting to cultivate their manhood and improve in the roles and responsibilities they have in life.

Mr. Bennett looks at the subject of manhood and how it relates to the following areas of life -

Man in War
Man at Work
Man in Play, Competition, and Leisure
Man in the Polis
Man with Woman and Children
Man in Prayer and Reflection

Personally I found the last two categories most interesting.

[Charles Erlandson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives a Vision and Stories of How to be a Virtuous Man

A lot of us have figured out that there is a lack of male leadership in our culture these days. It’s easy to lament this fact but more difficult to do something about it. William Bennett, the compiler of the excellent Book of Virtues, has done something about the need for real men in our culture. He’s compiled a book, The Book of Man, that offers a great selection of short writings that act as a model for virtuous manhood.

Read my complete review at http://www.giveusthisdaydevotional.co...

[Russ · Rating 3 out of 5]

True story: I worked for a writer and syndicated columnist a long time ago. William J. Bennett called the office and my roommate answered the call. Our boss was eating an ice cream cone at the time of the call. He had my friend tell Mr. Bennett that he'd return the call after finishing the ice cream. I couldn't relate then. After reading "The Book of Man," I can relate.

The book is a collection of anecdotes of men at work, war, play and prayer. It would probably work best in the library of a quaint bed and breakfast in Freeport, Maine. A man could a read story here and there whilst his companion shops away in the outlets.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided a collection of readings about various aspects of manhood. Bennett believes that much of what it used to mean to "be a man" has been lost in our modern society. And even worse, he believes that these things are not being passed on to the younger generation of men. This book is encouraging and inspirational for men. I highly recommend it.

See more.

[Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

William J Bennett is one of our outstanding citizens. He is a very successful radio talk show host but writes excellent books. Most of his writings are about character, values, being a patriot, and similar subjects. His most famous book is Book of Virtue - a wonder collection of stories of virtue and valor. Highly recommended for all to read. Especially for maturing young people including recent college graduates.

[Paige Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book about what it really means to be a man. I highly recommend it to any man looking to better himself. It is also great because you will find so many stories of men that you want to read more about so it acts as springboard to point you to even more material to help improve your life. Again, HIGHLY recommended.

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great set of writings from the history of thought divided into sections:

1. Man in War
2. Man at Work
3. Man in Play, Sports, and Leisure
4. Man in the Polis (state of society and community)
5. Man with Woman and Children
6. Man in Prayer and Reflection

Very thought provoking and super collection of thought and philosophy over the ages.

But, very long. Had to read it in between other books.

[John Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best man books I've read, William J. Bennett gives insight on ancient times to moderate, giving clarity of what we forgotten, regenerating a moral code for ourselves, uplifting poems written by men, and contains many more things manly relevance. Want tell you what you should discover for yourselves but will say it's definitely a book worth buying to reflect.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly meant for reading in one sitting, but it did have some great stories, essays, and poetry espousing an ideal of manhood that involves service, kindness, work, wholesome competition, and family.

[Will Mcleod · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book about being a man, becoming a man and raising young boys to be men. This book covers 5 different areas of a man's life. It's full of great stories that encourage, inspire and make one think. William J. Bennett is a great author. Most of his books are great reads.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a more scholarly book than I anticipated. The message is a good one - good men are raised, they don't just happen. The last couple of chapters are a tribute to Bennett's father-in-law, which was incredibly sweet.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been working on this one for a good long while, a collection of essays, quotations, biographies, and meditations on what it means to be a man, and specifically, a good man. Not bad, though a bit tedious at times, and with a pretty strong bias towards Christianity.

[Cordell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! This book is not a novel. Each chapter is a stand alone chapter many of them only one or two pages. I thought it was great. I went and bought a copy for each of my sons and for each of my daughters husbands.

[Danmcgohan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed. The readings did not seem to flow one to another naturally. The best section was Man In Prayer and Reflection. I do have to say that poetry is not my enjoyment.

[Ari Lapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of writings.