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Be a Man About It: Building a Healthier Idea of Masculinity
‘An absolutely fascinating enquiry into the nature of masculinity, coming at a time when it's really needed. Hats off to George Bell.’ - Stephen Fry, UK comedian, actor, writer, and presenter
‘An essential read for our generation of men, rewriting the rules in a way that’s honest, freeing, and makes me excited for our future.’ - Tj Power, Sunday Times Bestselling Author & Neuroscientist
‘With sensitivity and insight, George offers both personal perspective and practical guidance, making this more than a book; it’s a lifeline.’ - Alice Hendy MBE, Founder of R;pple
A practical and contemporary discussion of what it means to be a man today
Men are cracking under the immense pressure of culturally created and rigid norms, traditions and beliefs. Be A Man About It: Building a Healthier Idea of Masculinity delivers an insightful and eye-opening new discussion of modern masculinity.
George Bell lays out how a silent pressure cooker is building in men, fuelled by the weight of historical, biological, and societal context. This pressure is reaching breaking point, exploding into challenges men are facing in everyday life. Hidden taboos and stigmas, the things we talk about and the things we don't, the conversations we should be having, but aren't. Addictions, a growing male loneliness epidemic, a resistance to healthcare support, sexual function issues, a growing suicide rate, and more.
But there is an attainable future where we can release this pressure in healthier ways. Bell puts forward ideas for how we can build a more flexible idea of masculinity, celebrate our men and thrive alongside women.
Each section is packed with first-hand insights, modern data and research, and comments from a wide variety of guests and experts, including army veterans, athletes, professors, doctors, authors, artists, first responders and people who have lost others or nearly lost themselves.
Inside the book:
An examination of how a silent pressure cooker is building in men and reaching devastating breaking points, and how we can release this pressure in healthier ways
Updated language that avoids the pitfalls of old, unproductive phrases like “be a man about it”
New ways of thinking about old social constructs that reduce the idea of masculinity to inaccurate, rigid, and oversimplified caricatures
New strategies to expand our sense of masculinity, and to deal with emotions, setbacks, and difficult life experiences instead of suppressing them
Perfect for men struggling to identify what it means to be a man today, Be A Man About It is a must-read for men feeling lost, out of place or searching for a new blueprint for masculinity, as well as women who wish to better understand the men in their lives and how they experience the world.
‘An essential read for our generation of men, rewriting the rules in a way that’s honest, freeing, and makes me excited for our future.’ - Tj Power, Sunday Times Bestselling Author & Neuroscientist
‘With sensitivity and insight, George offers both personal perspective and practical guidance, making this more than a book; it’s a lifeline.’ - Alice Hendy MBE, Founder of R;pple
A practical and contemporary discussion of what it means to be a man today
Men are cracking under the immense pressure of culturally created and rigid norms, traditions and beliefs. Be A Man About It: Building a Healthier Idea of Masculinity delivers an insightful and eye-opening new discussion of modern masculinity.
George Bell lays out how a silent pressure cooker is building in men, fuelled by the weight of historical, biological, and societal context. This pressure is reaching breaking point, exploding into challenges men are facing in everyday life. Hidden taboos and stigmas, the things we talk about and the things we don't, the conversations we should be having, but aren't. Addictions, a growing male loneliness epidemic, a resistance to healthcare support, sexual function issues, a growing suicide rate, and more.
But there is an attainable future where we can release this pressure in healthier ways. Bell puts forward ideas for how we can build a more flexible idea of masculinity, celebrate our men and thrive alongside women.
Each section is packed with first-hand insights, modern data and research, and comments from a wide variety of guests and experts, including army veterans, athletes, professors, doctors, authors, artists, first responders and people who have lost others or nearly lost themselves.
Inside the book:
An examination of how a silent pressure cooker is building in men and reaching devastating breaking points, and how we can release this pressure in healthier ways
Updated language that avoids the pitfalls of old, unproductive phrases like “be a man about it”
New ways of thinking about old social constructs that reduce the idea of masculinity to inaccurate, rigid, and oversimplified caricatures
New strategies to expand our sense of masculinity, and to deal with emotions, setbacks, and difficult life experiences instead of suppressing them
Perfect for men struggling to identify what it means to be a man today, Be A Man About It is a must-read for men feeling lost, out of place or searching for a new blueprint for masculinity, as well as women who wish to better understand the men in their lives and how they experience the world.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published January 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 17, 2026
Whether you're approaching this book as a medical or psychological professional, parent or a teacher or a indeed a man or a woman, it's a frank and insightful eye-opener. It's genuine, too. The author pulls no punches when exploring the world of men's mental health, but there's a sensitivity as well.
Drawing insights and observations from a host of celebrities, sportspeople, and professionals, Bell is also forthright about his own struggles in the past. He's not trying to draw a magic roadmap for men to follow. Rather, look at ways for everyone to open up conversations and for men to start seeing themselves in a different way.
Drawing insights and observations from a host of celebrities, sportspeople, and professionals, Bell is also forthright about his own struggles in the past. He's not trying to draw a magic roadmap for men to follow. Rather, look at ways for everyone to open up conversations and for men to start seeing themselves in a different way.
February 4, 2026
Possibly one of the most important discussions in our day and age. We’re living longer, technology has made our lives both simple and efficient, and we are as a first-world society are more comfortable in more ways than ever before. And yet, unhappiness, depression and suicide rates in males continue to rise. What has led to this? And more importantly, how do we prevent this?
George Bell deep dives into the core of this question, exploring the ideas of social constructs of masculinity from all angles. For me, I personally loved the series of interviews within the book that delve into the stories of those who have directly or indirectly been affected by deep-rooted ideas of what it is to be a man, which often can prevent individuals from seeking the help they need.
It’s a raw and honest discussion of these sensitive topics and a message of hope for those who have found themselves suffering in silence.
George Bell deep dives into the core of this question, exploring the ideas of social constructs of masculinity from all angles. For me, I personally loved the series of interviews within the book that delve into the stories of those who have directly or indirectly been affected by deep-rooted ideas of what it is to be a man, which often can prevent individuals from seeking the help they need.
It’s a raw and honest discussion of these sensitive topics and a message of hope for those who have found themselves suffering in silence.
July 11, 2026
Huge thanks to George Bell for helping me change my idea of masculinity to a healthier one through this book. It's something that I didn't even know I needed. With everyone advising me on being "more of a man", he's actually helped me become "more of a man" with the right meaning for me instead of the one I inherited from society.
This literally shifted my perspective about how I see life, and I'm finally able to truly relax. The chapter on work addiction was a big hit for me. I saw my tendency to always think about work like a superpower of mine, failing to see that it was actually sapping my presence and joy out of me.
This literally shifted my perspective about how I see life, and I'm finally able to truly relax. The chapter on work addiction was a big hit for me. I saw my tendency to always think about work like a superpower of mine, failing to see that it was actually sapping my presence and joy out of me.
July 5, 2026
Huge thanks to George Bell for helping me change my idea of masculinity to a healthier one through this book. It's something that I didn't even know I needed. With everyone advising me on being "more of a man", he's actually helped me become "more of a man" with the right meaning for me instead of the one I inherited from society.
This literally shifted my perspective about how I see life, and I'm finally able to truly relax. The chapter on work addiction was a big hit for me. I saw my tendency to always think about work like a superpower of mine, failing to see that it was actually sapping my presence and joy out of me.
This literally shifted my perspective about how I see life, and I'm finally able to truly relax. The chapter on work addiction was a big hit for me. I saw my tendency to always think about work like a superpower of mine, failing to see that it was actually sapping my presence and joy out of me.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews