Brothers: Every man needs strong, authentic friendships

by Kim Evensen, Mark Greene (Foreword), Susan L'Estrange (Photographer)

None of us have been created to live mediocre lives, so we shouldn’t settle for mediocre friendships.

Why do many male friendships tend to be shallow? Are men supposed to be interested in deep connections with other dudes? Why is it that a three-year-old boy has no issues expressing his love and admiration for his best friend, but a twenty-year-old man most likely has?

If you’re one of those guys who’s put off by questions like these, this book is written specifically for you. 

These pages follow a man’s journey to connect with other guys, which resulted in Brothers, a movement with a mission to champion and empower men’s friendships across the globe.

This book is a must-read for all men. It will challenge your perceptions of male friendship, masculinity and love, and help you develop stronger friendships in your own life.

www.wearebrothers.org

105 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2019

Reviews

[Julian Furey]

Kim's fantastic book is going to continue to challenge many men and women on their idea of mens friendships. He does not hold back with speaking his mind and I have a lot of respect for him for that! He'll make you feel out of your comfort zone and as raw as it felt when reading it, I learnt a lot and feel like I can make more of an effort with my own mates. Watch this man change men's friendships for the better...one chapter at a time

[John Chen]

Kim does a really great job of using his own life experiences and adding some personal research to address the social ineptitude of male friendships for intimacy and closeness. This awkward rigid line between males is often attributed to the sexualization of intimacy, the construction of masculinity in a very monolithic production, and such ideas of masculinity having been conditioned in our young adolescent boys and men at a young age. I would only interject by saying that his intent is to highlight the male need for genuine and deep male friendships, while it may come off as underplaying men and women's differences in communication and personality styles, he's not arguing against men's and women's differences rather just supporting men's need for intimacy. He posits that healthy male friendships (characterized by vulnerability, deep communication, and emotionality) are not only virtues of female friendships, rather it's a lost and often repressed desire in men's social life - beginning in the formative years. I think these are crucially valid points.

This book is not only research-oriented but it's also a cross-over between being a memoir and a form of activism. This gem of a book is emphatically needed. For the laymen, Millenials to Gen-Z's out there, this hits the mark. I think regardless of gender, ethnicity, or age, the reader will most likely be touched by his sentiments and overall message. I applaud Kim's vulnerability and stand to bring men to break out of social norms. I resonated so well with his feelings and pray that Brothers and other communities alike continue to excel in mobilizing men to build more meaningful relationships with one another.

[Sola Oluborode]

Brothers, the book and organisation, has surfaced at a time when the world is beginning to recognise and acknowledge the very real consequences of toxic masculinity and lack of intimate connection amongst men.

Kim, through his story and resulting efforts, has truly captured the essence of what brotherhood and quality friendships can and should be. This is a book that men and women alike would benefit from reading. It is a cause that each one of us should diligently support and champion.

[Matt]

A real friendship is a powerful thing

Kim is man enough to say out loud what many men feel inside, but would never dare to share. For too long, men have been taught that connection is feminine and that men, being strong, don't need deep, authentic relationships with their bros.

Kim brings us along on his journey from loneliness to connection, and provides tips and tricks for building something better with your bros.

I would recommend this book to the working man with a family who feels he has no time for friends, for the jock who plays it tough but deep down longs for more, or for the lonely guy who wants friends but doesn't know how to make that happen. It's also a worthwhile read for the wives of emotionally unavailable husbands, who wonder if they'll ever learn to connect. This book can help create a plot twist in the life of a man going it alone. Highly recommended.