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The Way of Kings: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Man
Today's man is in an identity crisis. With a never-ending barrage of confusing, condescending, and condemning voices telling him who he is and who he isn't, it can feel impossible to discover who he was made to be. Men were made to be kings, to protect the light, fight the darkness, and rule well the domain God has given them. But to be a good king, men must act in the likeness of the King.
Drawing on the ancient tradition of an older and wiser ruler passing on his wisdom, like Solomon in the book of Proverbs, Nathan Clarkson offers young men 40 short and to-the-point letters for the journey. Packed with practical, biblically based advice on real-life issues, this book helps men base their identity not in who the world says they should be but in who their King says they can be.
For the modern man looking to live out a greater story, The Way of Kings offers ancient wisdom rooted in sacred Scripture to help him discover who he was created to be.
Drawing on the ancient tradition of an older and wiser ruler passing on his wisdom, like Solomon in the book of Proverbs, Nathan Clarkson offers young men 40 short and to-the-point letters for the journey. Packed with practical, biblically based advice on real-life issues, this book helps men base their identity not in who the world says they should be but in who their King says they can be.
For the modern man looking to live out a greater story, The Way of Kings offers ancient wisdom rooted in sacred Scripture to help him discover who he was created to be.
- GenresNonfiction
208 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2022
About the author
Nathan Clarkson
14 books45 followersNathan Clarkson is an award winning actor, best-selling author, indie filmmaker, podcast philosopher, and member of the well-known and beloved Clarkson Family.
As an actor, Nathan has appeared in numerous national commercials, many TV-shows like NBC’s Community, and multiple major feature films like Universal’s The Purge.
As a filmmaker Nathan’s original movies have appeared on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Pureflix and more. With his company, Clarkson Creations, Nathan has produced such indie hits as Confessions of a Prodigal Son, The Unlikely Good Samaritan, Miracle on Highway 34, and most recently Don’t Know Jack, featuring Hollywood stars and Oscar Nominated actors. Nathan’s next project, Bright Sky, an Americana romance movie, is currently in development.
As an author, Nathan’s signature memoir-esque style, filled with thought and reflections on various topics, can be found in multiple books. His first book Different; a personal memoir of stories of and thoughts on growing up with a nuerodivergent mind and mental illness, quickly became a national best seller after an interview on NBC's Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda. Since, Nathan has written books Good Man, The Way of King’s, and children’s picture books, Only You Can Be You and the The Clubhouse. Nathan’s most recent book Finding God in Hollywood is out now.
Nathan is the co-host of the popular podcast The Overthinkers “Having fun thinking deeply”. The podcast covers topics of faith, philosophy, culture, creativity, and the big questions of life. The program features a host of influential and interesting guests and boasts over 100k downloads.
Nathan’s words have been featured and quoted in outlets like The LA Times, Variety, The Gazette, Publisher's Weekly, World Magazine, Religion Unplugged, and more.
Nathan lives with his wife Keelia Clarkson and his golden retriever, Darcy, between the lights of Los Angeles, the streets of New York City, and the wilds Colorado Springs.
As an actor, Nathan has appeared in numerous national commercials, many TV-shows like NBC’s Community, and multiple major feature films like Universal’s The Purge.
As a filmmaker Nathan’s original movies have appeared on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Pureflix and more. With his company, Clarkson Creations, Nathan has produced such indie hits as Confessions of a Prodigal Son, The Unlikely Good Samaritan, Miracle on Highway 34, and most recently Don’t Know Jack, featuring Hollywood stars and Oscar Nominated actors. Nathan’s next project, Bright Sky, an Americana romance movie, is currently in development.
As an author, Nathan’s signature memoir-esque style, filled with thought and reflections on various topics, can be found in multiple books. His first book Different; a personal memoir of stories of and thoughts on growing up with a nuerodivergent mind and mental illness, quickly became a national best seller after an interview on NBC's Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda. Since, Nathan has written books Good Man, The Way of King’s, and children’s picture books, Only You Can Be You and the The Clubhouse. Nathan’s most recent book Finding God in Hollywood is out now.
Nathan is the co-host of the popular podcast The Overthinkers “Having fun thinking deeply”. The podcast covers topics of faith, philosophy, culture, creativity, and the big questions of life. The program features a host of influential and interesting guests and boasts over 100k downloads.
Nathan’s words have been featured and quoted in outlets like The LA Times, Variety, The Gazette, Publisher's Weekly, World Magazine, Religion Unplugged, and more.
Nathan lives with his wife Keelia Clarkson and his golden retriever, Darcy, between the lights of Los Angeles, the streets of New York City, and the wilds Colorado Springs.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 1, 2022
What does it mean to be a man? This deceptively simple question is the emphasis of Nathan Clarkson’s new book, The Way of Kings: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Man. Clarkson urges young men to ignore all the nonsense that the world tells us men are or are not. Are we supposed to be the ignorant goofball men of most sitcoms, the rugged, tough guys of police procedurals and westerns, the crude playboys of many comedies and even dramas, or something else altogether? Clarkson turns our attention to what God says men ought to be; we are meant to be kings.
Being a king means a lot more than wearing a crown and bossing people around. The title gives us great power but also great responsibility. We must fight the darkness and stand up for what is right. We must follow God’s calling in our lives, embracing our identities in Jesus Christ. The book consists of 40 chapters, and it would serve well as a daily devotional. Each short chapter contains a short letter followed by a few relevant questions, a scriptural passage typically drawn from Psalms or Proverbs, and a practical “King Tip.”
For example, one chapter is entitled “Fear Not” and explains how it can sometimes be scary to be a king. It can be terrifying to have major responsibilities and make very difficult decisions. However, God reminds us that we do not need to fear and need to trust in His promises. This short devotional reading is followed by a few questions about what we fear and whether or not we truly trust God to deliver on his promises and a passage from Psalm 27. The “King Tip” for this chapter provides some strategies for dealing with anxiety, a topic that most readers can probably relate to.
This book combines the poetic and the practical extraordinarily well. The devotional portions are poetic and aspirational; Clarkson has a gift for making you want to be the type of king he describes. It makes you want to fight the Dragon, go on then adventure, and gather around the Round Table with your comrades. The practical portions bring those ideals back down to a basic level, encouraging the reader to set goals, manage your finances responsibly, know what to bring for a hike, or begin a basic workout regimen. Including these relatively beginner-level steps helps bridge the gap between where you are and where the devotionals encourage you to be. It is almost like taking an adventure; you know your destination, and these practical tips help provide the first step in that direction.
Another feature that I appreciated about this book is that Clarkson recognizes that not every man is identical. I personally do not love to listen to country music in my truck as I am going hunting. For some people, masculinity looks a lot like that. Some guys do not love sports, cars, or action movies. Clarkson appeals to a universal set of virtues and values rather than appealing to many of the stereotypes that have come to define masculinity. For someone like me, who does not always fit the media-created image of masculinity, it was refreshing to recognize that I still pursue masculine virtue and still recognize many of the same desires in myself despite my interests being different.
This book is primarily targeted toward young men. Parents and youth leaders would do well to gift this book to the young men in their lives. That being said, even as a 30-year-old man, this book did light a little fire in me as well. Being the men that God wants us to be is a lifelong journey, and we all can use encouragement along the way. Like Bilbo Baggins, we might need a little push out of the door every now and then. This book can certainly fulfill that capacity, no matter your age.
We live in a society where masculinity has been twisted by a combination of personal shortcomings and societal pressures. Despite that, masculinity is not a bad word. In fact, approximately 50% of the human race is explicitly designed by God to be men and embrace masculinity, so we have to wrap our heads around what masculinity means and how we ought to live our lives as men. Returning to the timeless wisdom of the Scripture, Clarkson’s book is a valuable, inspirational resource that I highly recommend.
Being a king means a lot more than wearing a crown and bossing people around. The title gives us great power but also great responsibility. We must fight the darkness and stand up for what is right. We must follow God’s calling in our lives, embracing our identities in Jesus Christ. The book consists of 40 chapters, and it would serve well as a daily devotional. Each short chapter contains a short letter followed by a few relevant questions, a scriptural passage typically drawn from Psalms or Proverbs, and a practical “King Tip.”
For example, one chapter is entitled “Fear Not” and explains how it can sometimes be scary to be a king. It can be terrifying to have major responsibilities and make very difficult decisions. However, God reminds us that we do not need to fear and need to trust in His promises. This short devotional reading is followed by a few questions about what we fear and whether or not we truly trust God to deliver on his promises and a passage from Psalm 27. The “King Tip” for this chapter provides some strategies for dealing with anxiety, a topic that most readers can probably relate to.
This book combines the poetic and the practical extraordinarily well. The devotional portions are poetic and aspirational; Clarkson has a gift for making you want to be the type of king he describes. It makes you want to fight the Dragon, go on then adventure, and gather around the Round Table with your comrades. The practical portions bring those ideals back down to a basic level, encouraging the reader to set goals, manage your finances responsibly, know what to bring for a hike, or begin a basic workout regimen. Including these relatively beginner-level steps helps bridge the gap between where you are and where the devotionals encourage you to be. It is almost like taking an adventure; you know your destination, and these practical tips help provide the first step in that direction.
Another feature that I appreciated about this book is that Clarkson recognizes that not every man is identical. I personally do not love to listen to country music in my truck as I am going hunting. For some people, masculinity looks a lot like that. Some guys do not love sports, cars, or action movies. Clarkson appeals to a universal set of virtues and values rather than appealing to many of the stereotypes that have come to define masculinity. For someone like me, who does not always fit the media-created image of masculinity, it was refreshing to recognize that I still pursue masculine virtue and still recognize many of the same desires in myself despite my interests being different.
This book is primarily targeted toward young men. Parents and youth leaders would do well to gift this book to the young men in their lives. That being said, even as a 30-year-old man, this book did light a little fire in me as well. Being the men that God wants us to be is a lifelong journey, and we all can use encouragement along the way. Like Bilbo Baggins, we might need a little push out of the door every now and then. This book can certainly fulfill that capacity, no matter your age.
We live in a society where masculinity has been twisted by a combination of personal shortcomings and societal pressures. Despite that, masculinity is not a bad word. In fact, approximately 50% of the human race is explicitly designed by God to be men and embrace masculinity, so we have to wrap our heads around what masculinity means and how we ought to live our lives as men. Returning to the timeless wisdom of the Scripture, Clarkson’s book is a valuable, inspirational resource that I highly recommend.
August 12, 2022
While this book may have been intended for mostly male readers, I feel Nathan Clarkson's book is a must-read for anyone and everyone. You can switch out King for Queen, but the point being made is we're all royalty and yet we're not living that way. Each question he poses at the end of every chapter is thought-provoking and so important for each one of us to be able to answer, even if just to ourselves.
April 10, 2024
Good devotional with lots of practical tips!
January 26, 2026
I purchased this book with intentions of sharing it with my young adult son. I skimmed through it pretty thoroughly first just out of curiosity.
I felt like the content in the essays is great! The Kings tips are times felt slightly immature - maybe because we are country folk…. Survival skills are part of the raising. Other tips however seemed geared to a more mature age level. Maybe so it could span a larger age gap?
Overall it’s good stuff!
I felt like the content in the essays is great! The Kings tips are times felt slightly immature - maybe because we are country folk…. Survival skills are part of the raising. Other tips however seemed geared to a more mature age level. Maybe so it could span a larger age gap?
Overall it’s good stuff!
September 20, 2025
I read this to see if I wanted to pass it on to my boys, and I thought it was really well done. The book was filled with wisdom, pointers, tips, and Scripture. Anyone can profit from working their way through this book.
September 1, 2024
A devotional a day keeps the doctor away? I think I’ll pick up the Bible next time.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews