The Dude's Guide to Manhood by Darrin Patrick

     
      When you think of books to guide you, you may have thoughts about road maps to a destination. When you think of books that describe what you're supposed to look like, the first thought that comes to mind may be in the realm of dress and fashion. But when someone challenges us with what's a man supposed to look like, or how do we arrive at true manhood, we might be a little baffled as to where we can find guidance on this subject. And, although certainly not definitive on the topic or intended to be, Pastor Darrin Patrick's book 'The Dude's Guide to Manhood' offers some insight into the areas that define manhood and what a man should strive to be like in his life.
      Darrin Patrick is the founder and Pastor of 'The Journey' in St Louis, Missouri. He has served as the Chaplain of the St. Louis Cardinals and has written a couple of previous books. His church has been described by some as a place where dudes feel like they can be dudes. His newest book on manhood ties several personal stories from his own life and church into the fabric of his writing. So, he lists not only the principles he believes are important but the illustrations that put the material on a practical level.
      The chapters include discussions on things such as, becoming a disciplined man, becoming a working mam, becoming a family man and others. Collectively it covers the major areas that encompass all of our lives. I must admit, I was a little bit disappointed with this work at first. Darrin is a solid Bible teacher, and the Acts 29 Network, of which he is the Vice President, is a very strong Bible based network, but I didn't find this book as strong on the Bible as I would have liked. He does address the person he feels is the example of a perfect man and role model, Jesus Christ, at the very end. But I felt he could have supported his main subjects a little better.
       Still, this was a good book, which I received free as part of the book review program for bloggers at www.booksneeze.com and the views expressed are my own. I hope that whether you are a man or a woman that you will grow in your understanding of what a man is supposed to be like. And I hope that 'The Dude's Guide to Manhood' aids you in the process.

Mansfield's Book of Manly Men by Stephen Mansfield

    I had never read any of Stephen Mansfield's previous works before I was given a copy of Mansfield's Book of Manly Men. The author has written several popular books, primarily in the history and contemporary culture categories. His latest contribution to those fields contains a variety of history lessons from the lives of great men, whose characteristics well apply to those in our current cultural era.
    Though the book is unashamedly addressing men, the lessons contained in it's pages will be valuable to women readers also. He begins the first few chapters discussing each of Maxim's Four Manly Maxims. These are the foundations that underly the rest of the book. He then begins to discuss the character traits which he believes exemplify manliness. Each chapter discusses one topic, reviews the life of a person in history which illustrates the subject, contains questions to ask ourselves and most often recites a poem connected to the issue.
    First, I do believe the book is worth reading as every topic is valuable and the history lessons alone are great to read. However, I do not believe that the author always used the best examples from history to illustrate his points. He also does not offer a reason why these particular traits define manhood and could have easily picked 100 other topics.
   I do encourage men and women alike to learn these lessons, as the character traits are timeless and apply to each gender. I received this book for free from the book program for bloggers at www.booksneeze.com and the views expressed are my own. I hope that our lives can exemplify the character found in the stories of many n this book, that history may remember us for having an impact in the lives of others.