"Mansfield's Book of Manly Men" by Stephen Mansfield. A Review
In some ways, it was a fun book. with all of the stories and simplicity. In other ways, it was a thought-provoking volume. Mansfield addresses manhood from a mostly biblical perspective. Why? As he states, "Manhood is suffering today. Men seem to be confused about what God wants them to be and about how to live out their manly calling" (xv). If that was the case in 2013 when he wrote the book, it is clearly more so today. I expected it to slide into chest-thumping bravado and Archie Bunker style braggadocio. But instead, the author has a better concept of manliness. The book feels like it's dipping its toes in the weird waters of self-centered mansplaining and chauvinism when it comes to chapters like "Quest" or "Wildness" or when it talks about belonging to the tribe of men. But the overwhelming direction of the book maps out ways of manhood that take wholesome masculinity into the realm of service, protection, forgiveness, humility, friendship, an...