Book Review: The Book of Man by William J. Bennett

Excerpt: Every community, even Sodom and Gomorrah, has one individual in it who might be identified to students as worth admiring. This could be done even as students are taught to engage in the now honored practice of suspecting the motives of everyone else. I think the time taken for this exercise will be worth it. And it's possible that if we don't take the time, our children, taught as they have been to doubt, will live the consequences of not knowing what they may safely believe. The Book of Man, pg xxix.

Back Cover: What it means to be a man

Raising up men has never been easy, but today it seems particularly tough. The young and old need heroes to embody the eternal qualities of manhood: honor, duty, valor, and integrity. In The Book of Man, William J. Bennett points the way, offering a positive, encouraging, uplifting, realizable idea of manhood, redolent of history and human nature, and practical for contemporary life.

Using profiles, stories, letters, poems, essays, historical vignettes, and myths to bring his subject to life, The Book of Man defines what a man should be, how he should live, and to what he should aspire in several key areas of life: war, work, leisure, and more. "Whether we take up the sword, the plow, the ball, the gavel, our children, or our Bibles," says Bennett, "we must always do it like the men we were called to be." The Book of Man shows how.

My Review: It seems that our society is full of negative examples of what it is to be a man, or a woman. We've lost sight of the character traits and virtues that allow us to honor God in our lives. I am a new mother, and I long for my son to grow up to be a man of character. I want him to be a man after God's own heart like King David. It is the parent's responsibility to train their children in the way they should go. I believe that The Book of Man will help parents in this endeavor. Filled with examples of men, both contemporary and historical, The Book of Man gives clear meaning and a framework of what it means to be a man. My husband and I have enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading it with our son as he grows. It is a welcome addition to our library.

My Rating:

My Recommendation: I highly recommend this book to parents of boys and young men.

(I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.)