The Dude's Guide to Manhood: Finding True Manliness in a World of Counterfeits

Tired of all the anti-male propaganda out there? I know, as a man, I was brought up in a world where a man had to be super macho and today manhood is being crushed to feminism. Being macho was the thing to try to do, but when it came down to it I realized that a lot of us “men” are actually quite confused. Some guys think they have to be drunk, smart, having sex, fighting, or funny to be a man. Far too often we forget what it truly means to be man. In A Dude’s Guide to Manhood, Darrin Patrick shows us “dudes” what it truly means to be a man. It is an excellent work!This book was fantastic. I love so many different things about it that I started a Manhood small group soon after I started reading it. The book is broken up into 12 different chapters showing us dudes how to be a man. The first chapter was about determination. As men we need to be determined about what we do. “Let our yes be yes and our no be no.” We can’t forget about our responsibilities and commitments. Besides the actual content, which was great, Patrick inserts little drills for us to do while reading and it allows us to take what we are learning into the real world. I think this was awesome. Very rarely do you have a book this practical. I am not one of the guys who raved over Wild at Heart because I thought it just told you to get on a horse, hunt, read your bible and then you were a man. Patrick hits a home run by showing all of us stubborn guys what it actually means to be that man.Not all men like riding horses and hunting, which is OK. As we read Dude’s Guide we see that it’s about the character of man that makes him a man, not the individual actions that he participates in.

I have never been much of a reader. Seriously, I would MAYBE read one book a year and it would take me all year to read that one book. So when my friend told me about this book, I was skeptical (as I am with all book recommendations because, let's face it, I probably would read the first two chapters and then never pick it up again). But this one intrigued me because, first of all, who can resist a title that starts with "Dude's Guide" and then has a big beard on the cover? So I figured it would probably be entertaining at best and I might get a nugget or two out of it. Negative, Ghost Rider. I highlighted the life out of this book. Darrin Patrick struck me between the eyes more that I would care to admit. It was exactly what I needed to hear; it was an encouragement and a kick in the butt all at the same time. One of my favorite things that Darrin wrote is: "Gain some skills. Learn to cook rather than eating out. Develop a love of reading. Learn a foreign language or two, so that when you do all your traveling, you are able to say a bit more than 'hello.' Take up a musical instrument, and not simply because you have visions of rock stardom but because playing music is fun. Try a new sport. Stop being so boring." The whole book is full of these nuggets, and it kept me reading. And the craziest thing is that I actually read it from cover to cover, and that, in and of itself, is a miracle. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any guy, from single to married, or high school fellas to retired men. We all have room to grow and we can always learn more, especially when it comes to being a man.

"The Dude's Guide to Manhood" was not exactly what I expected it to be. Knowing that Darrin is a pastor and having heard him speak before, I expected an updated, perhaps more humorous challenge to men in the same vein as "Disciplines of a Godly Man". It is not, but that doesn't make it bad.After reading a couple of chapters, it occurred to me that I didn't exactly fit into what I am guessing is the target audience for this book. Any guy can read this, but if you're looking for a meatier read with more connection to Scripture, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a book that is a bit more practical in nature and is based on principles of Scripture without always making the direct connection, then you will enjoy this read. It's practical and direct and doesn't avoid uncomfortable topics.This book is good for guys who are new believers or who are perhaps just reading their first book on the topic of biblical manhood.

There are so many books written by Christian authors that provide little information about being a man in today's world. They usually talk about Jesus throughout the entire book without mentioning much about how that helps us become better men. They also usually talk about how much camping and hiking are essential to biblical manhood. None of that information is helpful or practical. This is the first book I've ever read that has provided practical information in an easy to read format that is not filled with prose and garbage about how our inner-manhood just needs to see some mountains before it can be unleashed. This book tells you all of the simple truths that are not spoken in today's society or taught in churches. This is not a step-by-step guide on how to become a better man: it's simply an encyclopedia on all of the traits that biblical men need to possess to reach their God-given potential. I could not more highly recommend this book.

There are things in this life we cannot control. As men, we hate to admit this fact of life. Darrin does an amazing job of bringing this to life in such a manner that I felt like we were in an accountability group going below the surface. The world does a tremendous job of isolating us and leading us to believe the problems we face are unique to us, this could not be farther from the truth. It reads easy and it's worth your time.For the record, I don't write reviews, but felt compelled to share.

The book was a ton of advice and prescription of what masculinity lacks in today's American Christianity . However, the author only pointed to Christ towards the end of the book. I wish he reminded the reader and connected manhood with The MAN Jesus Christ more often throughout the book rather than just at the end .