Lately I have been looking for books on what it means to be male and live a holistic and sensitive life embracing one’s male identity. I have found very little of use out there. It seems most book stores are full of tips on being a gentleman or fishing and fighting in their Male Studies section (if they even have such a section)… Recently suggested to me by friends have been the titles:
- Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood by William Pollack and Mary Pipher
- The New Male Sexuality
- The Joy of Sex
- No More Mr. Nice Guy by Robert Glover
- Fire in the Belly by Sam Keene
- Iron John by Robert Bly
- www.MarkManson.net
At a used book store I found The Prince and the King: Healing of the Father-Son Wound by Michael Gurian, we’ll see how that one turns out, it’s an interesting take on masculinity at least…
I have been questing for these resources because of the relationship I am in with a cis-gendered male who has grown up with little support of his sensitive side, and has had little interest in the macho representation of masculinity he’s found pervasive in his communities. I think it is important for people to be able to solidly understand cultural context for identity – both born and chosen – enough to build a strong personal point of view about the various components of who one is. Without understanding context for “the rule”, it is hard to break from it, hard to critique it, and hard to embrace our innate personal differences in confident and healthy ways.
Let me know if you have any books, articles, or resources to add to the list. I’d love more input and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject too.
To Breath and Being,
~ Karin
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~Thank you.
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