Mask of Masculinity by Lewis Howes

Title: Mask of Masculinity

Author: Lewis Howes

Published: 2017

Genre: Nonfiction

Grade Level: Adult

-Movie Rating: PG-13

Audiobook

Read by: Lewis Howes

Length: 6hrs 42min

Recommend: No

Blurb (from goodreads):

In The Mask of Masculinity, Howes exposes the ultimate emptiness of the Material Mask, the man who chases wealth above all things; the cowering vulnerability that hides behind the Joker and Stoic Masks of men who never show real emotion; and the destructiveness of the Invincible and Aggressive Masks worn by men who take insane risks or can never back down from a fight. He teaches men how to break through the walls that hold them back and shows women how they can better understand the men in their lives. It's not easy, but if you want to love, be loved and live a great life, then it's an odyssey of self-discovery that all modern men must make. This book is a must-read for every man – and for every woman who loves a man.

 

My Scores:

Writing Style: Good

This type of book isn’t what I typically read, but I was inspired to read it after having a random discussion with my boyfriend. I was in the dumps and started telling him about all the disadvantages of being a woman and complaining about how life would be so much easier as a man. Instead of agreeing with me, as I thought he would, he simply told me that life wouldn’t be any better as a man, I would only face different disadvantages. He couldn’t give me satisfactory details on the matter to back up his point, but instead of dismissing him I turned to a different source for information, hence this book.

It really laid out all the basic emotional fallacies that men face in American society. A man is valued based on their level of aggression and success, which is a lot of pressure to handle. Men coup with this pressure through various measures, such as making everything into a joke, pretending they already know everything, or by pretending that nothing bothers them at all. Of course, these coping mechanisms lead to misunderstanding (or worse) between gender lines. Maybe if the topic of male expectations in American society were addressed more often, rather than only addressing the necessity of respect for women, then it would influence both genders.

Overall: Enjoyable

Overall, this was a very well laid out and well researched book. It’s not what I typically read, but I was curious about the male mentality. I wanted to gain a new perspective on things, and that’s exactly what I got. 

Goodreads Rating: 4 out of 5 stars