Notes on Being a Man

I read this because my boyfriend wanted me to (he has two teenage boys). I thought the title sounded dumb and was like, “Seriously? You want me to feel bad for men!?” He continued to urge me to read it, and I reluctantly agreed. I quickly changed my tune and found that I really enjoyed this book, taking away not only great advice for raising boys but for my own life and career. The premise is that young men in America are in crisis. They’re less likely to graduate from high school, one in seven report having no friends, and often live at home and find themselves exposed and vulnerable to a more toxic version of masculinity. This is obviously terrible for men, but also for women: we can’t flourish if men aren’t doing well, and we certainly don’t need anymore insurrectionists. As Galloway says, “as we know from spates of violence, there is nothing more dangerous than a lonely, broke young man.: He draws from lessons from his own life and the young men he mentors, passing along vulnerable life lessons, stories that are funny and poignant, and tons of great advice. I learned a lot from it and found myself really enjoying the book. I would highly recommend that everyone listen to this; men and women alike.