Masculinity Amidst Madness

An absolute shiv of a book. Landry tears down false paradigms and cuts through the lotus-eater lies of our societies conception of manhood (or more accurately the lack of a conception of manhood).This is not a self improvement book, although there is plenty to learn and emulate. It’s categorized as “philosophy” but like BAP, it’s better understood as exhortation.There’s a lot of the old “fire and brimstone” sermon to this book. It is a retelling, a reminding of things we have forgotten, and things we must remember. Must read for all those men looking to chart a way forward in this “madness” we find ourselves in.

Book cover is actually even more attractive in person than what you see on your screen, believe it or not. You’ll notice the imagery on the front cover is even mildly hypnotic. If you hold the book directly in front of your face it feels ever so slightly entrancing. Whether the color schema or the contrast of yellow atop black or perhaps the ‘face sans facial features’, together all work to create a very low state of hypnotic trance and promote contemplation in between finishing a chapter or two (also I was listening to vaporwave and classical while reading the book which may have contributed to this effect.)I’ve read Ryan Landry since he was writing regularly on his old blog in the previous decade (gosh that was so long ago at this point, crazy to think about) and knew ahead of time I would purchase his book in paperback if only to show him support. There are many ways to approach writing about the preset era of ‘clown world’ and the ailments that naturally sprout from a population subjected to em kay- ultra mental domination and neo-globalist enweakening of Western people, and for Ryan’s contribution in book format he takes up the topic of masculinity and describes particular issues that plague the male population today and what causes a man today to emerge into adulthood not ‘fully realized’.There’s a recurring pattern in the book of depicting a particular failure area of masculine identity over a few ‘build-up’ paragraphs, and then punctuating that block of writing with a sort of explanatory opinion (at least this is the pattern my brain detected). It creates a nice mental flow if the book is read in a short span of time, like ‘yeah, I notice this problem too’ and then ‘ah, that’s a salient point to the previous writing.’My take-aways off the dome...-the protection of your loved ones must come from your own mental determination and physical will, for the hard times are here, and possibly worse lay ahead, when third-party elements will not safeguard your kith and kin (nor do they even bother to protect you in some areas of the country)-retain your essence and do not give in to these energy-absorbing and time-wasting succubi, for the end of thottery is nigh and capable men will be sought after to handle and fix problems-those famous surnames of Europe, or anywhere else on Earth, emerged from the will of men with certain common and agreed upon ideas about life and what they imagined their own kin – immediate kin or broader extended family – would continue to cherish and build upon after they had grown old and handed over the reigns-the bitter pill: most societal ills stem from spineless men, or a particular spineless man somewhere in the family line, with no personal capacity to execute difficult decisions for his family; either you provide correction or the trend will continue (in theory). Woman cannot fill the role of patriarch.-standing apart from the dregs of society as a moral beacon is going to become more and more attractive and honorable as people find themselves less hopeful about the future of AmericaMany quotable bits throughout, altogether good lines that jump out and occasionally bear remembering. Just a few:- “The trip becomes a file they tuck away mentally to be pulled out and shown to others.” (in reference to commodity spiritualism prevalent among SWPLs)- “They do not wish you to form your own hierarchy with values that would clash with theirs. They do not want leaders to arise that they have not educated and nurtured. They do not want homogeneous groups of men...” (in reference to mannerbund formation)- “The matriarchal, multicultural society around you relies on heavily armed men and the world’s largest police and prison state just to cling to power.”And more! By no means a panacea, this volume is a reminder and summary of what men must do to have any lasting mark on Earth. I enjoyed reading the book in a few sittings and doing so reminded me that indeed I should start setting aside more time to read, I’ve done myself a disservice in this area.

I mean, I know I should work out and eat right. Everything in this book is completely basic. Nothing inspiring apart from BAP's intro. It's becoming clear that so many people are writing books like this about lifestyle because they have no unique knowledge, and can only offer an opinion on basic lifestyle choices.

Wow, best book I've read by far this year. I wish I had it thirty years ago when I was young. Great book for boys 15-20, maybe even ones being raised by single moms.This book is well laid out. It covers history, education, physical fitness, interpersonal relations, and raising a family. All from a position of strength, not weakness. It is a guide of sorts even though the author says its not. It is done as a journey savored and hard won on a deeper level, earned through putting in the work. Not as so many things today which are nothing deeper than a selfie photo op.This book shows how it is the things we earn, not the things we purchase which become part of our personal legacy, and that of our families. I had planned on giving this to my son, it is so well done, however I am keeping my copy and buying him his own.From the book, paraphrased. 'Do not sleep walk through this life. You are descended from a man who set off into the unknown to build a new life. His blood courses through your blood.'Also, 'A man who seeks physical strength in these uncertain times, is a man rebelling against the false narrative that encourages hedonism and avoidance of pain above all else. A strong man is a threat, he is independent and has the ability to take care of his own concerns.'And this gem, 'A man who prays humbles himself, he knows there are things beyond his control. There is a sphere of control and a sphere of influence in this world. Outside that, God tends.This book is so full of actionable wisdom, all explained through the lens of a stoic man. The kind that ran the world back when it was a better place.

If you want a long-form, no-electricity-needed, shelvable version of /sig, look no further. If you happen to be one of the lucky few in recent generations to come from an intact, stable, god-fearing family, this book will give you nothing new. But for all those young men out there in need of honest and straightforward male guidance, the kind of knowledge men used to whisper to you around a campfire after being initiated into the tribe as a fully-fledged member -- this book is for you.

This book struck a chord that has deeply resonated with me as a man. Opened my eyes to some things, and shed light on things I must chisel away from myself. It has become my #1 book on the vocation of being a man. Thank you, Ryan Landry.

To be one with who you are, you have to be honest with yourself, your potentials, and your desires.Being a human has never been easy, especially as we have become more and more civilized. Landry does an excellent job of breaking down behaviors and characteristics that have been classically associated with masculinity, and explaining why it is important we engage with this traits once more.Simply put, this book is about being a gentleman, a scholar, and also an absolute monster when necessary.

This isn't solely about masculinity, but it's a broader scope exhortation to learn and live by timeless truths, not to be sucked into the capricious values of the modern world. Definitely thought provoking.

This is the best edited book I have ever read.There wasn't a single sentence that made me feel like I was wasting my time. Not a useless line of text. Almost every paragraph was quotable, written in an aphoristic-like fashion that would have made Oscar Wilde blush with jealousy. I usually underline the best passages, those written in a timeless, almost poetic manner, but I ended up underlining so much that I just gave up and took a mental note to just re-read it whenever I forgot the lesson. Although it's not a lesson, or checklist of tasks or a guide, but a beacon of light, a torch, a mentor in book format and a call to action.I could recall many good bits, but one that stood out was the criticism to stoicism. It was bold, reasonable and completely unexpected.10/10 - Mandatory

This book strike me, the reader, as an honest book. Yet, it’s a book a diminished expectations. In contrast to the pirate-kings of the Bronze Age Mindset, a few pull-ups and a morning run seem to put you on the top 1% of masculinity (I’m paraphrasing slightly, yes, but only slightly). The fear is that ... it’s perhaps all we can expect nowadays.

This is an essential read for today's young men. A brief read and enjoyable, full of insight, and un-pretentious. This book was worth every penny.

The author brings up ideas and concepts that should have never fallen out of our normal everyday lives.