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Published Sep 2020
304 pages
Genre: Biography/Memoir
Publication Information
A poignant look at boyhood, in the form of a heartfelt letter from comedian Michael Ian Black to his teenage son before he leaves for college, and a radical plea for rethinking masculinity and teaching young men to give and receive love.
In this thoughtful, inspiring, and deeply personal book, comedian, actor, and father Michael Ian Black gets (mostly) serious about the trouble with masculinity. In the form of a heartfelt letter to his college-bound son—but with ideas sure to resonate for many parents—he reveals his own complicated relationship with his father, explores the damage caused by the expectations placed on boys to "man up," and searches for the best way to help his son be part of the solution, not the problem, in a world in which the word "masculinity" now goes hand in hand with "toxic."
Part memoir, part advice book, Black delivers a poignant answer to an urgent question: How can we be, and raise, better men? A Better Man is for parents, yes, but it is also for anyone looking for a path forward as we navigate the complex gender issues of our time.
"There's something for everyone in these pages. Hand this to anyone who loved David Sedaris's Calypso." - Booklist (starred review)
"Black's advice and counsel...based on his own desire to be "a better man," is never maudlin but worldly and self-effacing...Parents will be moved and enlightened by Black's thoughtful advice." - Publishers Weekly
"Black lays out his thoughts and feelings with few defenses up and a comic lightness that doesn't belie the book's rather heavy truths...the narrative offers thoughtful ruminations on masculinity in the modern age...Whether you're a parent or simply thinking about life choices, there's both melancholy and wisdom to be found here." - Kirkus Reviews
"Both thoughtful and lighthearted, this work will appeal to anyone interested in masculinity and modern gender roles." - Library Journal
"Obviously, Michael Ian Black can be funny, but who knew he could write something so raw, intimate, and true? A Better Man cracked me wide open, and it's a template for the conversation we need to be having with our boys. So, if you have a son, are a son, or know anyone who has ever been a son, just...please, read this book." - Peggy Orenstein, bestselling author of Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, and Navigating the New Masculinity
"I think about the subject matter of Michael Ian Black's new book all the time. As a parent of both boys and girls, I find myself rebuffing the gender-based cultural assumptions that are foisted on them more frequently than I could have ever imagined. Thank you Michael Ian Black for challenging society's antiquated approach to raising boys, and deepening the conversation about what we actually want for our kids. Sir, you are a good egg." - Samantha Bee, host of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
"Gorgeous, authentic, and deeply thoughtful. This book is the perfect gift for a generation of men and boys desperate for guidance but raised to be afraid to ask for it. The way Michael Ian Black models vulnerability and writes about his own pain gives permission to every man across America to do it too. Michael's voice is necessary now more than ever, to offer men a different path, where they can be curious about their own gender and mount their own revolution for better definition of masculinity. I'm so glad this book exists." - Liz Plank, author of For the Love of Men: A New Vision for Mindful Masculinity
This information about A Better Man was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Michael Ian Black is an actor, comedian, and writer who started his career with the sketch comedy show The State, on MTV, and has created and starred in many other television shows. Movie appearances include Wet Hot American Summer, The Baxter, and Sextuplets. Black is the author of several books for children, including the award-winning I'm Bored, I'm Sad, and I'm Worried, and the parody A Child's First Book of Trump. His books for adults include the memoirs You're Not Doing It Right and Navel Gazing, and the essay collection My Custom Van. Black also co-authored with Meghan McCain America, You Sexy Bitch. As a stand-up comedian, Michael regularly tours the country, and he has released several comedy albums. His podcasts include Mike & Tom Eat Snacks, with Tom Cavanagh; Topics, with Michael Showalter; How to Be Amazing; and Obscure.
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