What does it mean to be a good man? It’s a question that philosophers and everyday folk have argued about since written history began. Reading is one of the best ways to learn and uncover lessons from history’s greatest minds.
Like everything else in this world, men come in different shapes and sizes. They walk different roads, have different perspectives and experiences, and understand different lessons in the course of their lives.
Books For Men
There are many thought-provoking books out there that have helped countless men find their place in this world. Most of them explore questions about life, masculinity, and society. Check some of these books below!
1. The Odyssey by Homer
After 10 years, the Trojan War is finally at an end and it is time for the Greeks to come home. But Odysseus, king of Ithaca, angers Poseidon and is forced to wander the seas for another 10 years.
An epic poem that has stood the weathering of years, The Odyssey contains many themes of human nature. From pride and vengeance to fate and free will, these are all things that men regularly contend with in their lives.
2. The Catcher in The Rye by J. D. Salinger
Sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from school and lost a fight. Intent on finding his own way, he explores New York and rages against those he considers “phony” people.
A story of teenage angst, the protagonists represent much of what adolescents experience. Whether it’s searching for their identity or the place they belong, this book provides insights into a major process that people experience.
3. The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
Betty Friedan is credited to have sparked the second wave of feminism in America through this book. But why is a book about feminism included in a list of books for men?
There’s a lot of confusion about what feminism is. A lot of people misguidedly label it as being anti-male, and many people still think that men can’t be feminists. Though some of its contents may be dated, this book serves as an eye-opener for any man wanting to learn more about the movement.
4. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk
Whether you know of it as a novel or movie, Fight Club is a piece of fiction that can mess with your head. In most cases, people view it as an indulgence of anarchy, male rage, and masculinity.—which it is not.
It’s a satire of masculinity and consumer culture. Maybe society’s views on what a man is shouldn’t just be caricatures of well-dressed, muscle-bound, and hard-hitting bros. And that maybe these current views actually emasculate them.
5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The world is dead and anyone who survived the initial destruction now lives a life of danger and hardship. A man and his son trek across a post-apocalyptic America in hopes of finding a safe place to live.
It’s one of the most memorable stories of fatherly love. Whether you’re a man interested in starting a family, or someone who’s merely curious about what it’s like being a father, then this book is for you.
6. The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Calvin is an adventurous six-year-old living in suburban United States. His trusty sidekick, a living stuffed toy named Hobbes, accompanies him in his many escapades.
Bill Waterson captures much of what every man’s boyhood is—a series of imaginative adventures. It provides you with a healthy dose of nostalgia regardless of whether or not you grew up like Calvin. And while it’s been published some time ago, its contents are still extremely relevant.
7. World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever
From hidden places to the usual spots, Anthony Bourdain has traveled much of the world and eaten many of its culinary delights. Inside this book is his lifetime’s worth of travel and food experience laid out for you to take, from how to get to his favorite places, what to eat, and where to stay.
Supplementing his words are essays by his friends, family, and co-workers about their experiences with the man who has made them want to travel the world, be it halfway across the globe or just a short distance away.
8. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
In your youth, there must have been someone that you considered a mentor. Someone older—maybe a grandparent or teacher—who contributed much to who you are now.
To Mitch Albom, that person was his former professor from nearly 20 years ago. A chance phone call prompts him to reconnect with his dying professor, who, in his last days, teaches Mitch the ultimate lessons in life.
9. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Robinson Crusoe finds himself the only survivor of a shipwreck. Washed away on an uninhabited island, he must survive on his own with barely any supplies until he finds salvation.
It’s a classic tale of winning against the odds. Crusoe’s ingenuity, determination, and power of will serves as an inspiration for men and the challenges they encounter in life.
10. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
Humbert Humbert is a middle-aged literature professor with a secret. He’s obsessed with his landlady’s 12-year-old daughter and so marries the mother to get closer. Everything turns increasingly darker after that.
Rather than being an inspirational book, this is meant more as an example of what you shouldn’t be. Humbert is manipulative, desperate, and willing to cross whatever line he needs to cross in order to get what he wants.
11. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
The Prince is a 16th-century political treatise that continues to inspire and horrify society even to this day. It’s the world’s most popular plan of taking and holding on to power, never shying away from unethical and immoral tactics.
Some people consider it a straightforward read about conquest. But others see it as a satirical take on the subject. Any man who is driven to climb the heights of any organization will do well to read this book. It’s a study of how brutal the journey is and whether the cost is worth getting to the top.
12. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant form an unlikely friendship.Universal themes of betrayal and redemption, war and peace, family and friendship are explored within the novel.
All is set against the backdrop of an Afghanistan currently experiencing great destruction and change, from the fall of a monarchy to the rise of the Taliban.
What Kind of Books Do Men Read?
Men don’t only read action, adventure, and thrillers. Sometimes people think men don’t even like books, much less read.
But they do read, and their reading habits are more varied than popular opinion gives them credit for. And while they do gravitate more towards what’s considered masculine topics, men read whatever they want.
There’s no rule about sticking only to one particular area. Like everyone else, men base their interest of a book on their own personal experiences and interests.
What book do you recommend a man should read? Share it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 12 Funny Books for Women: Riotously Relatable Fiction and Nonfiction
- 10 Books for People Who Don’t Like to Read
- 11 Life-Changing Books for Mental Health
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
