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Moral Man and Immoral Society is Reinhold Niebuhr's important early study in ethics and politics. Forthright and realistic, it discusses the inevitability of social conflict, the brutal behavior of human collectives of every sort, the inability of rationalists and social scientists to even imagine the realities of collective power, and, ultimately, how individual morality can overcome social immorality.

Customer Reviews (10)

The Foundations of Ethics
A law student friend of mine once asked, around 1973, whether I believed in a right to privacy; I somewhat uncooperatively replied that I believed in struggle.

I've looked back on that conversation many times, with some regret that I had not given an answer more useful in a legal context.Of course I believed that people ought to have a right to privacy.

I can see now how the question arises.Authoritarian forces currently claim that the Bill of Rights, which popular opinion tacked onto the Founders' Constitution, comprehends all the rights the Founders ever intended.The Founders, however, expressly avoided including an itemization of rights in their Constitution, precisely to avoid giving future Scalias a pretext to claim that the list is exclusive.The Founders were convinced that rights could only be properly identified in any given situation through the interplay of institutions that individually had enough power to check each other.

So perhaps my answer about struggle, which had been formed by experience in confronting the war in Vietnam, actually mirrored the Founders' own mentality.To the extent that the Founders' intent is relevant to legal argument, my reply may not have been so extra-legal after all.

Reinhold Niebuhr's famous book on "Immoral Society" is also written to argue that justice and ethics in public affairs cannot depend only on rational instruments like law codes but rather must depend in part on deployment of political power: the "realist" position.While rationalism can advance society a certain distance, primarily through education, the ethical ideal for society as seen by the individual is not seen the same way by society and its institutions.Bridging the distance between society's usual performance and the ideals of the ethical individual is what realistically requires the application of power to balance the coercion practiced by society's dominant forces.

Niebuhr's lengthy argument is eloquent, learned, and credible in the sense that he criticizes the rationalists among whom he, as an academic philosopher, would ordinarily be found.Where he says (on page xxviii of the Introduction) that "Most of the social scientists are such unqualified rationalists that they seem to imagine that men of power will immediately check their exactions and pretensions in society, as soon as they have been apprised by the social scientists that their actions and attitudes are anti-social," he catches exactly the naïveté of the economic profession as I have known it.

His logic in establishing the ethical state of individuals, and then the ethical state of societies, is very careful.The ethical sense in an individual is described as partly innate and partly rational -- an effort of the individual's mind.Society, however, is only partly formed by ethical action and cannot survive without coercion by a dominant group.

In the chapter on "The Morality of Nations," we read (pages 88-89): "In other words the nation is a corporate entity, held together much more by force and emotion, than by mind.Since there can be no ethical action without self-criticism, and no self-criticism without the rational capacity of self-transcendence, it is natural that national attitudes can hardly approximate the ethical.Even those tendencies toward self-criticism in a nation which do express themselves are usually thwarted by the governing classes and by a certain instinct for unity in society itself.For self-criticism is a kind of inner disunity, which the feeble mind of a nation finds difficulty in distinguishing from dangerous forms of inner conflict.So nations crucify their moral rebels with their criminals upon the same Golgotha, not able to distinguish between the moral idealism which surpasses, and the anti-social conduct which falls below that moral mediocrity, on the level of which every society unifies its life."

Niebuhr anticipates the potential impact of the authoritarian personality on national culture (page 91): "The paradox is that patriotism transmutes individual unselfishness into national egoism.Loyalty to the nation is a high form of altruism when compared to lesser loyalties and more parochial interests....The unqualified nature of this devotion is the very basis of the nation's power and of the freedom to use the power without moral restraint.Thus the unselfishness of individuals makes for the selfishness of nations."

After a long discussion of communism and European socialism, Niebuhr returns in the book's last chapters to the basics of ethical social action, bringing the perspective that "A rational society will probably place a greater emphasis upon the ends and purposes for which coercion is used than upon the elimination of coercion and conflict" and that "It is important to insist, first of all, that equality is a higher social goal than peace" (pages 234-5).

He considers how non-violence may be a morally effective social policy, largely endorsing it while insisting that it contains some elements of coercion that as a practical matter have some of the same results as violence.However: "The fact is that love, disinterestedness and benevolence do have a strong social and utilitarian value, and the place they hold in the hierarchy of virtues is really established by that value, though religion may view them finally from an inner or transcendent perspective" (page 265).

Jimmy Carter is well known to acknowledge Niebuhr's influence, but it is striking on reading "Immoral Society" the extent to which Carter has succeeded in sticking to the letter of Niebuhr's precepts.Niebuhr lays out Carter's approach to dispute settlement on page 248: "In every social conflict each party is so obsessed with the wrongs which the other party commits against it, that it is unable to see its own wrongdoing.A non-violent temper reduces these animosities to a minimum and therefore preserves a certain objectivity in analysing the issues of the dispute. ... One of the most important results of a spiritual discipline against resentment in a social dispute is that it leads to an effort to discriminate between the evils of a social system and situations and the individuals who are involved in it.Individuals are never as immoral as the social situations in which they are involved and which they symbolize."

The author closes, in 1932, with an historical summary that has not lost its power: "Our age is, for good or ill, immersed in the social problem.A technological civilisation makes stability impossible. ... But the tendencies of an industrial era are in a definite direction.They tend to aggravate the injustices from which men have perennially suffered; and they tend to unite the whole of humanity in a system of economic interdependence.They make us more conscious of the relations of human communities to each other, than of the relations of individuals within their communities.They obsess us therefore with the brutal aspects of man's collective behavior.They, furthermore, cumulate the evil consequences of these brutalities so rapidly that we feel under a tremendous urgency to solve our social problem before it is too late.As a generation we are therefore bound to feel harassed as well as disillusioned.... Yet there is beauty in our tragedy.We are, at least, rid of some of our illusions.We can no longer buy the highest satisfactions of the individual life at the expense of social injustice."

More Important now than it was in 1932
Why, you ask?

The motivations of mankind with respect to all things related to social justice were much more evident in the old days. Today we live in an era where everything is masked with clever statements and comments to give aid to those who argue for one policy or another.Through reading the book Niebuhr points out their, at times, clever statements.So what I'm trying to say is that it is much harder to perceive a man's true motivations in an era where 58% or all real GDP growth has gone to the top 1% since 1978.By reading Niebuhr you can be sure of all of the lies and propaganda that frequently encounter every day in this media age.Niebuhr himself was interested in social justice, as am I.So when I talk about the lies and propaganda, I'm specifically referring to the group of people who like to continue business as usual...if you frequently follow politics, you know that I'm obviously referring to most republicans and a few democrats.So much have the rich given falsehoods in this era that working class whites actually side with them and their money over their own interests.It's mind boggling how much they have succeeded in doing this(now more than ever), even after a financial crisis of immense proportions.Where is the outrage?Where are the calls for a more just and equitable society?

With that said, this book deserves 100 stars.It's by far the best book I have ever read, and most likely the best book I will have ever read.If you are reading this and haven't even considered buying the book, BUY IT.You will regret, 50 years later, not having heeded this advice after finally deciding to read it.If you want to know the true motivations of man and why social justice does not at all exist in this country, then read his book.With that said, this review does not AT ALL do justice to what he wrote.

Niebuhr's Classic on Politics and Inequality
This is one of Niebuhr's best books, and thank goodness it is still available.Niebuhr's Christian Realist thought seeks ways to try to pursue the high ethics of the Gospel realistically, knowing the flawed and sinful nature of our political lives, where entrenched interests and institutional powers limit our capacity to realize love and justice on earth.Some people love Niebuhr, others can do without him.I believe he has some essential insights on politics, economics, inequality, and the Christian religion.Niebuhr wanted a more just and equitable society.He experimented with socialist thought, and found it wanting.But he also saw a savage, heartless hole in the unfettered mechanisms of free-market capitalism, and wanted to steer between the extremes; the "Scylla and Charybdis" of socialism and laissez-faire capitalism.An excellent read, which I highly recommend.

Moral Man & Immoral Society is a Timely Read

I must confess that it took me 75 years to finally get around to reading Reinhold Niebuhr's now classic work on human behavior, "Moral Man and Immoral Society."Written during the Great Depression in 1932, it turned out to be a very timely read in 2008.

During his lifetime, Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) was perhaps the best-known Christian theologian in America.In 1915, he became minister of Bethel Evangelical Church in Detroit.From then until 1928, he personally witnessed the hardships of auto workers.This exposure made Niebuhr very critical of capitalism.In 1928, he began a long career with Union Theological Seminary in New York, serving first as professor of Christian ethics (1928-1960) and then Dean (1950-1960).

Niebuhr thought of himself as a preacher and social activist, but his theological writings on social ethics made him an important intellectual figure nationally.An early advocate of socialism, he eventually supported FDR's New Deal because he thought it was more just and more realistic than either Marxism or laissez-faire capitalism.A prolific writer and a popular, engaging lecturer, Niebuhr's influence was felt by Martin Luther King, policy makers in John Kennedy's administration, and even a young Barack Obama.In 1964, Niebuhr was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

An outspoken progressive and reformer from the beginning, Niebuhr was also a keen observer of human behavior.Niebuhr was critical of the pacifism that permeated the social programs of mainstream liberal Protestantism (the "Social Gospel") that sought to correct political and social injustices mainly through appeals to "reason."Niebuhr did not believe "reason" worked.In "Moral Man and Immoral Society," Niebuhr makes the case that man is basically selfish and that those who have power do not listen to "reason" - that they will never surrender power if it is not in their own self-interest.He wrote, "reason is always the servant of [self-] interest in a social situation."Niebuhr insists that "power" (e.g., armies, laws, trade unions, etc.) is the only method that can affect change and correct injustice in settling the competing claims of nations, races, and social classes.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Niebuhr may seem to be out of fashion.This is unfortunate because his writings and observations about human nature are still as relevant today as they were in 1932.

Consider these passages, for example:

"No personal whim, which a human being might indulge, is excluded from the motives, which have prompted [rulers] to shed the blood of their unhappy subjects.Pride, jealousy, disappointed love, hurt vanity, greed for greater treasures, lust for power over larger dominions, petty animosities between royal brothers or between father and son, momentary passions and childish whims, these all have been, not the occasional but the perennially recurring, causes and occasions of international conflict.The growing intelligence of mankind and the increased responsibility of [rulers] to their people have placed a check upon the caprice, but not upon the self-interest, of men of power.They may still engage in social conflict for the satisfaction of their pride and vanity provided they can compound their personal ambitions with, and hallow them by, the ambitions of their group, and the pitiful vanities and passions of the individuals who compose the group."

Of Napoleon, Niebuhr wrote, "He could bathe Europe in blood for the sake of gratifying his overweening lust for power, as long as he could pose as the tool of...patriotism and as the instrument of revolutionary fervor.The fact that the democratic sentiment, opposed to the traditional absolutisms of Europe, could be exploited to create a tyranny more [bloody] and terrible than those which it sought ostensibly to destroy...is a tragic revelation of the inadequacies of the human [mental capacities] with which men must try to solve the problems of their social life."

Of Teddy Roosevelt (and the Spanish-American War) Niebuhr wrote, "The ambition and vanity which prompted him could be veiled and exalted because the will-to-power of an adolescent nation and the frustrated impulses of pugnacity and martial ardor of the...`men in the street' could find in him symbolic expression and vicarious satisfaction."

Clearly these passages have great relevancy as we examine the question of how the United States got involved in an unprovoked and unnecessary war in Iraq - a war that has cost us more than 4,000 American young men and women, and uncounted numbers of Iraqi citizens.Using words attributed to Plutarch, Niebuhr wrote, "The poor folk go to war, to fight and die for the delights, riches and [luxuries] of others."

Perhaps more readers may want to consider picking up a copy of "Moral Man and Immoral Society" to understand its relevancy and its insights on human nature and the uses and abuses of power.

Floyd Johnson
Peoria, Arizona

A Must-Read
Absolutely tremendous book.For anyone interested in politics, philosophy, theology, or ethics, I cannot recommend this book enough. ... Read more

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An important theologian and social critic argues for the involvement of the Church in social reforms. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

a white man's view of lakota medicine
Tom Lewis spent ~ 10 years at Pine Ridge, working as a psychiatrist in the local hospital.During that time he had the opportunity to interact with many prominent Lakota healers, including Frank Fools Crow, the most eminent of them all at that time. In this book he presents us with a sympathetic account of his encounters with yuwipi men, Eagle ceremony leaders, herbalists and other medicine people; he also includes interviews withwhite and Indian informers and his own observations of the life on the rez.He tries to be nice, but many details are quite scathing; the books describes graphically the Lakota disregard for their own environment, health and traditions; the drunken brawls, the dysfunctional family life, the distrust of the white man.The high rate of medical problems among the Oglala is associated with poverty, education difficulties, family disorganization, a disintegrating culture, the absence of an economic base, and pervasive difficulties with role, status and motivation.

The weakest point of the book is that Lewis never bothered to actually learn about Lakota healing; the book is written from a Westerner's "rational" perspective, taking no account of the reality of the indigenous view of the world and its mysteries. "Why", asks Lewis, do these people "rely on the imagery of the unreal, the mysteries of mythological formations, the magical techniques"? His answer is that the modern Lakota healer acts basically as a psychotherapist, reassuring his clients and weaving them back into the web of mutual social obligations.In my opinion, and experience, Lewis'contrast between the "magical thought" of the healers he encountered and the "scientific thought" he ascribes to himself look nowadays a bit naive and passe.They certainly do not reflect modern anthropology or psychiatry. Rather, they represent a white amateur's view of the fascinating world where people are still connected to nature and its whispers, where ancestors and spirits still have a stake in our survival, where conversation and listening become one and the same.

Excellent, recommended for Native American studies.
Lewis a psychiatrist and medical anthropologist who stayed at the Pine Ridge Res in the late 60's and early 70's. From the book: "...hedescribes the Indian Healers - their techniques, personal histories andqualities, the problems addressed and the results obtained" .This isan excellent book for Native American studies, those interested in non AMAhealing techniques and also should be required reading for all medstudents. ... Read more

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This study helps men who are tired of fighting alont to acknowledge and face their inner turmoil head-on. The authors walk hurting men through the stages of post-abortion syndrome, helping them move out of denial about the past and into acceptance and forgiveness. Most importantly, these men will learn about God's unchanging, loving character, and His desire to forgive them and heal their father-hearts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a "must have" for post-abortive men
I offer abortion recovery assistance to women through the companion book, Forgiven and Set Free.However, in the past two months, men who have been part of an abortion decision are asking for help in their recovery.I offered this book and now they are waiting in line for a group bible study for men.They are asking for help to process their role in the abortion decision, seek forgiveness for abandoning their child(ren), woman, and responsibility to protect and provide.This book restores the father's heart to love God, others, and self, as well as accept their God-given role in life.

Healing A Father's Heart-A Post Abortion Bible Study for Men
Overall, this book is a good foundation for any man to understand the grieving process he is going through in the aftermath of abortion.The questions at the end of each chapter are throught-provoking and will help the male to come out of denial if his feelings have been supressed.The questions chosen for group discussion will certainly assure the men that others are experiencing what he is experiencing and that he is not alone in his grief.I gave this book a 4-star rating as I see this Bible Study as a beginning process in the areas of anger, forgiveness, and depression.More counsel, either one-on-one or in a support group, would need to go more indepth for a greater healing to occur.Chapter 8 shows the real 'heart motives' behind an abortion choice, and chapter 9 has excellent closure for the man who has worked through his unresolved grief.

Since this book is authored by two women, my main concern before reading this book was whether or not it would really be able to speak to the man, his issues, his perspective, and his grief. My concerns were relieved as I completed this reading.I am planning to use this book with post-abortive men in my own ministry, both professionally as a pastor, and as Counseling Director at our local Pregnancy Helpline. ... Read more

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The Masculinity Studies Reader brings together widely-read and -cited work by key theorists in a new context that is intended simultaneously to establish the contours of and to raise questions about masculinity as a field of academic inquiry. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Serious Intellectual Examination
I recommend you purchase this book with the companion "The Naked Woman". They are a great analysis of what makes us human, both male and female.

excellently written, no pictures though
I thought by the title this book would have more pictures of the male physique.Having studied anatomy for over 17 years I was invariably drawn to "the naked man" and although I did find it enlightening, was different than expected.Desmond Morris integrates biology and history with a touch of sexual overtone throughout his chapters, diversifying the reasons why nature created the human male form the way it is, right down to the last detail. Although he does a retouch on anthropology, it's not a primary focus, instead choosing a more basic "head, shoulders, knees and toes" sort of thing for any eighth-grader to understand.The combination of man vs. nature is clearly absent in his theories, pointing a finger directly at sex and shifting the blame from survival of the fittest to sexual selection.An amazing journey that can turn you on to the radical phallic dimensions man has undergone over the years.

A zoological portrait of an endangered species
In a scientific and dryer style than in `The Naked Ape', Desmond Morris analyzes technically, historically, psychologically, theatrically or psychiatrically all parts of the human body as well as their transformation in the evolution of mankind.

In the process we learn a lot of things.
To sharpen one's appetite, one can find here the answers on the following questions: what part of the male body has the most sex appeal and why? What is a Prince Albert? Why have men testicles outside the abdomen (not for reasons of temperature)? What is a `testical chair'? What's the appeal of long legs? Why are gay men so valuable? What is the real meaning of the term `football'? What is the origin of the term `Adam's Apple'? What is Asphyxiophilia? Why place people their hands over their mouth when they yawn (not out of politeness)? Why are our feet the most honest parts of the whole human body? Why is the ring finger called the `digitus medicus'? How functions the nose as an air-conditioner? What is the strength of a human hair?

This book is a must read for all men and women.
... Read more

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Live life the way Jesus did. To the extreme.

You’re asking tough questions:
 
• Does faith do more than keep me from the fun everybody else is having?
• Why do I think about sex so much?
• Why should I obey God when nobody else does?
• What's definitely okay and not okay with God?
• Does God really expect so much of me?

You want solid answers to your deepest questions? Every Young Man, God’s Man will answer them all.

It's time to go to the dark and difficult places in your heart, and stand up in God's power in all the battles you face. With Every Young Man, God’s Man you will find yourself full of spiritual confidence and courage. You'll see how faith makes sense in the light of who God is and how much He cares about you. And the bottom line: You'll discover that it doesn't get any better than living as God's man--confident, courageous and completely His.

Get ready for some gut-punching honesty and real-life stories about how to be God’s man. Right now.

Now with workbook included! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

only on the 5th chapter but already seeing improvements
My youth intern gave me this book to help me get over my struggles. him and i are very open with each other and we have a very personal relationship. He knows my past and he honestly wants to help me. he told me he read it in his 10th grade year and that it helped him tremendously. i'm only on the 5th chapter and I've already been moved so much. I look forward to reading the rest of this book. I hope i can remember what he did for me for a long time. by the way, i'm only 14. If you're having struggles ORDER THIS BOOK. i don't care if you have any doubts about the book, if you do when you start to read the first chapter you'll be glad you bought this book.

every young man god's man review
This book is really speaking in to my teen son's life. He is learning what it means to be God's man. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

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This anthology of readings designed for gender studies or men's studies courses is organized around specific themes and issues, including men in marriage, socialization, men and employment, and men in trouble. Selections are drawn from interviews and first-person narratives, as well as from more traditional academic sources. ... Read more

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Pretty Good
I bought this book for my men and msculinity course, and my professor Mirande, wrote a story in this book. I liked it as a text book because it had a lot of new ideas I never knew before or had learned before in sociology. ... Read more

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Good bye to machoism
Probably nobody would doubt that the name Matthew C. Gutmann stands for high-quality research on gender issues with special emphasis on masculinities. In order to make clear what masculinity in Latin America is all about Gutmann chose in his edition a wide range of aspects (men and urban life, fatherhood, homosexuality etc.) Thesehave been covered by different expers on gender issues and masculinities. One thesis which is expressed in different articles is that the changes in Latin American men have not only been brought about by the challenges from the feminist movement (which has been relatively weak in Latin America compared to Northern Europe and the US) but from the changes in the structures of Latin American societies as such. More women than ever before have joined the labour market and are now contributing to the family income, not to mention those who are the only breadwinners. Consequently, men have had to change and do domestic chores which just one generation ago would haven been unthinkable. This is clearly expressed in José Olavarria's essay on "Men at Home? Child Rearing and Housekeeping among Chilean Working-Class Fathers". It has led to a re-definition of masculinity in Latin America, and so far we can only see the beginning of a process of change which we have to watch carefully in the coming years.
All in all: the book is highly recommended to readers interested in gender issues in Latin America as well as in Europe and the U.S.A. ... Read more

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Edited by two of the field's most prominent researchers, this best-selling reader on men and masculinity contains the most current articles available.

Organized around themes that define masculinity, this reader takes a life-course perspective, using the idea that men (as well as women) are “gendered” and that this gendering process is a central experience for men.

Customer Reviews (8)

Men's Lives
Received it right away and was in the condition the seller described. I would recommend this seller.

SOC381
I had this book for SOC381, Men and Masculinity.

great read, some of the articles are hard to read (just a tonne of quotes and statistics... no depth)

I reccomend it

Michael Kimmel is a pro-feminist , therefore has feminist agenda, don't trust his books
I have stumbled upon one of Michael Kimmel's articles regarding men's behaviors. I emailed him and asked some hard questions regarding his feministic attitudes. He could not answer any of my questions. For example, I asked him why he is so focusd on "correcting" men's behaviors when society and feminists and many women today view men as doofus, murderers, rapists, etc, as evidence by movies, commericals, TVs... Basically men are not respected while at the same time, women only programs are popping up all the time! Furthermore, I commented that in order to finetune men's "bad behaviors", one must also addresses women's attitudes toward men! He failed to answer and only ask me to be openminded and attend one of the women's courses and called me angry!

"Look Inside"
It would be nice if when you are offered to "look inside" the book, the copy you are looking through is the edition that you are buying instead of one ten years older.This "look inside" option is not helpful if it is an old edition.

Kimmel and Messner: a critique of gender
While some reviewers seem to state that Kimmel and Messner are painting men in a particularly bad light, these reviews seem to miss the key points that the authors are trying to make: the problem is masculinity and the way men perform masculinity, not males themselves.Kimmel and Messner critique gender and all the stereotypes surrounding it to present a manual for understanding masculinity as a social construction.Some articles in this reader are less helpful than others but overall it is a great introduction to masculinity studies and I highly recommend it. The book presents a variety of men's voices while sadly leaving out men with disabilities and trans men.The book cities arenas of oppression and explains how men AND women contribute to a culture where oppressive masculinity is allowed to reign. ... Read more

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A Bible specifically designed to speak to Christian men honestly and straightforwardly about their role as Christians in the face of a culture that actively works against God’s will and God’s way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

very good buy
My order was received in a timely manner, which I was very satisfied with.The product was in very good condition as the description stated, and the price was excellent.If I had an issue with the purchase, it was that the writing in this edition was very small.The description area probably should include that kind of information if different prints are available for the purchaser.

Strive Men's Devotional Bible
This is an excellent devotional bible for men of all ages.There's alot of information in the margins that provide insight and explanations of the scripture so it also serves as a study bible.The best feature though are the notes about men's issues.Being a husband and father, work-related issues, financial leadership etc.I have a Women's Devotional bible by Nelson and this is the first comparable bible for men that I found.My husband (who has never read the bible regularly) finds it interesting and helpful and my godson who is just beginning his spiritual journey (age 21) said it makes reading the scripture comprehensible and enjoys reading the guidance sections for men.Love it.

Good Introductory Bible
Overall, I was disappointed with this Bible.While it has many positive things going for it, I was too distracted by the negative aspects to fully enjoy it.I quickly replaced it with a more "plain" TNIV.

Pros:
(1) Single-column format makes for much easier reading.
(2) SOME of the notes/devotionals are thought-provoking and challenging.
(3) The margins allow for limited note-taking.
(4) It has an attractive layout.
(5) Solid, readable translation.

Cons:
(1) There are WAY too many "extras" in this version.It is very hard to skim through and find the verses you are looking for, because they are overwhelmed by the extra material.This is my biggest complaint.
(2) Many of the extras are written at a very introductory level.I was hoping for some really meaty, men-related discussions, but a lot of it seemed really basic and "lite."I wanted the writers to get in my face and challenge me, but too often they offered some lightweight suggestions and left it at that.Also, many of the extras were very repetitive.
(3) It is quite large and heavy.Not an easy one to bring along with you when you have limited space.

I would recommend this book to new believers or guys who are just starting to get serious about God.For those who are looking more "solid food," I would suggest you search elsewhere.Personally, this version has made me prefer a standard, readable, no-frills Bible that is much easier to use.Here's the version I just ordered on Amazon for my next time through the Bible: TNIV Thinline Bible

TNIV Strive: the bible for men
My husband said this is a very readable bible. He enjoys the comments and the questions written in the chapters. He feels the comments help you to reflect on the passage and how it is relevent in your daily life. He loved the appearance of the bible, with the leather exterior. It was a memorable father's day gift!

Sharing the word of God with my Son
I attend a Theological Seminary, I was reading a passage of scripture in class from my NKJ version Bible. I must admit I wasn't reading as fluidly as I wanted, other members was reading without any problems and with better understanding. I noticed that most of them had the NI version, I asked one the men in the class if I could look at his bible. He had the TNIV Strive Bible for Men, I was impressed with how the bible was written, arranged and also provided important information specifically for men. I couldn't wait to order my own copy of TNIV Strive, The Bible for Men. I received it and I find myself spending more of my leisure time reading my bible. I was in church one Sunday morning with my 19 year old Son, he's home from college for the summer, he asked to look at my bible. He was amazed at how easy it was to read and the additional information that was listed for men that he asked me to purchase one for him. I was so happy and excited he wanted one, I ordered it that same day. I call this sharing the word of God with my Son. We are able to share in conversation about the word of God. ... Read more

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finding joy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Made me ponder
Required for a class I had to take. It was a decent book but not good enough for me to finish. Most likely because it was required.

BUYER BEWARE
I just got to reading this book (A few days after the 30 day return period) and realized the book is missing about 30 pages(Chapter six and seven)! Make sure if you buy this you make sure its not missing these chapters!

Other than that, the book itself is another feminist view of how men screwed them over (I wouldn't have read it if it weren't for a class). I'll admit I'm a bit blunt. Essentially women needed men for financial stability, men realized it was okay to be single and changed the view of manhood (playboy, beatniks, and counter-culture). Brings up both sides for and against Equal Rights Amendment, and how it didn't get passed. Then how the overall male revolt led to feminization of poverty, because women couldn't afford to be single parents, and thus a feminist movement began.

This book does try and be more historical, but the author basically chooses an argument and cuts and pastes in history to prove how her theory is true. If you are into woman's studies I'm sure you will find this book worthy of re-reading. I personally didn't see as much correlation between the examples and the theory as others.

The book itself deserves 2 stars, but the lack of chapters made it one star (I did read them, I can't say I'm completely disappointed they are gone, just irritated that I had to borrow a friends copy before a midterm)

Cultural history from Playboy to Phyllis Schafly
Barbara Ehrenreich was a prominent feminist author, who'd written books chronicling the way the culture has mistreated women, like For Her Own Good: Two Centuries of the Experts Advice to Women (with Deirdre English). But then she got interested in the notion that the culture was also mistreating men. At first, she says, she was skeptical. She intended to write a book mocking the idea. But the more she researched it, the more she realized the men had a point: patriarchy hurts them too.

The result is a book that's not only a brilliant chronicle of how the sexual revolution has changed men's lives, but an honest attempt to grapple with what it all means for women. It's a fascinating read -- her reinterpretation of Playboy alone is worth the work.

MEN ARE NOT MERE BREADWINNERS AND SOLDIERS
For men who think that feminism is a threat to the male sex, this book will open eyes and minds in the same way abolition liberated white slave-owners from their barbaric addiction to controlling other human beings against their will.And for women who see feminism as a threat to families, this book will either help relieve them of their ignorance of history, or only further convince them that a woman can have no other meaningful purpose than to bear and rear children.

This book addresses the disconnect between traditional gender roles and reality that has been building up steadily since the industrial revolution.The trend toward industrialization came to a head during WWI and especially WWII when many women worked in factories to produce munitions used by their husbands to kill.As the sudden return of men from great carnage sparked the baby boom, the notion of the "housewife" came to describe women's return to domesticity aided with a new arsenal of household gadgets and appliances.Betty Friedan wrote "The Feminine Mystique", in response to the vacuousness of this newly created paradigm of the suburban housewife paradise.Her book pointed out the absurdity of the domestic female role when modern conveniences had rendered them obsolete.Even childrearing was becoming usurped from the domain of women by the increasing institutionalization of public schools as day care centers.

A quarter century after Betty Friedan's landmark book, Barbara Ehrenreich finally gave men the same insight into how their roles have become outmoded in response to historical changes.If the feminist protest was against viewing females as mere baby-factories, this book critiques the socialization of men into being either breadwinners, or soldiers willing to sacrifice their lives in war.In a purely economic sense - with the vanishing of agriculture, women had ceased to contribute to the finances of the family as men competed in an increasingly specialized labor force.For the first time in history, in 1950's America, women had become purely concerned with reproduction thus forcing men to be even more focused on production, at the expense of leisure time.The blandness of this female domestic tranquility was matched by the sense of "pseudo" power men had over their wives as "kept" women.This books shows that the other side of the coin of feminist rage over female oppression was no picnic for men either.

Men were oppressed in an opposite but equally intolerable way.Taken to its logical extreme, the male gender role had become equivalent to greed.No other instinct could better serve a man in a world where male success was defined purely in financial terms.More so than ever, men were encouraged to be workaholic machines, denying their emotions.In this context, any sensitivity or weakness in a man was tantamount to a betrayal of his family in his role as provider.But in "The Hearts of Men", there was a longing for something deeper than the accumulation of wealth as expressed by the beat writers and 1960's counterculture.As long as a woman's place remained at home, marriage and family increasingly appeared to be a death sentence of hard labor.They rejected this heart attack-inducing life of the breadwinner.The elevation of sex and free love for its own sake in the 1960's was in part a reaction against this prostitution-like relation between the sexes whereby the husband had to pay for the privilege of having a "housewife".

This book rightly takes some of the blame for the breakdown of the family off the shoulders of feminism, and perhaps suggests that some of the blame should go to the insensitivity of American wage labor capitalism toward the personal lives of employees, in the relentless pursuit of profit over people.This book is essential reading for anyone interested in gender, history, and yes - family values.

The economy changed, and the culture had to adjust.
Ehrenreich emphasizes that the economy changed dramatically during the post war boom, and the changes in the economy eventually demanded changes in the culture. Women have always worked, but they use to work at home on a farm. Even as late as the 30s and 40s America was still heavily agricutural. But during the 50s and 60s farm life died out in America, not totally of course, but to a large extent, replaced by big industry and then computers. On a farm a woman could do valuable work, in the new world of the 50s there was nothing for a woman to do but sit around and look pretty. You had millions of women of intelligence and strength and a desire for meaningful labor, and they no longer had an outlet, because they no longer lived on a farm. On a farm the could help their man and their family everyday, in a meaninful way. In the 50s, they were mere parasites, living at home in ease while the men worked. And eventualy, of course, the men got tired of that arrangement. To put it another way, on a farm, a man needs a wife. In the modern world, a man doesn't need a woman as much, or at least not in the same way. At some point, the culture had to adjust to the changes in the economy, and that adjustment was feminism. Women had to work so they could still contribute something meaninful to a marriage. ... Read more

Product Description

Depictions of rape on television have evolved dramatically, from hard-boiled stories about male detectives to more insightful shows focusing on rape victims. Rape on Prime Time is the first book to examine those changing depictions of rape.

Lisa M. Cuklanz reveals that prime-time television programs during the 1970s—usually detective shows—reflected traditional ideas that "real" rape is perpetrated by brutal strangers upon passive victims. Beginning in 1980, depictions of rape began to include attacks by known assailants, and victims began to address their feelings. By 1990, scripts portrayed date and marital rape and paid greater attention to the trial process, reflecting legal reformers' concerns.

While previous studies have examined one series or genre, Cuklanz examines programs as dissimilar as Barney Miller, Dallas, The Cosby Show, and Quincy. She outlines the "basic plot" for rape episodes, then traces the historical development of rape themes. In each chapter she includes close analyses of episodes that add depth to findings derived from scripts and taped episodes.

Rape on Prime Time provides important insight into the social construction of rape in mainstream mass media since the inception of rape law reform in 1974.

Product Description
Explore the feelings of men toward other men without the pigeonholing found in terms like "gay" and "straight"!

Male to Male: Sexual Feeling Across the Boundaries of Identity starts with the evidence that most studies on male sexuality have ignored--the same-sex feelings of men whose identities are heterosexual. Of the more than fifty men in this book, almost half were aware of some degree of same-sex feeling. But beyond percentages, the primary focus of Male to Male is the exploration--through their own words--of how these men experienced same-sex feelings, what these feelings meant to them, the fears surrounding them, and the consequences of the collision between their heterosexual identities and their same-sex feelings.

In addition to comparative data on women's same-sex feelings, as well as on what men say in regard to their feelings about women, Male to Male includes material from two in-depth case studies. The first is on Clark, an African-American man who moved into sex with men in prison. His story shows that the need to see gay men as feminine is really a cultural defense against the powerful pull toward the male-to-male bond, and points to the movement to fulfill that bond when this defense is dropped. The second is on Zack, a gay police officer. His story explores the different dimensions and meanings of the male-to-male bond as these unfolded in his own life, while telling about the heterosexually identified men who "came out" to him about their own same-sex feelings.

Male to Male will help you explore:

same-sex feelings in heterosexual men and women
same-sex feelings in the military
prison culture and the "heterosexual role"
the fear of domination
the aesthetics of fear and power
the dynamics of rape
compassionate relationships between heterosexual-identified men . . . and much more!

Male to Male provides evidence showing that the identity that really counts--constituting the deepest source from which men's sexual feelings for each other spring--is not specifically a gay or heterosexual identity. That source is, rather, a male identity, and--beyond that--a human identity.

Customer Reviews (2)

General Appeal, Not Just Technical
"Male to Male discusses the wide--but unacknowledged--prevalence of same-sex feelings among men who do not identify themselves as gay, revealing the fulfillment of the bond in an emotional and physical way, not a sexual one. The chapters examine how these same-sex feelings affect heterosexual men and how some individuals deal with the conflict between culture and sexuality, breaking down categories and stereotypes. This book will be appealing to the average male reader, as well as professionals, students, and academics in the fields of human sexuality, psychology, anthropology, sociology and cultural theory."--© zebraz

Really Cool!
'"Male to Male" starts with the evidence that most studies on male sexuality have ignored - the same-sex feelings of men whose identities are heterosexual. The "I-never-told-anyone-this-before" confessions Dr. Tejirian elicits from straight-identified men who recount homoerotic dreams and daydreams make this book a surefire spellbinding read. But more sensational still is the interview technique he employs to mine these deepest of sexual secrets from his youthful male (twenty-something grad student, cop) research subjects: He simply asks them, man to man.' - Helpful summary from stevenzeeland.com ... Read more

Product Description

When God created you, He had something very specific in mind. What did He intend you to be like? Are you becoming more and more like that person, or are you moving farther away from your God-ordained identity?

Don't be surprised if you don't know the answers to these questions. You need a few trusted people to help you see the man God sees in you. In fact, the process of being known by them will help you recover the life you were created to live.

Not sure how to get started? Let Marcus Ryan walk with you and show you how to...* discover your driving passion and unique assignment from God
* find a safe place to both recover and express the real you
* identify the temptations and distractions that can detour you along the way
* release yourself to live your life story and value those who guard that story
* experience a new level of intensity and satisfaction in your relationship with God

Listen to the restlessness in your heart. Begin your personal quest for a fuller life and the destiny God has for you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

You think about the content of this book long after reading it!
This is a must for the serious God-seeker.I bought it to understand the men in my life and was more than rewarded.The story visuals that he describes bring the concepts to life. Some of the adventures Marcus describes still have me laughing.I mentioned them to my brother and he could relate with his own stories.I have found myself sharing the stories and life concepts with family, friends, and coworkers.I bought several books to give out as God directs. -Debbie H.

A woman liked this book too
Yes, this book is written by a man for men, but I'm a woman and I enjoyed it very much. Each of us, male and female, have a hunger to be known by others. We want people to know and like us as we really are, not by some preconceived notion, but for what we stand for.
Marcus Ryan asks how well do we know ourselves? A strange question at first glance, but think about it. How honest are we with ourselves about our motives, our beliefs, who we really are? The Bible says we can see the gnat in our brother's eye and can't see the two by four in our own. I don't know about you, but I'm better at spotting gnats than I am two by fours.
Every chapter in this book holds a wealth ofinformation. The writing style is engaging and entertaining. Ryan makes the observation that when we reach the end of our journey all we leave behind are the things that linger in the minds of the people who knews us. All of our hopes, our plans, are finished. I'm going to be a lot more careful of what I might leave behind. Restless Journey is a thought provoking road map that points the way to developing into the person we want to be. If the man in your life is a reader, he'll want this book. It's a good one.

Great Book!
I think this book can be one of the most signficant books for men. The author has taken a very refreshing and new view on our relationship with God, our work, and why we were put here on earth.

I highly recommend it.

Great book for men
Marcus Ryan's Restless Journey: Every Man's Struggle for Significance discusses how when men feel lost, whether or not it's when their life is superb or dismal, it's because they're on a path defined by God. Men need to get in touch with who they are, what their strengths are, and to resist "appetites," such as lust, greed, alcohol, power or money.

Appetites get in the way of having a relationship with God. Life wasn't meant to be easy and having a bad day is all part of God's plan. Ryan's primary theme, secondary to having an established relationship with God, is about "being known." Being known means to connect with other people and to know them and have them know you--deeply and uniquely.

Scripture, comments about God and vignettes about Ryan's life abound, giving food for the soul. An example is, "God will not expose you. Instead he will cover you--fix the breach between you and him--and set you back on a course to a place where you are known."

Ryan writes with excellent metaphorical usage, backed up by scripture and his own interpretations of God to help men on their journey through life.

Armchair Interviews says: A fantastic book that guides men through the complexities and fog of modern life to find their one true path.

An Important Book for All Christian Men to Read
There are a lot of Christian books out there for men--there are titles like Tender Warrior and Wild at Heart, to name a few.The reason for this is that, especially in the past century and during the past few years of the 21st century, men have had a hard time identifying with church, and thus identifying themselves as followers of God through Jesus Christ.Yes, there is a growth away from that view, when looking at such organizations as Promise Keepers, but still, I know a lot of men who just don't understand.I myself have been there, and many of the men I've known have been there too.Stereotypes of Christians are everywhere, they're called "anti-intellectuals" for believing in the Bible or they are called "feminine" if they enjoy church (church being a woman's place, as many stereotypes seem to employee).The book "Restless Journey" cuts to the heart of what we as men are looking for, what we as men are needing--not from the world, but from the source of all things, that is, God through Christ Jesus.This book begins your journey with questions, shows you a rough estimate of the problems and the questions you'll face.Ryan's book is not filled with cliché answers and simplistic designs.Ryan doesn't give you easy answers.Which is important, because we shouldn't ever trust the easy answers.We should, instead, trust in God who supplies the answers--even if those answers cut us the most because they hit us where we so desperately try to hide points of us from the world.This book will indeed give you a great jump-start, though, in your desires to grow stronger in faith and in love with the mystery and the truth that is our Lord God through Jesus Christ.Ryan's book helps you to realize that the greatest love, the greatest security, even through the roughest of weathers, comes from the One who KNOWS you the most--our Lord God.You and I are more than just "husbands" or "bosses" or "coworkers" or "students"--we are children of a living God through Jesus Christ.I recommend this book to all men, and even to all women who want to help understand their men's journey in life and in faith. ... Read more