Gentlemen,
Before it’s officially Autumn on Thursday, I thought I’d get out a Summer Edition of Men of the Mark.
Two books recommendations that I’d like to make, which pair very well together are Anthony Esolen’s No Apologies: Why Civilization Depends on the Strength of Men and It’s Good to Be a Man: A Handbook for Godly Masculinity by Michael Foster and Dominic Bnonn Tennant. Esolen is easily one of my favorite modern writers, and the literary and historical insights he provides are superb as always. Foster and Tennant offer a straightforward biblical and covenantal understanding of masculinity that provides helpful, practical perspectives on being a man.
I continue to listen to the Life on Target Podcast, hosted by Nathan Spearing, and I’ve probably gleaned something from each episode, but here are few that standout: May 27: Building Strong Brands Through Hustle and Persistence with Darren Doane; June 3: Fostering Physical and Mental Toughness in Kids with Rob Sentz; June 24: Intentional Family Rhythms and Being Rooted in Community with Daniel Grothe; July 15: Building Bulletproof Businesses through Christian Values with David Benham (this one was especially interesting); September 2: Growing a Family Culture of Healthy Habits for Lifelong Resilience with Rachek Beck (a good one to share with your wife).
Two episodes that I found particularly fascinating on the Jocko Podcast were Episode 332: Influence & Ownership Over Your Physiological & Psychological Being with Andrew Huberman. This has some “common grace insights” about how we function and think; further solidifying the biblical truth that we’re fearfully and wonderfully made. The first of the five hours is basically Huberman’s story, and then four hours of him talking about his areas of expertise. Episode 340: Failure Isn’t Final, It’s Necessary. Becoming a Better Human, with Tim Kennedy is about six hours long, and it’s quite a story. Language and content warning! This isn’t for children and women. It’s my understanding that Kennedy is a professing believer, though that isn’t addressed in the interview.
Finally, as I’m nearing the end of the Lord of the Rings with my two youngest children, I’m reminded anew of what a remarkable story it is, and of Tolkien’s insightful brilliance as an author. We’ve been listening to them in audio format, narrated by Andy Serkis, which is tremendous, but I also find myself wishing I could stop and underline and make notations of quote after quote that conveys a pertinent insight regarding who we need to be as men today or of the kind of faith to which we’re called as believers.
If you’re new to the list and this is your first issue, and you’d like Nos. 1 and 2, just drop me a line and let me know. If you’d like to be removed from this list, I can accommodate you on that front as well.
If you’ve come across any books, podcasts, or other resources that you find especially good, please don’t hesitate to recommend them to me.
Cheers,
Joe