Better Boys, Better Men

A thought-provoking and much-needed look at how modern masculinity is harming and holding back men-and all of society-and what we can do to promote a new masculinity that allows men of all ages to thrive.

In Better Boys, Better Men, cultural critic and New York Times contributor Andrew Reiner argues that men today are working on an outdated model of masculinity, which prevents them in moments of distress and vulnerability from marshalling the courage, strength, and resiliency-the very characteristics we regularly champion in men-they need to thrive in a world vastly different from the ones their fathers and grandfathers grew up in. According to Reiner, this outdated model of manhood can have devastating effects on the entire culture and, especially boys and men, from falling behind in the classroom and rising male unemployment rates to increased levels of depression and disturbing upticks in violence on a mass scale.

Reiner interviews boys and men of all ages, educators, counselors, therapists, and physicians throughout the United States to better understand what factors are preventing the country's boys and men from developing the emotional resiliency they need. He also introduces readers to the boys and men at the vanguard of a new masculinity that empowers them to find and express the full range of their humanity.

Urgent and necessary, Better Boys, Better Men will change the way we talk about boys and men in America today.

Based on years of research and candid interviews, Reiner's essential guide reveals a new path forward:

• Modern Masculinity: Why the old "grin-and-bear-it" ethos is failing boys in the classroom, in their careers, and in their relationships.
• Parenting Boys: How to move beyond harmful conditioning and help boys of all ages develop the self-awareness and communication skills they need to thrive.
• Fatherhood: A crucial look at the role fathers play in shaping their sons' emotional lives, based on personal stories and interviews with men across the country.
• Toxic Masculinity: An unflinching examination of the connection between outdated gender roles, loneliness, and the disturbing rise in violence and "despair deaths."