This is a well-written book, which I was able to download free for my Kindle when it was on special offer a while ago. It has some interesting anecdotes here and there alongside recommendations and instructions intended for mothers with teenage boys. But I found it quite heavy going, and rather condescending in places.

The book is written by an American evangelical Christian who believes in American values such as success, and a traditional (but sexist) view of masculinity. Nevertheless, the first part of the book makes some good points. Too many teenage boys go off the rails in our Western society. While women have problems too, most young people who are convicted of violent crimes are male. I was quite struck with the idea of mothers sometimes overwhelming their teenage boys with conversation, and logic, hoping to solve everything with discussion. But, the author claims, sometimes teenage boys aren’t so good with language, and feel battered by words, unable to respond.

The author stresses the importance of good male role models and describes a programme he runs for fatherless boys, teaching them skills that are traditionally passed on by fathers. The course gives them new challenges, and encourages them to consider what it means to be masculine. So far so good, even if I took some of it with a little pinch of salt.

Had the book ended after the first few chapters, I would probably have awarded it four or even five stars. Unfortunately, it then started delving into what the author means by ‘manliness’, and his belief in the importance of male leadership. He encourages traits such as competitiveness, and even violence (in hunting) which, to me, are a bad idea. He talks, too, about issuing difficult challenges to boys, pushing them in a way that seems to me like bullying. He makes no mention of those who would be unable to fulfil them, and would feel like failures. But in the US, failing isn’t acceptable.

By the end of the book, when the author embarks on the qualities he wants to see in a young man interested in dating his daughter, the style had become so male chauvinist I almost gave up. He said that his daughter won’t even open a car door as she expects a man to do it for her, no matter how much it might inconvenience him. Politeness is good, but this is going overboard, making girls and women out to be feeble and manipulative.

For the last half of the end of the book I would barely give two stars. But to be fair, since there were some good points in the early part of the book, I’ll give it three. If you read this, be prepared to pick and choose what applies to your situation, and ignore the sexism.

If you can get it free or inexpensively, it’s perhaps worth perusing if you’d like a better understanding of how some men function, even if you disagree with a lot of the content. ( )

NCLA Review -While this book is written for all mothers and not just those that are single parents, it fills a definite need for women raising a son alone. It is divided into chapters that discuss the major issues of raising boys such as changing bodies and minds, communication, dangers, sexuality and leadership. It concludes with an interesting chapter titled “Things Your Son Needs to Know to Court my Daughter.” In straight-forward, easy-to-understand language Johnson discusses the methods and tools needed to turn boys into good men. He states, “Authentic men are passionate, fierce, and noble—they care.” That accurately sums up what he is trying to convey. Each chapter has questions for reflection and/or discussion making it suitable for an individual or a group. Rating: 4 —AMB ( )