{"product_id":"swole-the-making-of-men-and-the-meaning-of-muscle-9780807016794","title":"Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom a \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e critic and self-described meathead, a witty, incisive, poignant exploration of male body image, from the history of the gym to the politics of superheroes to the world of manfluencers\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMichael Andor Brodeur is a Gen-X gay writer with a passion for bodybuilding and an insatiable curiosity about masculinity--a concept in which many men are currently struggling to find their place. In our current moment, where \"manfluencers\" on TikTok tease their audiences with their latest videos, where right-wing men espouse the importance of being \"alpha,\" as toxic masculinity and the patriarchy are being rightfully criticized, the nature of masculinity has become murkier than ever. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn excavating this complex topic, Brodeur uses the male body as his guide: its role in cultures from the gymnasia of ancient Greece to Walt Whitman's essays on manly health, from the rise of Muscular Christianity in 19th-century America to the swollen superheroes and Arnold Schwarzeneggers of Brodeur's childhood. Interweaving history, cultural criticism, memoir, and reportage, laced with an irrepressible wit, Brodeur takes us into the unique culture centered around men's bodies, probing its limitations and the promise beyond: how men can love themselves while rejecting the aggression, objectification, and misogyny that have for so long accompanied the quest to become swole.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Michael Andor Brodeur\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Beacon Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/27\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 256\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.65lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.60h x 5.50w x 0.70d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780807016794\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMichael Andor Brodeur\u003c\/b\u003e has been the classical music critic at the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e since 2020. Previously, he held editorial and staff-writer positions at the \u003ci\u003eBoston Globe\u003c\/i\u003e and Boston's \u003ci\u003eWeekly Dig\u003c\/i\u003e. His essays, humor, and criticism have also appeared in \u003ci\u003eNylon\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThrillist\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEntrepreneur\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMedium\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMcSweeney's Internet Tendency\u003c\/i\u003e and other publications. He has also released 5 music albums under different monikers, most recently writing and performing electronic music under the name New Dad.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"booksdeli.com","offers":[{"title":"Michael Andor Brodeur \/ Paperback \/ English","offer_id":47285450637469,"sku":"9780807016794","price":37.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/5648\/9373\/files\/img_92d8c16a-ddb6-478e-ae68-e13e029bc0c2.jpg?v=1760003866","url":"https:\/\/booksdeli.com\/products\/swole-the-making-of-men-and-the-meaning-of-muscle-9780807016794","provider":"booksdeli.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}