Picked it up while attending a retreat that Stu (the author) spoke at a couple months back. He impressed me enough that I figured his books should be pretty solid (he has a couple, may get some of his other books eventually). When I left the retreat I had this feeling that, even then he spoke 5(!) times over the course of about a day and a half, we hadn't had enough time to get everything worthwhile out of him that he had to share.

Was right. The book was an excellent read. Had my Dad read it and he thought it was well done as well - even led to us having a conversation about his Dad and some of his experiences growing up. Both how Grandpa had set a good example and where his example was lacking and/or very poor (or said one thing, did another) and my Dad had to figure things out for himself. Let's just say that my Dad having to testify in court to get Grandpa admitted to a (veteran's) hospital is not what he considers the highlight of his life.

That particular book is mainly about the difference between a 'man' and someone that is just an 'adult male' though he uses different terminology. One of the points he goes over is about just how much of a far reaching impact the actions of a man can have (especially in the role of husband/father) for better or for worse, even generations after they've passed away. As you may guess from the "Tender" in the title, he dismisses the 'macho' ideal as a be all, end all fairly quickly. Just as important would be the "Warrior" in the title - as someone that was an Army Ranger in the past (aka, successfully completed training for those a cut above the average soldier) and had been through actual combat, being soft spoken and meek, getting along with everyone, never being contrary or stepping on anybody's toes also does not fit with his conclusions.

It is written from a Christian perspective, and he uses a lot of Bible examples to back up or illustrate his conclusions, but they're generally used more as supporting evidence and he also has a healthy amount of anecdotes from personal experience/people he knows. I didn't really get a 'religious dogma' vibe while reading it, but there's always the chance that I'm overexposed and immune to the presence of such things. Stu seems to know that you can't really tell a guy "you're a man if you do/act like this because the Bible says so, so do it." That line of reasoning will fly with approximately no male ever.

ticklishmusic

United States15977 Posts

May 09 2015 04:49 GMT

#507

Just finished The Skull Throne (4th book in the Painted Man series by Peter V Brett). Not bad, but plotwise a complete shitshow. Think like Feast of Crows style shitshow.

Nyxisto

Germany6287 Posts

May 11 2015 18:50 GMT

#508

I picked up the the Diamond Age and thought it was pretty great, didn't read anything by Stephenson before. Is Cryptonomicon worth it? Quite a huge book but I'm not the biggest fan of super long-winded writing.

Topin

Peru10117 Posts

May 11 2015 19:21 GMT

#509

right now im reading

The unfinished tales of Numenor and Middle Earth and the 2nd book of The Malazan books of the Fallen: Deadhouse gates.

after that i will take a break from Tolkien and Erikson and read something "lighter"

bookwyrm

United States722 Posts

May 11 2015 19:25 GMT

#510

On May 12 2015 03:50 Nyxisto wrote:
I picked up the the Diamond Age and thought it was pretty great, didn't read anything by Stephenson before. Is Cryptonomicon worth it? Quite a huge book but I'm not the biggest fan of super long-winded writing.

Yeah everything of his is worth reading besides the really early stuff. Read Snow Crash

Wesso

Netherlands1245 Posts

May 11 2015 20:13 GMT

#511

On May 12 2015 04:25 bookwyrm wrote:

Show nested quote +

Yeah everything of his is worth reading besides the really early stuff. Read Snow Crash

His new one comes out in 8 days, can't wait.

"Seveneves is a 2015 speculative science fiction novel by Neal Stephenson. The story involves an apocalyptic end of the world scenario and spans five thousand years."

B.I.G.

3251 Posts

May 12 2015 16:29 GMT

#512

So I read the Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles) by Patrick Rothfuss. Apparently it is a book that is widely praised and after the first 200 or 300 pages I was quite hooked because I saw an epic plot coming. Then he enters his university and the story just totally fucking faceplants I mean in the first part of the book you get all the stuff with the + Show Spoiler +

killing of his friends and family

and the "history lessons" that seemed to detail an interesting history, and in the second half the biggest climax is him + Show Spoiler +

fighting a big-ass junky lizard

... The rest is all about him trying to get money and trying to hook up with a girl that apparently will fuck any guy able to throw her a penny. That and about a 100 pages of people playing some kind of instrument.

Because it started so strongly and people are really enthusiastic about it I started off with the second book but so far it's still a day to day description of the surprisingly boring life of the legendary protagonist. Anybody read it? Is it worth it to keep reading or is this more or less what it is and apparently no good for me?

ticklishmusic

United States15977 Posts

May 12 2015 17:08 GMT

#513

On May 13 2015 01:29 B.I.G. wrote:
So I read the Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicles) by Patrick Rothfuss. Apparently it is a book that is widely praised and after the first 200 or 300 pages I was quite hooked because I saw an epic plot coming. Then he enters his university and the story just totally fucking faceplants I mean in the first part of the book you get all the stuff with the + Show Spoiler +

killing of his friends and family

and the "history lessons" that seemed to detail an interesting history, and in the second half the biggest climax is him + Show Spoiler +

fighting a big-ass junky lizard

It's a beautifully written book (prose-wise, I'm a huge sucker for that). While the actual events are a little on the mundane side, if you lower your expectations and think of it sort of more like the early books of Harry Potter rather than the latter ones it's quite good. Things do get a little more exciting, I forget exactly what happens in which book though.

Doors of Stone, the third book which hasn't come out yet, should be pretty epic though.

Topin

Peru10117 Posts

May 12 2015 19:05 GMT

#514

killing of his friends and family

and the "history lessons" that seemed to detail an interesting history, and in the second half the biggest climax is him + Show Spoiler +

fighting a big-ass junky lizard

im glad im not the only one

Surth

Germany456 Posts

May 14 2015 08:21 GMT

#515

Needed something lighthearted so I read the tl male fashion thread

Paljas

Germany6926 Posts

May 14 2015 17:03 GMT

#516

finished Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
it was not very good. dude has no idea what is talking about half of the time

bookwyrm

United States722 Posts

May 14 2015 19:12 GMT

#517

On May 15 2015 02:03 Paljas wrote:
finished Antifragile: Things That Gain From Disorder by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
it was not very good. dude has no idea what is talking about half of the time

what???