These are books I’ve read, returned to, or regularly reference in my work with men, women and couples. Some I agree with more than others. But each one has influenced how I think about masculinity, leadership, marriage, discipline, faith, and responsibility.
Note – The links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend books I’ve actually read and found worthwhile.
Masculinity & Men’s Work
Iron John – Robert Bly
A foundational work in the modern men’s movement. Mythic, poetic, and symbolic. Especially helpful for understanding initiation, the loss of masculine rites, and the difference between boyhood and mature masculinity.
Men’s Work – Connor Beaton
A practical and grounded entry point into modern men’s work. Clear, accessible, and focused. A good read, especially for Masculine Revival Brotherhood guys.
It’s Good to Be a Man – Michael Foster & Dominic Bnonn Tennant
A bold rejection of both passive masculinity and caricatured machismo. Strong Christian backbone with real-world application. Provides a helpful mental framework on many core aspects of manhood.
Hard Times Create Strong Men – Stefan Aarnio
Provocative and hard-hitting read. Sharp in diagnosing cultural decay, comfort addiction, and the cost of weak men leading families and societies.
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover – Robert Moore & Douglas Gillette
An archetypal framework for understanding masculine maturity and imbalance. Useful as a diagnostic tool, not a personality test.
Wild at Heart – John Eldredge
A modern classic in men’s literature. Poetic, narrative-driven, and formative for many men beginning to recover a sense of masculine desire, mission, and adventure.
Masculinity in Relationship & Marriage
The Masculine in Relationship – GS Youngblood
One of the clearest modern articulations of masculine presence, polarity, and emotional leadership. Especially valuable for married men.
No More Mr. Nice Guy – Robert Glover
A classic for a reason. Exposes covert contracts, people-pleasing, and passive manipulation. Required reading for recovering “nice guys.”
No More Christian Nice Guy – Paul Coughlin
Applies similar principles within a Christian framework. Helpful for men who confuse passivity with virtue.
The Alpha Female’s Guide to Men & Marriage – Suzanne Venker
Written for women, but extremely illuminating for men who want to understand modern relationship dynamics without ideological fog.
The Oracle – Stefan Aarnio
Symbolic and unconventional. Best read as commentary on female psychology, attraction, and modern relational confusion—not literal instruction.
The Abusive Wife – David D. Edgington
This book addresses a rarely acknowledged reality in marriage: verbal abuse and reviling by wives toward their husbands…
Discipline, Focus & Personal Responsibility
Atomic Habits – James Clear
Simple, effective, and practical. A reminder that consistency beats intensity.
Deep Work – Cal Newport
A needed antidote to distraction, shallow work, and dopamine-driven living.
Digital Minimalism – Cal Newport
For men serious about reclaiming attention, presence, and agency in a hyper-stimulated world.
The War of Art – Steven Pressfield
Short, sharp, and confrontational. A book about resistance, discipline, and showing up.
Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins
Extreme, but clarifying. Read it for perspective, not imitation.
The Slight Edge – Jeff Olson
Reinforces the power of daily, boring faithfulness over dramatic overhauls.
Healing, Trauma & Sexual Integrity
Waking the Tiger – Peter Levine
A foundational text on trauma stored in the body. Especially relevant for men doing emotional and nervous-system work.
Your Brain on Porn – Gary Wilson
Clear, clinical, and helpful for understanding addiction, arousal conditioning, and recovery.
Faith, Truth & Christianity
Mere Christianity – C.S. Lewis
Timeless clarity. One of the best introductions to Christian belief and moral reasoning.
I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist – Norman Geisler & Frank Turek
A rational defense of Christian belief. Helpful for men wrestling intellectually, not emotionally.
More Than a Carpenter – Josh McDowell
Accessible and direct. A compelling entry point for men wrestling with the identity of Christ and the historical credibility of Christianity.
The Case for Christ – Lee Strobel
Investigative and journalistic. Examines the historical claims surrounding Jesus through expert interviews and evidence-based inquiry.
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus – Habermas & Licona
Serious historical argumentation for the resurrection. Dense, but solid.
On Marriage and Family Life – St. John Chrysostom
Deeply grounded, pastoral, and demanding. Marriage as a path of sanctification, not self-uffillment.
The Second Coming of the New Age – Bancarz & Peck
A helpful critique of modern spiritual confusion and the “new age” pseudo-religion.