Self-Care for Men – But… will they read it?

Was I surprised to see Self-Care for Men by Garrett Munce on a sale table for $2?

No. No, I wasn’t.

Why?

Because most men I’ve known would rather poke their eyes out with a stick than read a self-help book – even if it was written for them.

And by “most men I know” I mean my grand-fathers, father, son, daughter’s husband, sister’s husband, both of my husband’s (not at the same time, obviously) and their male siblings, who were and/or are my brother’s-in-law’s. <<<That’s a tongue-twister!

Don’t get me wrong… men aren’t the only one’s who hold their noses around self-help.

But this book isn’t for women… it’s for men.

So we need to … uh… go there.

All aboard the Gender Train. Next stop, Mansville!

That said, it would have behooved all the men I’ve mentioned to crack a book like this open and take a look, at least at the chapters that interest them. “Like what?” you may ask.

Good question!

Maybe the chapter on hair? Most guys I know aren’t doing facials or pedicures but they definitely care about their crowning glory, just like most women. Side note: Especially if they’re losing it.

So yeah, there’s a whole section on hair.

There’re also the following sections:

• Mind
• Wellness
• Body
• Face
• (Then Hair)
• Spirit
• Space (not the galaxies, you’re living space!)

When I first picked up the book, I noticed it has those un-cut, messy-edged pages I like… the ones that are sometimes used on devotionals and gift books. Usually (*Ahem* I’m telling ya!) for women.

Slight Digression: Ya know, it’s been bugging me what those kind of pages are actually called because I’ve mentioned them several times in this blog space and called them all sorts of things, none of them correct.

So, here we go… thanks to my pal Google:

They’re called DECKLE EDGES.

Hot dog! I’m learning something NEW!

According to Google: Deckle edges are the ragged edges on paper. These edges are a natural result of making paper by hand, but most of the books on your shelf with irregular edges are an artificial simulation of true deckle edges.

So, they look hand-torn, which for me feels like more care went into the process? I guess?

I don’t know why I like it so much… I just do.

Anyway.

This book’s pages have deckle(d?) edges (Yay, I used it in a sentence!) which I immediately thought was completely wasted on most guys.

See, there I go again!

Ugh.

(Insert your own “humorous” comment about deckle edges on Popular Mechanics or gritty war novel here. Or better yet, take a look at this Esquire list of the best books that every man should read. Any deckle edges? See what I mean? You’re welcome!)

Let’s get really real: A man could read ANY self-help book and get the same out of it that his female co-readers would get. Same with cis-gender or non-binary… or frankly… anyone of any gender.

And yet, this book has been written and got itself published FOR MEN, which is more than I can say for my book, which you haven’t heard about in a while… and this is not the time…

<deep breaths, Sher!>

Is this book good enough to recommend? Is there anything of value that I haven’t seen in other books?

Actually, YES!!!

There’s a whole chapter in the “Spirit” section about forests, forest bathing, and earthing. I’ve talked quite a bit about my new-found (by walking over the summer) love of all-things forest. And you just don’t normally see this suggestion in a run-of-the-mill, self-help book, so… Bravo! Mr. Munce! Nice addition!

Aside from that, all the expected stuff is here, nicely-written and packaged for the man in your life. Or yourself, if you’re into this kind of thing.