Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle

This book encapsulates the essence of masculinity in the modern world. The author's wit and humor had me laughing at times, while his ability to strike a chord with deeply reflective content made me pause and introspect to the point where I had to put down the book at times. As a gay man, reading Brodeur's exploration of masculinity resonated strongly with me. He brought up familiar thoughts and scenes about navigating a world that often criticizes you for not being ‘masculine enough', while also dealing with the expectations of the gay community to uphold the same standards. The book delves deep into what it means to be healthy, strong, and attractive but also questions how these qualities are measured. It was refreshing to see Brodeur challenge the images of hypermasculinity projected by figures, and it made me question how these images have influenced my perceptions of attractiveness and strength. “Swole” is a thoughtful, funny, and reflective piece of writing that I would highly recommend. It's left me eager to read anything else Brodeur has to write, and has me fantasizing about having brunch or a workout session with him!