A True Must Read
Brant Hansen's unique and refreshing call to men everywhere to think outside ALL the stereotypes to become the men our relationships, families, and communities need.

The Men We Need is a life-changing book for me. Brant Hansen writes in a humble way which makes his points completely truthful but not painful. I am female but I found myself challenged in my own life and walk.
Key points that resonate with me is that my child doesn’t need me to set her up to get into a great career, she needs me to help her build character and integrity. That NOW is the time for us to pour into our kids, it is never too late.
I absolutely agree with Brant Hansen in saying we need men like this. Men who will stand up for the vulnerable and support other people instead of trying to push their own gain.
What is great though is that he breaks down into key decisions you can make to become a man society needs desperately.
If men were to genuinely embrace these ideals, our world would change for the better, and if you are a single man, you’d have no problem finding dates. If you are a woman, you will know what kind of man you want to build a relationship with.
I will read this book again more than once and share it with the men in my life. I would seriously place this as my all time favorite book.
Posted on goodreads

Brant Hansen has both a great sense of humor and a refreshingly down-to-earth approach to living out the Christian faith. All of his books are excellent, and this one is no exception. In fact, I was even more amazed this time than usual. In a culture that is very confused about what masculinity actually is, Brant takes an insightful look at God's original plan for men and lays out some very specific (and almost never talked about) ways to live that out.

Men will find this book both challenging and encouraging, but there is plenty that pertains to women as well. Anyone who has ever struggled with purposelessness, anxiety, addiction, inadequacy, relationship problems, etc. will find hope through Brant's wit and wisdom. Brant never comes across as egocentric but as one who is still learning, just like the rest of us. His honesty, humility, and clear devotion to Christ is what keeps readers and listeners coming back time and again.

I’ve really appreciated Brant’s lighthearted yet insightful approach and unique take on a variety of topics in his other books, so I expected this one to be another hit. I was not disappointed.

With his characteristic wit, humility, and clarity, Brant makes a powerful case for the kind of men we need – it’s not the stereotypical macho man stuff that makes an “avid indoorsman” like me feel totally out of place and inferior, nor is it simply an erasing of gender distinctions. Rather, it’s all about taking the initiative to care about and care for those in our sphere of influence to help them flourish.

The Men We Need casts a winsome vision for what could be, while also opening our eyes to see how common shortcuts like pornography and video games can get in the way of that. For instance, one money line: “My sin isn’t sin because it’s on a random list of activities that God just doesn’t happen to like. My sin is sin because it stops me from being who I’m supposed to be and what I could have been. It’s a shortcut that leads away from the kingdom of God, where I can flourish, to a different kingdom—the kingdom of me.”

My biggest complaint about this book is that it didn’t come out 30 years ago. I really could have used this instruction as a teenager! That, and the damage this must have done to Brant’s microphone…there are so many great mic drop moments I can’t even imagine how battered that thing must be now.

Whether you’re a man yourself, or you just know one (or more), you owe it to yourself and the men you know to engage this thought-provoking, conversation-starting, fun and winsome read! Even if you don’t agree with everything Brant says, it’s a great starting place for the conversation and a much-needed step toward more of us growing toward being the men we need.

This book had my emotions all over the place. Some chapters convicted me, some emboldened me, all of them made me laugh and think. This truly should be required reading for every man on this planet, but also a lot of it is applicable to women as well!

The ideas in the book are both Biblically grounded and backed by scientific data (yes, those two CAN co-exist!), like the psychological and neurochemical changes that pornography has on the human mind as well as the Bible verses telling us to keep our mind focused on pure and good things. Topics covered include why being passive is so toxic, why doing something "that doesn't hurt anyone" actually is quite damaging to everyone including yourself, how much better life will be if you realize you DON'T need that thing you want right now to be happy, why you shouldn't trade the real for the fake thing (e.g. an actual woman who will challenge you, help you grow, and push you out of your comfort zone vs a fantasy woman who will only leave you feeling unfulfilled), and many more!

The book is written as if Brant is having a heart to heart conversation directly with you. It's conversational, non-judgmental while still being convicting of change and growth, and down to earth. This will be one of those books I reread from time to time since there's so much great information in here that I know I'll catch something new each time I read it.

I wish this book would have been written years ago… but perhaps the world really needed it today during this time. With people just coming out of quarantine and we realize that the people we were around that annoyed us… we really missed them. We need interactions with other people. Yes, even the introverts need to interact with others. This book is filled with gems of wisdom. Here are only a few.

What man doesn’t want to know this little secret? “Your Wife will ultimately respect you when she sees you have a drive to get things done.”

“If he had, in fact, collapsed inwardly and handed himself over to video games and porn, would it have ‘hurt’ anyone? Of course, but he wouldn’t have known it.”

“Don’t let others convince you you’re not enough, you don’t know enough, or you don’t have the expertise. You can do this today.”

“Anger doesn’t change anything. Action changes things.”

I am not a man, but I do need to work on this!! 100%!! "What's worth more: the rush you get from being "right" in the moment, or protecting the long-term relationship with this person you say you love." Ouch. Zing. That one hit home!

These are only a few examples of the wisdom in this book. To tell you all of it I would have to copy and paste the entire book. It is truly that good!

The book comes out on March 29th & you should get it! You have a man in your life? You are a man? You have to work on yourself still whether you are a man or not? Then you need this book.

You Know Enough to Do This

Brant Hansen has written books about misfits, human nature, anger, and The Men We Need is just as radically important. Why Radically? Because, as Brant says, it is counter culture. Brant’s writing is simple, easy to understand, and approachable. Intentionally starting a conversation about the definition of masculinity, and who men are supposed to be. None of what Brant writes is new. It is common knowledge. It is written clearly in the Bible. The problem is that it is rarely put into action, it is deliberately misunderstood, and our world is actively against men. Men who are willing to protect others, men who are actively caring for the garden, men who are loyal to God. This book is not about guilt or accusations, but learning from experience. With plenty of funny antidotes, awkward relatable stories, and Lord of the Rings quotes to laugh about. Though this book is for men, women need to read this book too. To know what a man does, to support loyal men, and to raise future men. This is a book that needs to be talked about, and shared. We could all use a few more keepers of the garden.

The Men We Need is one of the best books I have read in a long time. So much has been written - and rightly so - exposing and calling out toxic "Christian" manhood/masculinity and how scripture has been twisted to support and condone continued abuse of power and misogyny by men in power. Brant looks at scripture in context and rightly interprets what it really means to be a man after God's own heart - as his Creator designed him to be. This book is refreshing, character-building, and life-giving. It shows men (and women) what their purpose truly is and how they can fulfill that purpose exactly where they are right now, regardless of age, ability, or intellect. I have read and enjoyed all of Brant's books, and I think this is the best, most important thing he has ever written.

Though written specifically with men in mind, I got so much out of this book that I can also personally apply to my life as a 44 year old woman. I highly recommend that all women of all ages read this book. It will help single women to know what to look for in a man's character, and also help all women be a support for the men in your lives - whether they be your husband, boyfriend, father, brother, or friend. I'm also ordering copies for every man I know.

Emphatic five stars.

Brant Hansen writes like he talks. He's entertaining and funny yet thought provoking. The world desperately needs men with a larger vision for themselves. This book challenges men to not settle for fake, passive lives. Brant calls them to step up and engage in the world around them; to be the men God created them to be. Women who read this book will be challenged to live more purposefully and less passive as well.

For those familiar with Hansen’s other works, this fourth offering of wisdom is a familiar one. Hansen’s dry humor, quirky delivery, and humble thoughtfulness cover the topic of “christian masculinity,” and what men must decide if they want to be what God desires. Divided into six sections or “decisions,” anecdotes pair with essays, interspersed with humorous interjection and asides. Gentle conviction is common with every page, and yet, Hansen commiserates with us in describing his own failures and fears. He is not the Hero of his book; merely one of the Men We Need. And, indeed, the man of extroversion, introversion, or indecision has hope and something for them within.

This is a fantastic take on what we need right now in society, without being preachy or judgmental. Brant comes off as very authentic and likeable, as he does on his podcast. His wit provides some cushion in the parts where he has to deliver a light blow to people, and he always admits that he is also talking to himself. Very easy to read - short chapters, conversational tone. Would recommend to women and men alike! WELL DONE!

I keep bringing this book up in conversation with friends. Brant is not adding more to men’s To Do list with his Six Decisions; he’s putting into words the choices everyone is making every day whether we know it or not. If we’ve learned anything in the past few years, it’s that so much is out of our control – but each and every one of us gets to decide how we respond – how we play our part in our own lives. The Men We Need is so clarifying, for parents raising boys, for young women weighing what matters in a future spouse, and for men of every age, because we each get to decide what matters in the one life we’ve been given. The best part is that he writes with a wry wit and humor akin to Dave Barry, so the book doesn’t feel like a lecture or (dare I say it?) a sermon. Yes, his perspective is Christian and he’s drawing on Biblical history and wisdom, but no matter your spiritual background, what Brant Hansen says is just good sense and well worth your time to consider. In quick easy to read bite-size chapters Brant Hanson breaks down the six decisions that could literally (and I’m only using a tiny bit of hyperbole here) change the course of your entire life.
The six decisions:
1. Forsake the Fake and Relish the Real
2. Protect the Vulnerable
3. Be Ambitious about the Right Things
4. Make Women and children Feel Safe, Not Threatened
5. Choose Today Who You Will Become Tomorrow
6. Take Responsibility for your own spiritual life

A few of my favorite snippets:
“taking responsibility is the very essence of masculinity”
“It’s remarkable how good we are at shifting an argument or even fashioning a whole new worldview in order to dodge blame. We’re sophisticated at it.”
“The world… needs men who resist distortion, who engage reality at all times, and who are fully real themselves.”
“If your “love” for a woman dies when she fails to give you good feelings, you didn’t love her; you loved you.”
“Who you are reverberates through your home and neighborhood and the world”

5/5. Read this book. Buy a copy for your son, your daughter, anyone who needs a positive vision for their life. (which is pretty much everyone rn) Read it together. Pass it on. Trust me, it’s that good.

“The Men We Need” is the first book by radio personality Brant Hansen that I have had the opportunity to read and review. After reading this book, this is a grave oversight on my part. Brant Hansen’s witty and winsome writing is a breath of fresh in a culture divisive on so many subjects, particularly that of Biblical manhood.
What makes Hansen’s book unique among the genre of books on manhood is its relatability for both genders. This is a book that my daughter needs as much as my young men. Hansen presents his thesis, that men should be “Keepers of the Garden,” and makes a compelling, straightforward argument throughout the book balanced with deprecating humor and scripture. You also cannot go wrong with the numerous “Lord of the Rings” references.
Hansen covers a number of male issues from responsibility to passivity, pornography, video games, work ambition, commitments, emotions, and how to treat women. While he is writing from the perspective of a married man, there are lessons to be gained for those who are single. One should not let his focus on marriage detract from the overall principles he is trying to present.
This book is particularly good for those men who do not “fit” stereotypical manhood. They are no ignored or forgotten in this book. Hansen does not assume that sports metaphors fit every man. Hansen gives voice to every man, including flute and accordion-playing, puppet loving, athletic-deficient, lovers of Jesus.
This book is a worthy read and discuss book by every man and woman. It was a joy to review. I received a copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Men We Need offers a beautiful picture of the role God gave to Adam and invites men to embrace it. That is role is not to be dominant or commanding, but to be a caretaker, a keeper of the garden of life around him. To do this, Hansen argues, men need to pay attention to the people around them, making choices and sacrifices that will benefit others rather than themselves. Hansen does a fantastic job of speaking truth with humility and acknowledging that both men and women are broken people. His goal is not to make anyone feel guilty for their inevitable failures but to invite them into the joy of what it means to have a purpose.

As a female reader, I found Hansen's perspective profoundly honoring of women. He intentionally veers away from specific arguments about gender roles as they are typically played out in most Christian circles and instead focuses on the practical challenges men face in living out God's purpose for their lives - perhaps the most important of which is simply not knowing or understanding it.

Hansen writes with a lot of playfulness and humor, which makes the book a fun and easy read. But he also has a serious message, one that - as Producer Sherri Lynn writes in her forward - is much needed in our world today.

I went to finish the reading for this week and ended up finishing the book..... I feel like a lot of this was good life advice for men and women (shelter your kids, don't trade in real for fake) but I also really appreciate how Brant has cast such a strong vision for an engaged, active man who protects his family, proclaims the Word, and really joins in the rescue mission set by the Lord.

The specific and practical steps really struck me as something the boys and men in my life would benefit from. I'll be ordering copies for various male friends and relatives for the upcoming holidays and asking my husband to read this as soon as I get my physical copy!

Finally, this book helped me really appreciate my husband and gave me ideas of how to honor and support him. He has his struggles, but I so appreciate how he sacrifices for our family and protects us. He doesn't have a traditional job and keeps our son during the day, and when we talked about this book, he shared some of the things he does to protect our son. I honestly thought he didn't notice all the little things moms tend to worry about (is that juice too close to the edge? is this pillow too much in his face? Is he going to slip if he climbs on that with socks on?) but my husband both notices these things and does a better job at knowing when to intervene (yes, move the pillow away from the nose of the sleeping toddler) and when to let our son experiment and grow (he needs to learn where to put that cup without our correcting him every time-- it's okay to clean up a mess). My husband also protects me; he checks on my moods, he recommends activities for my mental health, and he works to meet those needs that he can and point me back to God for the things only God can do. For instance, the other night, I was watching a movie while I worked on my computer and what was billed as a comedy was getting increasingly dark, with vulgar language and tense tones. Without being judgy or bossy, my husband mentioned the tone he was overhearing from my show was making him edgy and it didn't really seem like the kind of show I usually enjoy. Was I enjoying it? He reminded me that it's okay to turn things off and he paid attention for me when I was not engaged yet still able to be affected.
Anyways, this is super long, but I'm so grateful for this book both in helping me recognize and encourage the wonderful man who is my husband as well as giving me practical ideas for better raising my son and praying for all the men in my life.

The Quick Cut: A nonfiction book about what the Bible has to tell us about the role men are meant to play in life.

A Real Review:
Thank you to Baker Books for providing the ARC for an honest review.

Everyone has their own idea of what men should be like and the role they are meant to play in life. However, if you're a Christian, the answer isn't as straight forward as what we think ourselves. Does God have something to say about what a man looks like? In the latest book by Brant Hansen, this topic is explored and discussed.

While the book is about men and the role they play, anyone can read it. As a woman reading it, I certainly got insight as to the biblical perspective of what a man should do and be like. I think it's easy to assume that the Bible would give an archaic concept of gender roles, but that's not entirely the case. Seeing Brant break down what's in the Bible and put it in the scope of society today was certainly illuminating to me.

I'll admit I'm fine I'm finishing these book still grappling with some of the messages in it. However, when it comes to books of the religious or philosophical variety, I think that's a good sign. Books that discuss topics like this are meant to challenge you and make you question your perspective. This book certainly does that and I think it will make me think about these topics for quite a long time.

I can definitely see this book creating quite a bit of controversy. However, if you can put that aside, I think anyone could get something out of Brants perspective here.

A unique take on the Bible and the role of men.

My rating: 4 out of 5