Art of Manliness Collection

I'll make this as concise as possible:This set comes with the two books, some coasters with manly sayings on them, and a cool cigar cox to hold it all.The Box:The box looks great on a coffee table, but in practice it may be better to just get the books. It is hard to get the books out of it because it is such a tight fit. Whatever, no reason to cry over the box.The coasters:They are nice conversation pieces (they each have a manly quote). However, they are made out of the same cheap cardboard stuff that Chili's coasters are made of. They warp when they get water on them. Also, and this is a big bummer, the quotes on them kinda suck. There are some awesome quotes in the books, but the coasters have some mediocre quotes.The Art of Manliness:Awesome. If you like the website, you've probably read a lot of the stuff in it already, but it is far from a compilation of articles from the site. McKay did his best (and her best) to make the book feel book-like. It separates its chapters into different kinds of manliness (the outdoorman, the lover, the gentlemen, etc. Get it. Read it. Make your son read it.Manvotationals:This is basically a compilation of different things written by different authors about manliness, discipline, courage, etc. It has poems, short stories, book excerpts, and other forms of entry. This is the kinda book you may want to highlight and quote around your friends- it's awesome. However, since it is philosophical in nature, I found myself disagreeing with it a lot- it's not the bible.Overall, I recommend getting this package several times over. However, if you can save a few bucks, don't get the box or coasters. They're cheap.Books: greatBox and Coasters: Not so great

I stumbled across artofmanliness.com several months ago and was thrown back by the site. It is fun to read and has very good advice and articles on many topics that men encounter throughout their lives. I love the blog so much that I subscribed to it on my kindle, downloaded the book onto it, and bought the hard copy versions in this boxed set.Quality: This boxed set includes Brett and Kate's two books and six drink coasters. The books are made from quality materials and the covers are very thick and sturdy. The coasters are sturdy, made from a cardboard material, that I can see lasting a good several years. The cigar box that the books and coasters come in is fairly sturdy, again made from a cardboard material, that will last a long time with care. Overall no complaints about the quality of the product, especially at the low price.Content: The first book  The Art of Manliness: Classic Skills and Manners for the Modern Man  has a lot of good advice for each aspect of a man: Gentleman, Friend, Hero, Lover, Father, Outdoorsman, Leader, and Virtuous Man. They include many How-To's and useful information for every man. The second book  The Art of Manliness - Manvotionals: Timeless Wisdom and Advice on Living the 7 Manly Virtues  includes advice on living the seven manly virtues: Manliness, Courage, Industry, Resolution, Self-Reliance, Discipline, and Honor. Each chapter includes quotes, poems, or essays that feed the mind and offer great insights. Both books are filled with wonderful illustrations that engage the reader. Finally, the coasters have manly quotes on them from people like Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Benjamin Franklin.Overall, I am thrilled with this purchase. Definitely worth the money, and I look forward to more wisdom from Brett and Kate McKay over at the artofmanliness.com

I had been eyeballing the original book for quite some time, and was considering buying for one of my groomsmen gifts. I then found I could buy the collection for a bit more. Decided I would buy just 1 set and see what I thought. Packaging is nice. It comes with 2 books and 6 coasters in a nice cigar type box that is cardboard. One of the coasters was torn up.... I don't really care, they aren't anything too great, but will be descent for my office or wherever. I read the preface and first couple sections in the Manvotationals and so far have really enjoyed the book. Some books are just throwup, you just get so bored with big unneeded words and circular logic saying the same thing 12 different ways. This guy has some get to the point style of writing. I have heard some criticism of some of the chapters being out dated or whatever, but I guess you get what you want to get out of a book. If it doesn't interest you, then don't read that part. The point of this book is to not be some beer guzzling bubba "man", but to take responsibility for your life and to strive to possess certain traits that have been lost in today's society.

I purchased this collection for myself after viewing the AoM website. I was very impressed with the books. They contain sound advice and time tested manly wisdom from men in all walks of life, for men in all walks of life. I can't stand "man' products that make men out to be over sexualized, lust fanatics or products that insist we must love hiking or fixing cars to be a real man. This book praises virtue and duty and seeks to inspire men to be gentlemen rather than a mob of beer swilling buffoons. I would highly recommend this collection to EVERY man becuase it contains the essence of manhood within it's pages. Virtue, duty, honor, respect, integrity, courage...these are indeed the Art of Manliness!(For the record, I do not like hiking but love walking around nature and experiencing God's creative power, I fix my car becuase i need to(but have amazing respect for any guy who can do it well) and though I am not a beer swilling buffoon, I have been known to enjoy one too many Sam Adams Oktoberfest brews on occasion...these do not make me a man, they simpoly confirm I enjoy being a man:)

I ordered this a long time ago and after waiting a long time for it to arrive, I can safely say it was well worth the wait. The box it arrives in is sturdy, looks good and is perfect for storing them. The books themselves cover a wide range of topics, but all in relation to how you can behave in a more manly and gentlemanly way. Some of the stuff is common sense, but has sadly been forgotten by most of society, the rest is amusing and informative. I find myself laughing whilst reading this but I can safely say that the way I behave will alter after reading this book. This will make a perfect Father's day gift or perhaps for a friend who is getting married or about to have his first baby, a tongue in cheek gift for your son as a gentle nudge towards what you hope to see him become or just a subtle hint to a boss who could use a personality adjustment. No matter who reads this, it shows them that not only they, but also their life and those around them can be better.

Bought this as a present for my partner after he discovered the website and became slightly obsessed with it. The books are great, and come in a lovely box. AS well as being funny, whimsical and quirky, the articles are also extremely useful and practical. Thought it could be one of those presents that looks nice and stays on the shelf for a while, but he hasn't stopped reading them yet! The coasters are like ones you find in pubs, easily marked and ripped, but bought mainly for the books so wasn't bothered by the poor quality.

I decided to purchase this book on the back off reading Art of Manliness website and listening to a selection of podcasts.Part tips guide, part philosophical guidebook, the collection makes for a nice compliment to each other. In the 'Classic Skills' book, you are taught a good number of common sense manners relating many of the new experiences you'll face as an adult (i.e. dinner parties, dating women etc).Couple that with social media advice, relationship tips, and general helpful things like how to jump start a car and you have a really nice well rounded guide. I'd be surprised if any man couldn't learn at least something from reading this book as it really is well researched, well intentioned advice. At no point is it preachy, or patronising to the reader, and I found it very welcoming. I also found the inclusion of old time words a nice and humorous addition.The 'Mannovationals' book is a contrast from that and really gets the grey matter working. I've only really begun flipping through it, but I really enjoy it.With Christmas coming up, I would definitely suggest this if you have a young man in your family. I think visually it looks a bit childish, but the content is fantastic.

The diversity of the knowledge presented in these books is amazing and very useful. It covers everything from starting a fire to the symbolic meaning of flowers. If you feel you are ready to grow up, man up, or become a more manly (in the traditional sense) gent, then you have to get this set. It makes for a great gift as well.

I purchased this for a friend and ended up getting another for myself.Lots of good information and tips to being a better man. It'd not reinventing the wheel just reminding us of things we may have forgotten.You can pick it up read a section and put it down again. It doesn't have to be read in one shot. That's part of the reason I like this collection. Buy one for any man you know and he's sure to be happy with it.