Wanted, a man who is larger than his calling, who considers it a low estimate of his occupation to value it merely as a means of getting a living. Wanted, a man who sees self-development, education and culture, discipline and drill, character and manhood, in his occupation. Wanted, a man of courage who is not a coward in any part of his nature. Wanted, a man who is symmetrical, and not one-sided in his development, who has not sent all the energies of his being into one narrow specialty and allowed all the other branches of his life to wither and die. Wanted, a man who is broad, who does not take half views of things; a man who mixes common sense with his theories, who does not let a college education spoil him for practical, every-day life; a man who prefers substance to show, and one who regards his good name as a priceless treasure.

The book is a collection of texts: stories, letters, poems, speeches, aiming to teach a series of virtues in life. The volume is called The Art of Manliness, but the virtues presented can be actually  applied to anyone.

The seven virtues hailed for good life are: manliness, courage, industry, resolution, self-reliance, discipline and honour. For each, several texts of great persons, writers, adventurers, are presented, in order to explain and stimulate.

The Art of Manliness is largely a motivational book, showing past examples, stories, ideas, words of great men, to inspire the reader to be a better man. It draws from Greek and Roman writers, American founding fathers, Arctic and American Far-west explorers and thinkers of the 19th century,

The book is a great opportunity to be exposed to the classical literature, particularly to poems. It includes one of the very few poems I like, The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred Lord Tennyson. How much courage and discipline those people had! I quote some of it:

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Overall, while not exceptional, the book is useful for inspiration, something to look up to, and, generally, as a compass of life. I took my time to read it.