Synopsis

Masculinity is in crisis.

Many men find themselves in a no-win situation and often do not have any idea how they got there. Society has shoved men into a very narrow box that dictates how they are allowed to be, feel, act, relate and live. Defining in strict terms what a man is “supposed to be.”
For hundreds of years, while arguably stifling, men have been able to exist in this box relatively unscathed. However, as society has evolved, as women have been given permission to shed conditioning and step outside traditional confines, what a man “should be” has remained stagnant. This has devastating effects on men themselves, their relationships and society in general. And in this new world, as we redefine ourselves in light of #metoo and #BLM, staying in this box, “acting like a man,” is now deemed as toxic.

When a man does look for an alternative model of how they might be, might live, the landscape is barren of examples that fit, leaving men without traction, without guidance or safe harbor.

"Next Level Men" explores the conditioning of boys and men, examines the detrimental effects of living in these strict confines and offers options on shedding the old, stale, restrictive thinking and stepping into the man you were born to be. This game-changing book creates traction for men to shift from crisis to creators; to the men they were meant to be. Join the authors as they lay out a customizable path ahead for you to discover yourself as a Next Level Man; as a man who creates a life where you are fulfilled, healthy and engaged with the world, your purpose and your people.

Amy and Art met in early 2019 at an executive conference and quickly discovered a mutual interest in the current state of men and society’s ever declining view of masculinity. As we talked at length over drinks and great food, a shared passion for change emerged. Collaboration, retreats and articles were discussed. It soon became clear that so much more was needed and this book idea was born. Their combined wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as their different gender experiences make them the perfect duo for such a task.

Sales arguments

• Asking Regena (Mama Gena) Thomashauer to write the forward. Best selling author and motivational speaker, Regena is a leader in the Female Empowerment movement and founder of the The School of Womanly Arts.
• Masculinity is in crisis and there are very few resources for men to turn to for direction on any other way to be.
• Next Level Men will be uniquely written from both a male and female perspective.

Similar titles

• For the Love of Men: From Toxic to a More Mindful Masculinity, Liz Plank, St. Martin's Press, 10 Sept 2019. This book addresses similar topic, though Liz focuses more on toxic masculinity and Amy and Art on general conditioning. Also, she targets women to guide men, whereas theirs is written for men.
• The Man They Wanted Me to Be: Toxic Masculinity and a Crisis of Our Own Making, Jared Yates Sexton, Counterpoint, 7 May 2019. This book also addresses the conditioning of men, though it is a memoir, so Amy and Art's would be broader in scope.
• 31 Days to Masculinity: A Guide for Men to Live Authentic Lives, Hunter Drew, self-published, 19 May 2017. This book outlines a step by step process with a timeline targeting married men specifically. Amy and Art's work is less structured and is individual in nature, independent of relationship status.

Audience

Men 30-50 who want to break free of millennia of conditioning and show up differently in this new post #metoo, post #BLM world