Man-Making: Men Helping Boys on their Journey to Manhood

Man-Making Resources

     On this page you'll find:


Earl's Other Books

     Since 1985, in addition to the Man-Making book, I have published a number of books for young people. These books are on topics such as stress management, grief & loss, self-esteem, and violence prevention. Together they have sold almost a half-million copies. If you're interested, you can read about some of these books here.

Resources on the Man-Making Blog

     In addition to the resources you'll find on this page, you may want to visit the Man-Making blog. It's a digital bulletin board that has been accumulating descriptions of resources and related content since 2004.  If you know of a resource that should be listed here or on the blog, please send me an .

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Articles

Questions for Men about Man-Making
     In this PDF document you'll find some of the questions asked of men who contributed their stories to the Man-Making book. Each question is certain to stir a powerful discussion about Man-Making for any group of men. To read the contributor’s responses to these questions, click on the “What Men Say” link.

Why Men Don't Mentor Boys
     In this PDF article I've detailed some of the significant personal and societal barriers to man-making I've uncovered in my research. I've described just some of the challenges men will have to overcome on THEIR journey to manhood if they are going to be successful mentoring boys.

How to Create a Rite-of-Passage Ceremony
     This PDF article describes a rite-of-passage ceremony I helped a friend create to launch his son off to college. It's not THE definitive guide, but it offers a couple of important lessons. First, it does give a possible template you might build on. Second, I hope it gives you permission to trust your male instincts and allow you to do something! You are hardwired for this and wouldn't be reading this far if you weren't called to action.

Books for Single Moms
     This is not an article, but a PDF document listing a number of books for single moms . . . my sheroes.

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Helpful Websites

     This is a listing of websites that have either been referred to in the Man-Making book, described on the Man-Making Blog, or suggested by contributors. I don't necessarily endorse the ideas in every website, but I do believe each offeres an interesting perspective on the Man-Making Challenge.

  • Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota - Fast Facts about Mentoring in America.

  • Mentor - Mentor is THE national organization working to develop strong mentoring programs around the country.

  • Midlife-men.com - Solid information for men experiencing the transitions of mid-life written by Noel McNaughton

  • The Boys to Men Mentoring Network - Boys to Men Mentoring Network is a nonprofit corporation created to guide boys 12-17 years of age through their passage to manhood.

  • Pathways Foundation - Australia - A contemporary, community based Rite of Passage for boys into Manhood.

  • The Rising Son, Inc. Young Men's Development Center - The center's mission is to "reduce fatherless families by providing programs and activities designed to prepare young men for the challenges of manhood and responsible fatherhood." A great model program driven by one very motivated man. Hero Award.

  • Guys Read - Author Jon Scieszka has created this very funky website dedicated to getting young guys to read.

  • The Mankind Project - This organization is "changing the world, one man at a time," by putting men through rite of passage weekends. If you're a man and you want a life changing experience, check out this organization.

  • The First Tee - This amazing organization provides young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop life-enhancing values such as confidence, perseverance and judgment through golf and character education.

  • Respect Me - The Resilient Adolescent Program (RAP) was developed by a 17 year-old bullying victem and her counselor in South Africa to build resilience and promote positive mental health in teenagers. The stories on the site are inspirational and informative.

  • The Field School - The Field School of Charlottesville, Virginia, is one of many schools for boys using the recent research on boy development as the rationale for a single-gender learning environment.Good data links too.

  • Urban Boatbuilders - Our mission is to support positive youth development through the building and use of boats.

  • Children Now - leading national public policy organization working to ensure children have a healthy and diverse media environment.

  • Men Can Stop Rape (MCSR) - is a Washington, DC-based, organization that mobilizes young men to find and use their strength for creating a culture free from violence, especially men’s violence against women.

  • The XY-Zone - The goal of the project is to support and guide adolescent males as they journey into manhood, helping them to succeed in school and prepare for healthy relationships, marriages and bright futures.

  • Wilderness Awareness Community School - Is an organization that teaches young people about themselves and the world around them. This group gets my vote as a a great example of good mentoring and youth development.

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Books

     This is a collection of titles that have either been referred to in the Man-Making book or suggested by contributors. I don't necessarily endorse the ideas in every book, but offer them as a broad spectrum of view points on man-making, manhood, and related topics. They are not listed in any particular order. Clicking a title will take you directly to Amazon.com or the book's website where you can read more about the book and purchase it if you're interested.

In association with Amazon.Com 

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Films

     These are reader recommended films. They make great discussion starters for groups of men considering Man-Making work and, in some cases, for use with groups of adolescent males. If you are aware of a film that would fit into this category, please send me an and I'll list it here.

     In addition to those films described below, contributors have suggested: Pride, Second Hand Lions, Hoosiers, Road to Glory, and We Are Marshall.

  • Journeyman, 2007
    Journeyman is a one-hour documentary available on DVD about rites of passage, mentoring, and male culture in America. The film follows Joe and Mike, two teenage boys from diverse backgrounds who struggle with depression and violence, both of whom are in dire need of support and guidance from adult males. In a mentoring program, they face challenging rites of passage, discover their inner strength, and learn to engage with a community of supportive men.
    If you want to open a man's heart and move him in the direction of helping boys on their journey to manhood, I highly recommend this DVD.

    You can order the Journeyman DVD and see a clip at mirrormanfilms.org.

  • Gran Torino; 2009
    The film starts showing us an old man that nobody wants to be around. He is isolated, gruff, uncaring, haunted by his past, and quite content to be left alone. He is trapped in a struggle to break free from the past and embrace the present. Gran Torino also profiles a male teenager with similar feelings. He's new to the neighborhood and trying to be himself. He has cousins in a gang that are determined to have him join them.
    One man said, “As an older male, it brought home to me the need to try harder, to reach out more to young men. I was reminded, once again, of how the young males in this country painfully need older men involved in their lives.”

  • Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys; 2006
    America's boys are in trouble. They are the most violent in the industrialized world. Many are unable to express their emotions. On average, boys are doing worse in the classroom than they were 10 years ago. Who is responsible for this situation? How do we learn to listen to and support our boys? How can we guide them on the path to becoming responsible, caring men? The documentary, Raising Cain: Boys in Focus, provides answers, insights, ideas, and hope. See a clip of the film at this link, and order a copy from Amazon at this link.

  • Hoop Dreams; 1994
    This documentary follows two inner-city Chicago residents, Arthur Agee and William Gates, as they follow their dreams of becoming basketball superstars. Beginning at the start of their high school years, and ending almost 5 years later, as they start college, we watch the boys mature into men, still retaining their "Hoop Dreams". Both are recruited into the same elite high school as their idol, former Detroit Piston superstar Isaiah Thomas. Only one survives the first year; the other must return to a high school closer to his home. Along the way, there is much tragedy, some joy, a great wealth of information about inner city life, and the suspense of not knowing what will occur next. This is not a "by-the-numbers" film. This would be a great discussion starter for a group of men and/or boys. See a clip of the film at this link, and buy a copy from Amazon at this link.

  • Tender Mercies; 1983
    Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall), a once-famous country western singer, wakes up broke, alone and hung over in a tiny Texas motel run by widowed Rosa Lee (Tess Harper). Having nowhere else to go, Sledge takes a job at the motel, and through the kindness and faith of Rosa he changes his self-destructive ways. He marries Rosa (after he's baptized at her urging) and becomes a father/pal to her son (Allan Hubbard). Given an opportunity to make a comeback, Sledge considers leaving his new family behind, but after a reunion with his own unhappy daughter (Ellen Barkin), he vows never again to ruin anyone else's life. A simple story simply told, Tender Mercies is a warm, persuasive tale of redemption, with Robert Duvall giving one of his finest performances. Get a copy from Amazon at this link

  • Y Tu Mama Tambian; 2000
    Alfonso Cuaron's "Y Tu Mama Tambien" (aka "And Your Mother Too") is a simple road movie about childhood friends Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (Gael Bernal), two high school guys who, like a lot of high school guys, are a little preoccupied with sex, drugs, and more sex. The teenagers develop a plan to lure an older female cousin, Luisa, out of the city with the promise of a road trip to a beach that doesn't exist in order to -- what else? -- get laid. Ultimately, the film makes the point that the boys, despite their braggart attitudes toward sex, they really are just boys. While the boys believe that because they have had sex and smoke dope that they are adults, but it's Luisa's presence, and her subsequent sexual encounters with them, that proves otherwise. Not for every group of boys, but the men will love this film... taking them right back to their adolescence. See a clip of the film at this link, and get a copy from Amazon at this link

  • Movie Listing
    A great list of "Movies that address male issues" can be found on an equally great website for men started by Martin Brossman. Check out toinquire.com

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