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  • The Will to Change

  • Men, Masculinity, and Love
  • Written by: bell hooks
  • Narrated by: Janina Edwards
  • Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (126 ratings)

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The Will to Change

Written by: bell hooks
Narrated by: Janina Edwards
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Publisher's Summary

Everyone needs to love and be loved - even men. But to know love, men must be able to look at the ways that patriarchal culture keeps them from knowing themselves, from being in touch with their feelings, from loving. In The Will to Change, bell hooks gets to the heart of the matter and shows men how to express the emotions that are a fundamental part of who they are - whatever their age, marital status, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

But toxic masculinity punishes those fundamental emotions, and it’s so deeply ingrained in our society that it’s hard for men to not comply - but hooks wants to help change that.

With trademark candor and fierce intelligence, hooks addresses the most common concerns of men, such as fear of intimacy and loss of their patriarchal place in society, in new and challenging ways. She believes men can find the way to spiritual unity by getting back in touch with the emotionally open part of themselves - and lay claim to the rich and rewarding inner lives that have historically been the exclusive province of women. A brave and astonishing work, The Will to Change is designed to help men reclaim the best part of themselves.

©2003 Gloria Watkins (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about The Will to Change

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  • Overall
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Bro found insight for men

Truly insightful look at the isolation felt my men as a result of patriarchy. I purchased a copy for all the men in my family and we’re going to do a book club. I feel really grateful for bell hooks writing

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Great read for any man/woman

Very informative and highly recommended for all men. I wish I had read this sooner.

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I have been shaped by patriarchy.

This book sheds light on the much needed change needed in our western societies. Please read and recommend.

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A Must Listen!

This book life changing, must read/listen! I recommend to all my friends! It helped me hold and give space for men's emotions. And to be the change I want to see in the world.

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  • jam
  • 2021-04-15

inspiring

this book is saturated in love and that is a nice thing to experience. It suffers from a bit too much finger pointing at other authors and theorists, which distracts from the important work at hand. there's a lot of valuable Insight in this book though, and myself, as a man in a patriarchal society, found a great deal of value in taking this in. especially the very end.

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Compassionate Insights for Men Seeking Healing

This book is eye opening to the way our culture and systems encourage the self-destruction of men. Although I found that the book feels a bit drawn out, until reaching chapters 9-11. Those chapters are the best, make sure to listen to those.

Narration is great, and bell hooks writes from a place of sympathy to a world full of men who have a hard time feeling anything. Would recommend to any guys looking for emotional self-development.

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Must read for men and women alike

Working in men's work, I've discussed almost all the symptoms of this issue without ever naming it what it is. I believe this book is going to be the new foundation to everything I do!

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An essential book for men!

As a man who has been doing his inner work for quite some time I was amazed at how insightful this book is and how much I have left to learn. To miss out on the emotional component of your life is to miss out on life. While I have been doing the work to better engage with my emotional world, so much of this book brought into focus areas of my life where there is work to be done, places and situations to speak up in, and my story to tell.

I enjoyed every part of this book and I have not been well-versed in feminist theory. I see the impact of men not being in touch with their emotions or having the will to change.

I’m my opinion this is an essential book for men to come into union with themselves so that they can live the lives they wish they could.

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Best book on men and patriarchy I've ever read

Listened to it twice. Most books on masculinity simply redefine it without imagining dismantling patriarchy and the work of coming home to the truth of interdependent, transformative, loving men. Thank you, bell hooks.

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  • ms
  • 2022-12-29

Very important

Simply described and clear. Helps understand issue without forcing on others. Think it’s great for men and women. It’s actually more supportive of men.

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