Manhood in America: Exploring Masculinity, Identity & Culture | Books on Gender Studies & Social Issues" 使用场景：Perfect for sociology students, gender studies researchers, and readers interested in American cultural history.

This an academic study, frequently used as a textbook in college sociology or gender studies classes. But it is interestingly written with a wide perspective and little academic jargon. The main aim of the book is to show how the definitions and attitudes concerning “masculinity” or “manhood” have gone in and out of style from the American Revolution until today. There doesn’t seem to be another book that covers the same territory in this amount of depth. It's deep but it's not difficult to read.Kimmel defines three basic approaches to American Manhood – the Genteel Patriarch (dignified aristocratic manhood, property owner, church activities, family focus, benevolent authority), the Heroic Artisan (honest, skilled worker, independent, and loyal to his male comrades), and the Self-Made Man (“derives his identity entirely from his activities in the public sphere, measured by accumulated wealth and status, by geographic and social mobility”). Which version seemed to be in the lead at any one time provides a lens for examining the various periods of American history. He also points out how the images get blurred, especially in politics. He notes that many Presidential candidates have come from aristocratic families but try to portray themselves as tough, self-made men. Kimmel explores these ideas in American historical eras and notes that the same tensions continue to exist today. He examines the images of manhood in literature, movies, television, and religion.