Reviews

Synopsis: Young men are underachieving in unprecedented numbers. More and more young men are not attaining standard benchmarks of maturity, such as entering and graduating from higher education, finding a career, establishing their financial independence, and living on their own.
"Be the Awesome Man: A Young Man's Guide to Achieving Discipline, Success, and Happiness" by Dennis Gazarek approaches the challenges of being a young man from a unique and practical perspective. Written in a sensible, easy-to-read format, "Be the Awesome Man" delves into the roots of male underachievement and provides practical guidance for young men and their parents, teachers, ministers, coaches, and other mentors.
Drawing on real-world experience as a coach, mentor, and father, Gazarek provides methods to counter the negative influences that encourage underachievement, and shows how effective decision making can lead to a better life. "Be the Awesome Man" emphasizes that freedom requires responsibility and offers specific guides and advice for taking full responsibility and control over one's life.
Combining old-fashioned wisdom, a critical analysis of modern culture, and a pragmatic program of character development, "Be the Awesome Man" offers a better way of life for young men who want to break out of mediocrity and underachievement.
Critique: As informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring, "Be the Awesome Man: A Young Man's Guide to Achieving Discipline, Success, and Happiness" is a kind of DIY self-help/self-improvement instructional guide and manual for young men regardless of their ethnicity or background. While a highly recommended addition to community, college and university library Parenting and Teenage/Young Adult self-help collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Be the Awesome Man" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99).