Help the man in your life be his best self with these five books on etiquette, style, social life, and wellness.
For a practical guide to life for the cultured man on your list, choose Men’s Society: A Guide to Social Protocol, Necessary Skills, Superior Style, and Everything Else that Will Set You Apart from the Pack. This small-sized hardcover is filled with applicable, helpful advice for real-world, day-to-day living. Find the perfect haircut based on your face type and learn the lingo to make sure your hairdresser or barber trims it just the way you like it. Get tips on topics like balding gracefully, maintaining beards, styling clothing, selecting accessories, and caring for tattoos. An outline of spirits and wines and tips for how to order make for smooth nights out. The culture section of this book truly sets it apart with extensive lists for books to read, music to listen to, and films to watch. Best for the cultured man.
$17.00, Hardcover
152 pages, 5 3/4 x 8
Rock Point
ISBN: 9781631064432
Suited for a coffee table, but designed to be a great read, Sharp Suits: A Celebration of Men’s Tailoring by Eric Musgrave offers a visual and written journey of this iconic men’s apparel across time. At a glance, viewers will be engaged by the numerous photos, both color and black and white, of men across the ages. Recognize vintage snapshots of suit-clad celebrities like Fred Astaire, Clint Eastwood, Humphrey Bogart, and Prince Charles alongside models and everyday people like “young boys on a Sunday in Harlem.” The accompanying text offers a great fashion retrospective– a history of suit styles with international appeal that includes chapters like “Princes among men,” “Italian job,” “US male,” and “Passion for Paris.” Best for coffee tables and suit enthusiasts.
$24.95, Hardcover
208 pages, 8 1/4 x 10 1/2
Pavilion
ISBN: 9781911624783
For a more mindful, whole-body approach to men’s wellness, select Thinking Man’s Guide to Life: How to Network, De-stress, Make Friends, and Everything In-Between by Alfred Tong. A self-described self-help book, this companion offers advice in areas such as work, rest, social, and love. Tips are accentuated by fun, colorful cartoons. Get suggestions on topics like making conversation, overcoming failure, meditating, taking rest, and improving memory. Hear advice like: how not to bore, how to be charismatic, and how to listen. For those who want to read more, this guide offers references to other books and reputable sources like the Harvard Business Review. Overall, this is a handy guide for men who want to be better people. Best for men who want a healthier lifestyle.
$19.99, Hardcover
176 pages, 5 3/4 x 7
Hardie Grant Books
ISBN: 9781784881559
Return to the office in style with How to Tie a Tie: The Gentleman’s Guide to the Perfect Knot. This small book begins with a brief history of ties from war time cravats to practical fashion of today. Learn how to choose a tie by material, color, and pattern and brush up on tie-wearing etiquette. The bulk of the book features step-by-step instructions and cartoon illustrations for how to tie twenty different types of knots with full-page, full-color photos of finished styles. Start with a classic kent knot and expand your repertoire to the more advanced trinity knot.Try the Atlantic or cavendish knots or consider alternate neckwear like bandannas and string ties. Best for tie guys.
$12.95, Hardcover
122 pages, 5 x 7
Sterling Publishing
ISBN: 9781454931324
For men who like to imbibe in style, choose Modern Gentleman: The Guide to the Best Food, Drinks, and Accessories by John McCarthy with illustrations by Stephen Davis. This small, black book is divided into three sections: drinks, food, and cigars. The guide offers a history of beer and wine with inserts like “how to sign a credit card.” Drink recipes make up about two-thirds of the book and include favorites like the martini, manhattan, and high-ball. The food section contains tips for man-friendly dishes like how to cook a steak, building a cheese and charcuterie plate, and making oysters. Those who like to smoke in style will find a section on choosing cigars. Best for drink recipes.
$12.95, Hardcover
144 pages, 5 x 7
duopress
ISBN: 9781947458802