American Manhood: Transformations in Masculinity from the Revolution to the Modern Era

This book sweeps away the groundless assumptions and myths that inform the current fascination with men's lives. Who is a "real man"? What is "naturally" male? How does a "manly" man act? E. Anthony Rotundo stresses that our concept of manhood is man-made; and like any human invention, it has a history. Rotundo traces the drastic shifts in the meaning of masculinity that have occurred over the past two centuries, and presents a radically different portrait of manhood in earlier times. Two hundred years ago, for example, men were considered more sexually restrained than women. American Manhood argues that a revolution in our understanding of masculinity has occurred twice over the last two hundred years. Speaking directly to the contemporary dilemmas of American masculinity, Rotundo brilliantly analyzes the moral and psychological paradoxes of becoming a man. The book also reveals how changing concepts of manhood helped to define the character of many important modern American institutions, from higher education to sports to politics.