10 books every man should read.

Since childhood I have been a bit of a book worm, in fact my first interaction with the English language was when I attempted to read a children's book out loud, my pronunciation was probably less than perfect then and I like to believe it has improved since, all though some may argue that. I found that books had the ability to take me in to whole new worlds that I could have never been too and experience for myself extraordinary things. Although I was never a good student, my ravenous desire for new books and facts gave me the notoriety of been the kid filled with random and uncommon knowledge. I learned about space, rock climbing, scuba diving, psychology, robotics, survival and more all trough reading.

It’s because of this that I believe that a true man is a man that is knowledgeable, useful and resourceful and the best way I can suggest for you to become this is by reading; it is quite simple "real men read". So I offer to you my list of top ten books every man should read.

1. The Bible.

This wonderful book is the most powerful force here on earth, for it is the very words of our God, printed and reproduced in thousands of languages for every man to read. In it you will learn about yourself, you will find your desperate need for Christ and you will find an incredibly loving, compassionate and desperate God staring right in to your soul calling you to receive his overwhelming love. This book will break you, will move you, will teach you more than any preacher ever could, it will spark a relationship with God deeper than any you ever had. If all other books burn, may I forever hold to the words in this one.

2. Maximized Manhood by Edwin Louis Cole.

I absolutely love this book, I received my copy when my wife found one in a thrift shop, and I read it during the first few months of our marriage. This book taught me how to treat my wife, lead my family and be man enough to tackle my issues, all with God by my side pushing me on. Every chapter in this book is confrontational and ends by asking you to analyze your self, if you are made uncomfortable with conflict then you need to man up and read this book.

3. Mud, Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls.

Aside the point that this man is my personal hero, this book is excellently written, fast passed, humorous and filled with wisdom. This man has been part of the S.A.S and the French foreign legion, he has climbed the Everest after recovering from a broken vertebra, is a loving father and husband, and to top it all off is a devout believer, this books pages are filled with the raw story of a man that was always the underdog but with his faith and sheer tenacity rose to the top, MAN ALIVE!

3. The Expeditionary Man by Rich Wagner.

I am still in the process of reading this book and it is already becoming one of my favorites. In it he calls men to see beyond themselves and to begin seeing their families as part of the team not something to drag along to the summit, if you are frustrated because you can’t seem to find the balance between your desire for adventure and the love for your home and family, this book is for you, it will put a new wind on your sails as you take your family along in this adventure called life.

4. The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Any book good enough for Batman is good enough for me, there is a reason Superheroes, fortune 100 CEO's and Pro Coaches read this book, and that reason is that this book teaches you to have the right attitude to kick butt at whatever you are doing. Sun Tzu tackles everything from the psyche of your enemy to how to properly take over a country with the fewest casualties possible. It was reading this book that inspired several of General Patton's successful tactics that ended up defeating the Nazis.

5. Revolution in World Missions by K.P Yohannan.

There is a popular trend going on around people in ministry, it is the trend of using the phrase "you got to use wisdom" to bail out of stepping out of the boat and trusting the power of God to let them walk on water. I have seen too many "mature believers" laugh away at the gigantic faith of a new believer, simply because they dare to believe farther than them. Well this book is all about a mature believer that did many so called "foolish" things in faith and saw God come through every time. Its pages will move you to believe for more than you ever thought possible and your heart will burn with compassion to get active, and share the gospel with any one and every one.

6. John G Lake.

This autobiography covers the story of the man who's faith and tenacity in preaching the gospel turned the city that he lived in into the healthiest city in America, all because people where coming to his meetings to get healed. Get prepared to peer in to the notes of the man himself and allow your faith to soar and trust on the amazing power of God more and more.

7. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien.

I don't know if you consider this book manly or not but let me tell you why it made the list; it is filled to the brim with nothing but adventure. This book makes me want to get out there and explore, it makes me want to hike and wonder, it makes me want to sword fight and stand for something bigger than myself. Simply put it is an amazing tale that makes you want to be a better person, and a better friend, or hobbit for this matter. Don't let the stupid movie discourage you, the book is actually really good and a great read for the little ones.

8. Come Back Alive by Robert Young Pelton

This is the only survival guide I actually have fully read (the others have being more for reference), reason being because is so well written, this guy doesn't just spout of survival facts but he actually walks you through them whether trough personal stories or well thought out scenarios, in addition his sarcastic tongue on cheek attitude makes it a hilarious and informative read, absolutely get this book if you are interested in survival, there is some light language so be aware.

9. Just in Case by Kathy Harrison.

This is a fantastic book to have for reference and also a very good read, I was going through it and was impressed at how simple, practical, thorough and entertaining this book was. If you want to learn about preparedness but don't know where to start, then pick this book up, you won’t regret it.

10. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Foe.

This was the first novel I ever read and it messed me up! I blame this book for my love of adventure and for creating a fort in my back yard. This amazing novel was written by a man that was an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer and spy; that is an amazing resume. This book taught me to be resourceful; it highlighted the importance of my faith and showed me to make the best out of any situation.

Well what are you waiting for, get over to your library and start checking books out like a mad man. You do have a library card right? tell me in the comments what you think of the list, and what books would you like to add to it, who knows, I might pick up one of your suggestions myself.