Notes on Being a Man

Book review

Scott Galloway’s Notes on Being a Man is one of those rare “modern masculinity” books that actually has weight behind it. No internet bravado, no hustle-porn nonsense — just a brutally honest look at what’s happening to men today and what to actually do about it.

Galloway writes from real experience: a messy childhood, poverty, anger, depression, building wealth, losing it, raising two boys, and trying (and failing) to get parts of his life right. And that’s why the book works — it’s not theoretical. It’s a field manual written by someone who’s been in the ditch.

The big theme?
Men are struggling, society is ignoring it, and the vacuum is being filled by toxic voices. This book is his counter — masculinity without the performative nonsense.

You get simple, actionable lessons:

• Move. Action kills anxiety.

• Take risks and accept feeling like an imposter.

• Be kind — it compounds in every area of life.

• Follow talent, not fantasies.

• Be of surplus value to others.

• Treat the mother of your children well.

• Life is less about events, more about response.

Is this groundbreaking? Not really.
Is it needed? Absolutely.

It’s part memoir, part operator’s manual, written with Galloway’s usual mix of data, vulnerability, and punch-in-the-face clarity.

If you’re a man trying to level up, or raising boys in a culture that’s more confused than ever, this is worth reading. It’s not perfect — but it’s real. And right now, real is rare.