How to be a man

I have learned so much these past few weeks. Much of it has come from the book I've been dipping in and out of, How to be a man - New Zealand edition (1999), by John Birmingham and Dirk Flinthart. Scoff at my literary choice, you may, but this book has been quite an education. Picked up for $3 at a second-hand bookshop around the corner, it's destined for a friend of ours who we feel could do with some help in life. That's not being mean; there are just some things we think he could benefit from some of the collected wisdom and advice, and hopefully he'll accept his birthday present in the spirit it's intended. ;-)

So, how does one be a man? Apparently the answer's not so straightforward. After all, the authors saw fit to write a book about it. (I'd expect a full encyclopedia to be written about how to be a woman, but also suspect that might not be enough.) It has step-by-step guides on a whole range of topics. For example, how to spot a cheap suit, how to clean a house, how to impress a woman, how to land a jumbo jet, how to defend yourself, and much, much more.

I'll have to be honest and say that some of the recipes look surprisingly promising, and I'll make sure I copy them before passing on the book this weekend. A light-hearted, humourous read, it's a great way to take your mind off more serious stuff (like work) and actually learn something in the process.