About this Event
In person at Brookline Booksmith! Celebrate the release of Swole with author Michael Andor Brodeur.
Register for the event!
RSVP to let us know you're coming! Depending on the volume of responses, an RSVP may be required for entrance to the event. You will also be alerted to important details about the program, including safety requirements, cancellations, and book signing updates. In the event that we reach capacity and have to close RSVPs, there will not be a waiting list.
Get your copy!
Books will be available for purchase at the event, but you can ensure that you get a copy by preordering on this page. You can pick your book up after 6:30PM on the day of the event.
Can't make it to the event? Preorder the book here to have it signed, and choose to have it held or shipped from the store!
Book orders are processed for pickup or shipping after ticket sales have closed.
When possible, events are livestreamed. Check out our store YouTube channel for livestream updates. No registration is required for the livestream.
Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle
From a Washington Post critic and self-described meathead: a witty, incisive, poignant exploration of male body image, from the history of the gym to the politics of superheroes to the world of manfluencers
Michael Brodeur is a Gen-X gay writer with a passion for bodybuilding and an insatiable curiosity about masculinity--a concept in which many men are currently struggling to find their place. In our current moment, where "manfluencers" on TikTok tease their audiences with their latest videos, where right-wing men espouse the importance of being "alpha," as toxic masculinity and the patriarchy are being rightfully criticized, the nature of masculinity has become murkier than ever.
In excavating this complex topic, Brodeur uses the male body as his guide: its role in cultures from the gymnasia of ancient Greece to Walt Whitman's essays on manly health, from the rise of Muscular Christianity in 19th-century America to the swollen superheroes and Arnold Schwarzeneggers of Brodeur's childhood. Interweaving history, cultural criticism, memoir, and reportage, laced with an irrepressible wit, Brodeur takes us into the unique culture centered around men's bodies, probing its limitations and the promise beyond: how men can love themselves while rejecting the aggression, objectification, and misogyny that have for so long accompanied the quest to become swole.
Michael Andor Brodeur has been the classical music critic at The Washington Post since 2020. Previously he held editorial and staff-writer positions at The Boston Globe and Boston's Weekly Dig. His essays, humor and criticism have also appeared in Nylon, Thrillist, Entrepreneur, Medium, McSweeney's Internet Tendency and other publications. He has also released five music albums under different monikers, most recently writing and performing electronic music under the name New Dad.
We are one of New England’s premier independent bookstores, family-owned and locally run since 1961. We offer an extensive selection of new, used, and bargain books; unique, beautiful gifts; award-winning events series; and specialty foods. Every day, we strive to foster community through the written word, represent a diverse range of voices and histories, and inspire conversations that enrich our lives. Find more at brooklinebooksmith.com!
EVENT ACCESSIBILITY
This event will take place at street level. If possible, the event will be livestreamed to YouTube. ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event. Seats are limited. Please email us at [email protected] as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, guaranteed seating, or other accommodations. We will do our best to serve your needs!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 39.00
