cuddlesome's review against another edition
2.0
DNF at page 65; this starts out intriguing but feels like it descends into broad, sweeping stereotypes pretty quickly, especially in regards to gender. The author strikes me as deeply insecure. It’s too bad; I liked some of the initial descriptive words and phrases he used in regards to fighting, very much what I would expect out of an English teacher. Those parts were what I was after as a reader anyway so I’m content with them, at least.
overheat4600's review against another edition
4.0
The driving narrative (i.e. the professor in the cage) doesn't feature too heavily in this book. It's more a study into the attractiveness of violence and how species, particularly humans, perform ritual combat.
Nothing spectacularly profound. More detail on the author's challenges of enduring the training might have added some colour, but it was alright.
Nothing spectacularly profound. More detail on the author's challenges of enduring the training might have added some colour, but it was alright.
kidcolorado's review against another edition
4.0
A really great book, though not entirely what I expected. Gottschall very cleverly avoids the usual straight autobiography and instead uses his story as a jumping off point to delve into the social, biological, cultural and evolutionary aspects of men and violence. His experience of coming to MMA as an older man and his realizations about his earlier study of traditional martial arts matches my own, as well. I'd recommend this not only to fight fans but to parents of boys as well.
lukeedbend's review against another edition
2.0
"Readers also enjoyed: My Awakening by David Duke"
Awe fuck.
Awe fuck.
rnstnkt's review against another edition
4.0
Modern male fighting/sports under an evolutionary lens. Brainwashed people still left negative reviews, that's why the author should have gone all in (stops short of saying the natural and logical conclusion, that violence is part of human nature and necessary - I'd say even in modern context! - instead of the multitude of surrogate activities.)
3njennn's review against another edition
4.0
This was an interesting read about a world I know nothing about.
becquebooks's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not a person who's super into MMA fighting or training, and I thought some of the sociological work was a little light on the ground, I'm in a minority but I mainly came to the book because I was interested to hear more of his story as an adjunct making barely any money at a college. Basically I'm hoping he writes a straight up memoir about the experience, but this is probably it.
wynne_ronareads's review against another edition
4.0
After reading Nell Bernstein's well researched but dry, "Burning Down the House," I was worried that Jonathan Gottschall's personal experiment on men and violence would read the same.
How wrong I was! I hope that Bernstein's next effort takes some pointers from Gottschall's style (or others like him) on how to write non-fiction that really draws you in.
Feeling defeated by his weight and lack of general "manliness," Gottschall decides he's going to learn to be a cage fighter. Since he's also an academic, he can't help but be intrigued by the history of violence and why men in particular have such an affinity for it.
What ensues is a delightful story about cultural and societal behavior patterns that lead us to violence, as well as his journey to cage fighter status. It's more interesting for me to read about how Gottschall felt taking a punch than a recent article I read on Esquire with Ronda Roussey detailing the same information. Roussey was BUILT to take a punch, and trains for it for her livelihood. I'm much more interested in what Gottschall has to say about taking a punch because he is the every man-like me. Also made watching the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight more interesting (or made me feel like I knew more about what I was watching). I also rooted for Gotschall the entire time, and when he finally books a fight I was nervous! Excited! Reading as I walked along the train platform because I had to get off at my stop but couldn't wait to find out what happened. Interesting information and a lead you can root for? Now THAT'S how you do non-fiction!
How wrong I was! I hope that Bernstein's next effort takes some pointers from Gottschall's style (or others like him) on how to write non-fiction that really draws you in.
Feeling defeated by his weight and lack of general "manliness," Gottschall decides he's going to learn to be a cage fighter. Since he's also an academic, he can't help but be intrigued by the history of violence and why men in particular have such an affinity for it.
What ensues is a delightful story about cultural and societal behavior patterns that lead us to violence, as well as his journey to cage fighter status. It's more interesting for me to read about how Gottschall felt taking a punch than a recent article I read on Esquire with Ronda Roussey detailing the same information. Roussey was BUILT to take a punch, and trains for it for her livelihood. I'm much more interested in what Gottschall has to say about taking a punch because he is the every man-like me. Also made watching the Mayweather/Pacquiao fight more interesting (or made me feel like I knew more about what I was watching). I also rooted for Gotschall the entire time, and when he finally books a fight I was nervous! Excited! Reading as I walked along the train platform because I had to get off at my stop but couldn't wait to find out what happened. Interesting information and a lead you can root for? Now THAT'S how you do non-fiction!
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