Good Man by Nathan Clarkson

One look at our cultural moment and it's easy to tell that men and their identities are in crisis. Though lost and fractured, men face the pressure to be perfect. Our reactionary society is quick to condemn and slow to forgive, leaving men more confused than ever about how to live and who to be. Yet in Scripture, we continually find God choosing to work in and through flawed, imperfect, and broken individuals. Men who had massive character flaws and significant moral failings, but who also shared one important characteristic: the desire to follow the call of their Creator.

With engaging personal stories and insight into biblical truths, Nathan Clarkson declares to today's man that he is more than what the culture is telling him he is--angry, selfish, predatory, violent, and bored. Instead, still on the journey himself, Nathan calls today's man to find his identity in the One who created him on purpose, for a purpose, and encourages him to live an honest, authentic life marked by a winsome combination of confidence and humility. 

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About the Author:

Nathan Clarkson is an actor, bestselling author, filmmaker, and poet who has a passion for telling stories that make a difference. Nathan has been seen in many popular TV shows and films and has recently released his first book Different, a memoir written with his mother, Sally Clarkson, about his struggle and triumph in the midst of mental illness and learning disabilities. Nathan lives in New York and Los Angeles and can often be found in his hometown of Colorado Springs. You can follow Nathan on Facebook or connect with him at nathanclarkson.me.

My Thoughts:

I'm a mom of a 15 yr old boy.  One who thinks outside of the box, has a sense of humor, loves super heroes and star wars, and struggles with real life issues.  I've also followed Sally Clarkson for a while, and I appreciate her parenting insight, her love for Jesus, and her authenticity. So, hearing about this book her son Nathan wrote, made me want to get it for my son.The fact that my son is interested in movie making and acting also contributed to my draw to this book. Why? Because Nathan is an actor, screenwriter, author, a young man whose seen a lot of the world.  But first, I wanted to read it to make sure it lined up with my Biblical beliefs and values. 

Personally, I found this book to be uplifting and encouraging. I also found it very readable and feel like my son will enjoy it. Nathan shares his story, and my son loves stories. I found many areas I think he will be able to relate to Nathan and I am in hopes that it will help him see that life is full of ups and downs, success and failures, but the key is to keep our eyes focused on Jesus and desire to be like him. I won't say Nathan's selection of character qualities are specifically outlined in the Bible. However, I would say they are qualities that would be beneficial in a good man. For example, I'm not sure you'll find a specific verse in the Bible on God requiring a man to be adventurous, heroic, or romantic, but you will find adventurous, heroic, and romantic men in the Bible. However, you will find God calling men to be wise, servant-hearted, honest and committed. I think there's a pretty good balance between some of the personal character qualities Nathan has chosen and ones he has found directly in Scripture. 

There are some more mature themes in this book, as Nathan tells about some of his personal struggles, as well as, things he has witnessed other men struggling with, so I would definitely recommend some age appropriate guidance. I do feel that this book would be a help and encouragement to many young men in today's generation who, as my son, love authentic stories, desire to be heroes, love God, but also feel the pull of the world and all it has to offer.   Life is hard, failures happen, no one is perfect, yet Nathan offers a thread of hope to those who maybe feel like they just can't live up to God's holiness or the expectations of those around them, by encouraging them to follow the footsteps of Jesus and be all they were created to be!

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Baker Publisher. I was not asked or required to review this book positively. All opinions are my own.