Take one internationally famous rock star and have them
dole out heaping helpings of uncommon, common sense. I know what you’re thinking…NEVER
gonna happen, right? Since rock stars aren’t generally known for being fonts of
common sense, that would have been my take; that is until I delved into the
second book from former Guns ‘n’ Roses bassist Duff Mckagan.
In How To Be A
Man (and other illusions), Mckagan taps into the previously unknown realm
of music/memoir/self-help publishing category, writing with an easy and
engaging style as he doles out advice, often hard earned, on a wide variety of
topics. He posits them in easily digestible chunks that you can read from
beginning to end or bounce around.
Some stuff is what you’d expect like; Know Your Tunes in which he runs down
what deems essential music in the form of 100, or so, of the finest albums.
Then there is the unexpected; Skip the Strip
Club, Hit the Book Store, where he runs down an eclectic list of his
favorite tomes and professes his pursuit of great reads at some of the world’s
best book outlets.
Mckagan readily admits to not really becoming an adult
until turning 31, so given that stunted start I find that he comes by his
current world view via a series of ongoing Ah
Ha moments. He is in turns worldly; serving up international travel tips
gleaned from years on the road and then down to earth when it comes to family
matters…after all those deck boards aren’t going to stain themselves.
How
To Be A Man (and other illusions) is an entertaining entry
on my list of favorite reads thus far, this year.
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