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 Andor 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.
“A memoir, history, and critical essay in one, sure to captivate anyone who’s ever pumped—or dreamed of pumping—iron.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“Brodeur maintains a sharp focus on the way Western culture’s perceived mind-body divide has shaped ideas about masculinity . . . Punchy, entertaining, and perceptive, this delivers.”
—Publishers Weekly
“[A] semiotic history that doubles as an autobiography in lifting . . . Brodeur writes witty, allusive prose about an enthusiasm not today considered highbrow.”
—Washington Post
“Brodeur’s glorious, insightful, and cackle-out-loud hilarious book is destined to be a classic.”
—Kevin Alexander, author of Burn the Ice
“A timely, unprecedented survey of an unexpected, often overlooked figure in body politics: the meathead. . . . Necessary . . . Crucial . . . For anyone engaged in the Sisyphean pursuit of muscle and bulk—and to anyone interested in engaging with a critical examination of masculinity—Swole is an invitation to broaden our view on what it means to want to get big.”
—Colin Self, artist and composer
“Hilarious, ribald, deeply researched, and gay as hell! I loved every page and was fascinated by the world Brodeur takes the reader into, the way he unfolds the origami of masculinity, getting ripped, homoerotics and heteronormativity, and pop culture. Buy a copy for a friend, too, because you are going to need to have someone to screen-shot and discuss with.”
—Jessica Hopper, author of The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic
“In Michael Brodeur’s monumental first book, Swole, he reminds us that the Greek root of gymnasium is ‘naked’ by undressing the self to unveil the roots of muscle, memory, and history. Expertly researched, hilariously rendered, and deeply felt, this book uses the body as a site of inquiry to ask big questions about gender, power, and desire. Brodeur asks, ‘In building our bodies, what else are we constructing?’ and inside that question he reveals everything.”
—Sam Sax, author of Madness
“Swole is a probing, poignant, and frequently hilarious investigation of the meaning of muscle and the evolution of twenty-first-century masculinity. A stunning debut by one of America’s most sharp-witted and sharp-elbowed cultural critics.”
—Joe Keohane, coauthor of The Lemon
Introduction: Mikey
I
Adam: Form
II
Peter: On Manly Health
III
Lou: Wild at Heart
IV
Friedrich: Flex
V
Arnold: To Failure
VI
Angelo: The Alphas
VII
Henry: The Drag of Big
VIII
Touko: Beauty and the Beef
IX
Big Little: The Pump
X
Zeus: Membership
XI
Greg: Real Men
XII
Bones
Acknowledgments
Works Cited
- “Masculinity and Muscles with Michael Andor Brodeur,” Outward/Slate, podcast interview
- “Michael Andor Brodeur on the meaning of muscle,” Boston Globe, “Behind the Book” feature
- “Michael Andor Brodeur Asks the Big Questions,” The Provincetown Independent, feature piece
- “Michael Andor Brodeur - Swole: The Making of Men and the Meaning of Muscle,” An Older Gay Guy Show, podcast interview
- “The Post’s Classical Critic Talks About Big Muscles and the Struggles of Modern Men,” Washingtonian, profile piece
- “What’s the Connection Between US Strongman Culture and Ethno-Nationalism?” Beacon Broadside, excerpt
- “An author finds his voice. Or at least his audiobook narrator,” Washington Post, op-ed
- “Which Dad Are You?: Recommended Reading for Father’s Day,” Beacon Broadside, included in Father’s Day reading roundup
- “Clack That Fan for These Pride Month Reads!” Beacon Broadside, included in Pride reading roundup
- “Pride Booksapalooza 2024, part 2: Moving memoirs & fab nonfiction,” Bay Area Reporter, included in Pride book round-up
- “Book Review: Swole explores what masculinity could be in a hyperconnected, TikTok-imaged world,” AP News, review and coverage
- “Michael Andor Brodeur – The true meaning of muscle in a gay mans world,” 40+ Gay Men. Gay Talk, podcast interview
- “A Sensitive Meathead’s Quest to Get ‘Swole,’” KQED Forum, interview
- “Do the muscles make the man?” KERA/Think, interview
- “75 books we’re most excited to read this summer,” Boston Globe, included in Summer 2024 reading roundup
- “Sally Wen Mao! Emma Copley Eisenberg! A critical history of swole-ness (yes)! 19 new books out today,” Literary Hub, included in new releases roundup
- “Michael Andor Brodeur: Men, Muscles, and Masculinity,” Paternal: Stories from the Brotherhood of Fatherhood, podcast interview
- “A brief history of muscles and their meaning,” Washington Post, feature and review
- “We’re All a Little Guilty,” New York Magazine, book included in weekly Approval Matrix
- “Queer Reads: Swole by Michael Andor Brodeur examines beef and brawn through a queer lens,” Dallas Voice, included in Queer Reads round-up of new titles
- “He-Man and me,” Washington Post, excerpt