Whether you’re a student studying for exams, an employee trying to learn the ropes at a new job, or someone who’s into personal study, learning effectively is hugely important in increasing your capacity and knowledge. Unfortunately, most of what people do to learn simply doesn’t work. Robert Jordan is a young dynamiter in the Spanish Civil War. He’s an American who’s volunteered to fight against Franco’s fascists, and is sent behind enemy lines to take out an important bridge toimpede enemy forces from advancing. He lives in a rudimentary camp with anti-fascist Spanish guerillas, and comes to embrace their hearty way of life and love. And of course, there are some incredible battle scenes, which were informed by Hemingway’s own time as a correspondent in the Spanish Civil War. Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss Why give up this youthful activity though? Bicycling has seen a huge resurgence, both with urban hipsters and amateur athletes alike. While everyone seems to have run in a 5k, participating in bike races is unique enough to make you interesting. If not racing, even just cruising around town by the power of your own two legs is a satisfying endeavor. Mountain biking is another option, and offers the bonus of time spent in the woods. Coffee Roasting Today on the show, David shares the significance of stone lifting around the world and specifically in Irish culture, the practicalities of lifting a 400-pound stone off the ground, and what stone lifting has taught him about being a man.Resources Related to the Podcast

Never grew out of your love for the game of hide and seek? Always wanted to go on a treasure hunt? Then the hobby of geocaching may be for you. People around the world hide objects or containers in all sorts of places and post the coordinates for the location online. People then go out with their GPS devices, seeking these well-hidden “treasures.” It’s a great way to get out of the house and explore parts of your town and area that you’ve never been to. For more info on geocaching and to find a list of geocaches in your area, go to geocaching.com. Model Building Also, we’d really appreciate if you’d give the podcast a review in iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify. It’s a big help in getting more people to discover the show! This is the story of a marriage. The Wheelers appear to be a model suburban couple in the 1950s. But did they marry too young? And start a family too soon? Frank’s job is dull and April never saw herself as a housewife. Below the placid surface, both of these self-absorbed partners struggle with desires to escape and to become their true selves, and can’t find happiness with their ordinary lives as they are.Something’s gotta give. The Divine Comedyby Dante Alighieri With our archives now 3,500+ articles deep, we’ve decided to republish a classic piece each Sunday to ... Full article How to Wear Corduroy Ever wondered why, after hours of reading and highlighting, you still feel unprepared for that big test? Or why, shortly after a work training, you can’t remember much of what was said and how to apply it? Or why you have trouble comprehending a difficult book?We have a handy 31-day guide with accessibleprompts to get the juices flowing; if you have trouble writing original thoughts, try your hand at copywork. Sailing Even men who don’t consider themselves materialistic can be greedy with their time. But while holding tightly to our time and resources seems in the moment to protect our happiness, in the long run, this selfishness cankers our souls. Service should thus be a part of every man’s life, for in losing yourself in helping others, you often find your own life greatly improved. It is no use saying to the tired ‘mental muscles’… ‘I will give you a good rest,’ ‘I will go for a long walk,’ or ‘I will lie down and think of nothing.’ The mind keeps busy just the same. If it has been weighing and measuring, it goes on weighing and measuring. If it has been worrying, it goes on worrying…It is useless to argue with the mind in this condition…A gifted American psychologist has said, ‘worry is a spasm of the emotion; the mind catches hold to something and will not let it go.’ One can only gently insinuate something else into its convulsive grasp. And if this something else is rightly chosen, if it is really attended by the illumination of another field of interest, gradually, and often quite swiftly, the old undue grip relaxes and the process of recuperation and repair begins. Both of these hobbies have you becoming a little bit of a historian as well, which is an important trait for a man to cultivate. Golf

Brett grew up in Edmond, OK, a suburb of Oklahoma City, and attended the University of Oklahoma. He took a break in college to live in Tijuana, Mexico for two years doing service. After graduating with a BA in Letters, he then went on to attend the University of Tulsa College of Law. During his second year as a law student, Brett started the Art of Manliness as something fun to do in his spare time. By the time he graduated, AoM had grown into a full-time job, saving him from having to take the bar or ever practice law. Brett enjoys barbell lifting, hiking, and burgers. What does it mean to be a man, not just biologically, but philosophically? Waller Newell lays out one of the most compelling answers to the question of how a man should live in this book. Heargues that many modern men have lost touch with the values and virtues that defined manliness for thousands of years, and consequently feellost, confused, and angry. Newell believes that the road to recovery is taken along the five paths to manliness: love, courage, pride, family, and country. Using Western writers and thinkers like Aristotle and Hemingway, among others, Newell offers important guidance onthe path to achieving a “manly heart.” Heart of Darknessby Joseph Conrad There's nothing like the experience of getting your hair cut at a quality barber shop. The smell of talc ... Full article How to Get the Stink Out of Synthetic Workout Shirts

When discussing the importance of fathers, the conversation often centers around their impact on sons. ... Full article Sunday Firesides: Treat People as Ends, Not Means Lonesome Dove is quite possibly the greatest Western novel ever written. The story follows two long-time friends on a cattle drive from the Rio Grande to Montana. Along the way they encounter outlaws, Indians, and old flames. Be warned, this book is a beast. But reading it (and re-reading it) is definitely worth it. After you’re done, make sure to watch the mini-series and listen to our podcast interview about the book. After Virtueby Alasdair MacIntyre

Some of the first to wrestlewith how to live as men in a more domesticated landscape were the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, who pondered and debated what constituted the good life. The Stoics argued that it could be found in fighting their society’s emerging trend towards softness and decadence and deliberately cultivating one’s ruggedness and virtue. You've heard of the seven-year-itch. It's the sense of restlessness or dissatisfaction that supposedly ... Full article Sunday Firesides: Climb the Ladder of LoveIt’s important for men to cultivate a nostalgic love for history. What better way to truly immerse yourself than by participating in historic reenactments? It can be as narrow as recreating a specific battle, or as broad as representing a time period at a historic place like Colonial Williamsburg. Recreating historic moments has actually been around since ancient Roman times, when men would perform famous battles from history. It gives you a chance to feel what the men of that time wore, what they perhaps thought, and of course you are learning a great deal no matter what you’re recreating. This hobby gives you the chance to truly walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, but from a time gone by. Plus, you often have a chance to educate those who come out to watch the reenactment. Banned in Germany shortly after its publication, All Quiet on the Western Front is the sobering story of German soldiers in the trenches of WWI. We see the extreme physical and mental stress they felt during the war, as well as the detachment from civilian life many of these soldiers experienced upon returning home. It was one of the first novels to depict the modernbrutalities of battle and the way technological advances had destroyed war’s heroic romanticism. Pride & Prejudiceby Jane Austen Are you looking for more fulfillment and satisfaction in your life? Society will tell you that “more” is the answer, that more money, more stuff, more women, and more pleasure are the keys to gaining satisfaction in life. In reality the secret to a fulfilling life is moderation. In this post, we offer five tips on how you can practice moderation in your life and in turn increase your happiness and pleasure. Whether riding cross-country or tinkering in the garage, plenty of men enjoy being a motorcyclist. This hobby is sure to reward its practitioner in more than just gas mileage and technical knowledge, though — books like Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Shop Class as Soulcraft argue for the many mental and philosophical benefits of motorcycling as well: