Although media seem consecrated to portraying men as unmindful to anything outside of sports, tools, and sex, the truth is that until a few decades ago any self-respecting man was expected to have a wide range of knowledge. “I have taken all noesis to be my province,” says Bacon, while Marlowe inspires us to have “aspiring minds” and to climb “after psychological result of perception learning and reasoning infinite.”

To this end, we offer one book for each of ten categories with which the well-rounded man ought to have at least a lot of familiarity.

1) Adventure: Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing

It isn’t often that we celebrate explorers who fail, but Shackleton’s disastrous third undertake to lead a party to the South Pole is such an amazing and inspirational tale that it has come to be esteemed as a success in it is own right. Stranded on a frozen island 1,200 miles from the nearest humane settlement, Shackleton’s leadership and courage brought his crew through one of the worst ordeals imaginable without a single life being lost.

Additional reading: Shackleton’s Way: Leadership Lessons from the Great Antarctic Explorer, by Margot Morrell and Stephanie Capparell.

2) Classics: Hamlet, by William Shakespeare

It’s totally unlikely to find one work that may partly include a broader all the merits of classical literature, but Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which wraps a ghost story within a murder mystery and a play within a play, comes astoundingly close. So influential is it that even the most uneducated English speakers unknowingly quote from it on a regular basis. Each time we mention our “mind’s eye,” do something “more in sorrow than in anger,” or feel we will have to be “cruel to be kind,” we are echoing the words of the tormented Danish prince.

Additional Reading: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, by Tom Stoppard

3) Science: The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA, by James D. Watson

From biologists exploring the mysteries of life, to criminalists tracking the murderers who ruin it, one of the most primary tools of the innovative world is DNA. In The Double Helix, Watson offers his readers an intimate look into the frantic race amidst competing teams of researchers as they sought to disclose the nature of our genetic code. With breathless narrative and clearly-explained scientific principles, Helix is a Boy’s Own adventure story regarding this remarkable chemical that makes us who we are.

Additional Reading: The Selfish Gene, by Richard Dawkins

4) Religion: A History of God: The 4000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, By Karen Armstrong

Where did we get our idea of God? How may the God represented in Judaism, Christianity and Islam be so dissimilar to his respective followers, and how have our views of Him changed over the millennia? In this ambitious and meticulously researched book, Karen Armstrong traces the evolution of God through the last 4,000 years looks to answer the question, “Does God have a future?”

Additional Reading: The Varieties of Religious Experience, by William James

5) Women Authors: Saint Maybe, by Anne Tyler

While Accidental Tourist is probably her most famous novel, a better introduction to her work is Saint Maybe. This story in regards to a young man who is indirectly responsible for his brother’s suicide and his sister-in-law’s fatal overdose is laugh-out-loud funny as Tyler’s refreshingly honorable observations of men and women touch upon the quirks and foibles of us all. She remains one of the few female writers who treats men as humane beings rather than villains or comic relief.

Additional Reading: Mister Sandman, by Barbara Gowdy

6) Detective: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, by Edgar Allen Poe

Considered by a heap of to be the original detective novel, The Murders in the Rue Morgue introduces the brilliant theorist, C. Auguste Dupin, who solves crimes in the seclusion of his own home. There he is attended by an assistant who, foreshadowing Dr. Watson, also narrates the story. As an added bonus, this book likewise has the distinction of giving us one of the most queer murderers in the history of the mystery novel.

Additional Reading: The Doorbell Rang, by Rex Stout

7) Politics: The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli

Despite it is reputation as endorsing cold-blooded manipulation, the underlying principle of Machiavelli’s most widely known and esteemed work is that a population enjoys more personal freedom and security from a stable government than from a government that is always in conflict. Other books may give clear or deep perception into this or that specific political situation, but with The Prince, readers gain an understanding of the rudimentary complexities of nation building.

Additional Reading: The Art of War, by Sun Tzu

Humor: The Thurber Carnival, by James Thurber

Thurber set standards for humor writing that have occasionally been equaled, but seldom excelled. His stories, ofttimes factual, convey the most extraordinary events in the most routine fashion. No matter how loudly the bed falls on father, how numerous shoes mother throws through the neighbor’s windows, or how a lot of miles the townsfolk run before realizing the damn has not, in fact, broken, Thurber recites it all in such a calm manner the reader can’t help sentiment that this is the stuff of normal life.

Additional Reading: The Best of Robert Benchley, by Robert Benchley

9) Philosophy: The Story of Philosophy: the Lives and Opinions of the Greater Philosophers, by Will Durant

With the clarity and splendor that made him one of the world’s best philosophical writers, Durant takes the reader on a traveling of doctrine through the millennia. Beginning with Plato and ending with Nietzsche, The Story of Philosophy is a revealing glimpse not only into the major philosophical schools that have influenced Western Civilization, but likewise into the minds of the philosophers who founded them.

Additional Reading: Philosophy Made Simple, by Richard H. Popkin

10) Crime: The Criminal History of Mankind, by Colin Wilson

Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Values as a starting point, Wilson traces criminal motivatings as they progress from simple needs (muggings and murder for profit), through sexual gratification (Jack the Ripper), to the self-actualizing spree killer (Ted Bundy). Careful scholarship, intelligently passionate writing, and a clear, provocative thesis make this one of the most compelling books on crime you’ll ever read.

Additional Reading: Thinking About Crime, by James Q. Wilson

Christopher Hartss Comic Book Kit

This drawing tutorial from best-selling author Christopher Hart shows artists how to draw exaggerated musculature of super-sized figures in action poses.

From School Library JournalAdult/High School–While it won’t replace a more traditionalisti study of anatomy, this book covers the fundamentals in good detail, always relating the discussion of bones and muscle groups to the exaggerated physiology found in comic books. The illustrations are lavish, many times in full color, with black and white employed for the drawings where color would obscure the lesson being imparted. A mixture of comic-book-proportioned anatomical drawings and finished art helps to show the transition amid fact and presentation, with the text highlighting what has been emphasized as well as what has been left out to get the proper look. The last share of the book includes a discussion of how the comic-book business works and various consultations with artists, all of which drift from the topic of anatomy somewhat but is still utile and interesting. Attractively staged and educational, this title will be ordinary with comic-book fans who like to draw.–Paul Brink, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a section of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the AuthorCHRISTOPHER HART is the top-selling author of how-to-draw books, with 2.5 million copies in print in 20 languages. His book Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics was an instant bestseller and kept the #1 spot on Bookscan’s Top 50 art list for an entire year following publication. He just finished the story for The Reformed, a graphic novel published by Del Rey.

Most helpful customer reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful.
A Pleasent Surprise
By Matthew Pulido
I am an artist by trade. I grew up wanting to draw comics. Since getting an art (illustration)degree I have used my talent mainly on local adds and a few small book projects. But I still read comics, and draw them when I can.

I stumbled on this book in Barnes & Noble’s one day, and flipped through it and it’s counter part on Cutting Edge Comics. Both impressed me, so I picked this one up and put the other on my short list.

Anatomy is a tricky subject. I studied it in college, and a have a decent understanding. I own several other anatomy books, and even the art ones seem more for doctors than artists. And lets face it, comic book characters arn’t built like normal people. All that said, I think this book does a wonderful job of laying out the muscle groups, explaining how they work, and exagerating them for comic book use. Both scientific and common terms are used, everything is in plain english, and there are plenty of examples. While at times it seems more like a referance guide than a how to book, that isn’t really a problem. Every great artist knows the value of good referances. Over all the art is of an above average quality, with a few gems here and there. While it may not be as flashy as some of the best art currently being published in comics, it’s still clear, well done, and easily gets it’s point accross.

I don’t think an young artist can go wrong giving this book a look.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
another opinion . . .
By sarah palaszynski
i am an illustrator and a recent art college graduate and i actually found this book very informative and helpful.

i was surprised by the negative reviews of the book because i saw it as a very adequete refresher course of the lessons and ideas i learned in my classes while majoring in Illustration.

it covers 7 (and sometimes 9 and 12) head anatomy, muscles and how they react while in action, facial muscles, veins, and skeletal structure.

it also covers important details like body language, eye structure, LIGHT SOURCES, and surface mapping (to get an impression of the form and dimension s of the body).

i’m actually using a few sections of this book in a con-ed cartooning class for children i’m teaching at the moment.

i’d recommend the book if you want a quick run through of the differnt ideas for constructing the comicbook ideal of anatomy. from these ideals you can branch out into your own style and make it your own.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
It made me a better artist!
By Young Artist
I am a 15-year-old and have been interested in drawing comic book art for a few years now. I started out buying How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. It was really good, yes because well-established comic book artist wrote it, but it didn’t really grab my attention. Then, I saw How to Draw Cutting Edge Comics. This book really got me into drawing comic book characters. Then, I saw that he had a new book, How to Draw Cutting Edge Anatomy. I was especially excited because drawing the actual people interested me more than drawing anything else in comics. I quickly looked through it and bought it. I have never looked back.
It honestly taught me so much. It starts with skeletal structure which, I believe, has to be the first thing an artist needs to learn before learning the rest of the anatomy. Then, it goes on to basic muscles. After this, it has many sections focusing on different muscle groups and parts of the body. While the pictures do help, it was what he wrote that helped. They way he explains what the muscles look like and how they move is very understandable. I loved it.
I have been looking for an anatomy book that’s at least moderately clean – I’m just not comfortable with drawing nude figures; I just want to draw comics. There are not very many comic book drawing books out there that focus on anatomy and are still modest. This one does a great job of it and it is one of the cleanest ones I have found. Some of the pictures of the girls are seductive and immodest, but I try to not focus on that. There’s so much more to learn in this book!
The styles of other how-to-draw-comics just didn’t catch my attention like this one did. You see, I don’t want to develop a Stan Lee or George Perez style, I want my own. Learning from an author that isn’t an established artist in the comic book world seemed to ease the pressure of making my style like his. All I can say is that I love this book. It has its flaws, yes, but every how-to-draw book has its flaws. I read this drawing book, and others, but especially this one, to help me draw better. What can I say? I love it!

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Christopher Hartss Comic Book Kit Picture

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Christopher Hartss Comic Book Kit Image

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Christopher Hartss Comic Book Kit Photo

Christopher Hartss Comic Book Kit Pic