Book Description
Learn how to gain respect and enjoyment in your relationship. Become a hero to the woman in your life. Being the Strong Man A Woman Wants by Elliott Katz is timeless wisdom on being a man. It explains why many relationships today aren’t working and what the man can do to make things better. Drawing upon age-old principles that work, this book challenges popular ideas and explains why today’s new age guy is frustrated and bewildered.
Traditionally, men learned this wisdom from their fathers. Today, many men grow up without the benefit of a strong male role model. This story is about a journey of discovery that Michael takes with his grandfather. Grandpa shares time-proven wisdom with him – wisdom that challenges many of the beliefs that have emerged over the past 30 years. Michael discovers how this wisdom can help him improve his relationship with his wife and help him grow as a person.
“A must read for men who feel they have compromised themselves and aren’t getting the response they expected, and for women who wish they were in a relationship with a real man.” Aryeh Pamensky, Author of How to Make a Good Marriage Great.
From the Publisher
A brave and creative attempt to pass on the wisdom of strength without harm, wisdom that was once part of the training of gentle, strong and loving manhood in a thousand cultures more subtle and skillful than our own. To be strong does not mean dominating. Only when a man and a woman are both strong, can they be truly close. – Steve Biddulph, Author of The Secret Life of Men, Raising Boys, The Secret of Happy Children and The Secret of a Happy Family
Elliott Katz does an excellent job of presenting many of the essential challenges couples face, and in particular, what is the correct way for the man to respond. He presents his “teachings” with a charming simplicity that is surely to warm the hearts of many readers. His notion that the man needs to be an emotionally strong and mature partner is certainly in order and proven in my clinical practice as a seasoned marriage and family therapist to be true over and over again. Katz’s book is eminently practical and down to earth. It is sure to be received enthusiastically by many who need to learn the basics of how to make a marriage work. – Abraham Kass, M.A., R.S.W., R.M.T., Clinical Social Worker, Member of the Ontario College of Social Workers, and the Ontario and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
From the Author
When I began my journey, I wondered if I was the only one to have faced some of these challenges. Since men and women have been involved with each other for thousands of years, I wondered: Isn’t there some wisdom that I can learn from? I started searching and found refreshing insights that spoke directly to me.
I learned that for thousands of years men have learned wisdom from other men on dealing with these challenges. Contrary to many of today's clichés about men, this wisdom tells men to be strong and what it means to be strong – the opposite of controlling. It tells men about the noble qualities, admirable traits and virtues of being manly. I discovered that for many years men have dealt with and grown from similar challenges that men face today.
In this story, a grandfather connects his grandson to this timeless wisdom. This book isn’t meant for everyone, yet I'm always amazed to find the number of people that it speaks to and helps to put on a path to being stronger and happier. I hope you enjoy the journey and that it leads you to greater happiness.
From the Inside Flap
What do women want? An age-old question, but one of significant relevance to every 21st century male. The last 50 years have brought a shift in gender roles and relationship expectations. Men have been told they must learn how to please women and evolve beyond the patriarchal stereotypes of their forefathers. But no matter how hard he works at trying to please women, the path of the sensitive new age guy is strewn with frustration, bewilderment and resentment.
What do women want? A healthy woman wants a strong man, a man who can make a decision, a man who can be depended on, a man who can look out for the best interests of his loved ones, a man who does the right thing – not the easy, popular or expedient thing.
What do women want? Elliott Katz has hit the nail on the head in his provocative and ground-breaking book, Being the Strong Man a Woman Wants. Drawing from the wisdom of the ages, Katz guides the reader through the labyrinth of confusion created by today’s “enlightened” thinking on gender roles. Drawing upon age-old principles that work, Katz shows the modern male how to be the kind of man that women want without regressing into authoritarian, abusive, or controlling stereotypes of masculinity.
Being the Strong Man a Woman Wants is a book that offers hope to men and women alike. It is a must read for every man who is ready to reclaim his masculine self and start becoming the kind of man that a woman really wants.
– Robert A. Glover Ph.d., Author of No More Mr. Nice Guy: A Proven Plan for Getting What You Want in Love, Sex and Life
About the Author
Elliott Katz is a professional speechwriter and the author of seven non-fiction books. He has written on a wide-range of subjects from the outdoors to the economy to how to stimulate ideas in the workplace. He teaches the principles in this book to men and speaks at seminars and conferences.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Grandpa and Michael continued walking through the meadow, each lost in his own thoughts. They entered a wooded area where the sunlight made the forest floor a lush green. Michael picked up the pace as they started climbing a long ridge on the side of Lookout Mountain. They reached a rock outcropping and hiked out on it to take in the view.
Michael pointed. “Look over there – that’s the visitor center where we began. We’ve made good progress.”
Then he turned to Grandpa and said, “What you’re saying is so different from what I’ve always heard. Isn’t it being controlling?”
“Sounds like you believe all the terrible things you’ve heard about men – even the jokes that make fools of men.”
Michael smiled. “Like, what’s the difference between men and fine wine?”
“What?”
“Wine matures with age.”
Grandpa sighed with a sour look on his face. He shook his head. “Most men I know are decent, mature people.”
“I know. But aren’t some men controlling?”
“Some. But don’t confuse being strong with being controlling. Being strong is hard work. It’s a burden. It’s taking responsibility for what’s going on, taking charge and finding solutions to problems.”
“You really think that’s what Lisa wants? Do you really think it would make a difference?”
“Michael, once I learned this, Grandma started respecting me more, even when she disagreed with me.”
“She didn’t see you as controlling?”
“If she wanted something a certain way, and I was against it just to be bossy – then that would be controlling. If I had insisted on something that showed I cared only about myself – that would be controlling. But when you set a goal that shows you care about your loved ones and you stick to it even when people are against you, that’s being strong.”
“What did you do?”
“I’ll teach you. Listen.”
