The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry

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Gandhi or Galahad?

The A Rather Compleat Book

Enjoyable, challenging, enlightening

Fascinating

History, Not "How To"

The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry
Brad Miner
Manufacturer: Spence Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

At a time of astonishing confusion about what it means to be a man, Brad Miner has recovered the oldest and best ideal of manhood: the gentleman. Reviving a thousand-year tradition of chivalry, honor, and heroism, The Compleat Gentleman provides the essential model for twenty-first-century masculinity.

Despite our confusion, real manhood is not complicated. It is an ancient ideal based on service to one's God, country, family, and friends—a simple but arduous ideal worthy of a lifetime of struggle.

Miner's gentleman stands out for his dignity, restraint, and discernment. He rejects the notion that one way of behaving is as good as another. He belongs to an aristocracy of virtue, not of wealth or birth. Proposing neither a club nor a movement, Miner describes a lofty code of manly conduct, which, far from threatening democracy, is necessary for its survival.

Miner traces the concept of manliness from the jousting fields of the twelfth century to the decks of the Titanic. The three masculine archetypes that emerge—the warrior, the lover, and the monk—combine in the character of the "compleat gentleman." This modern knight cultivates a martial spirit in defense of the true and the beautiful. He treats the opposite sex with the passionate respect required by courtly love. And he values learning in the pursuit of truth—all with the discretion, decorum, and nonchalance that the Renaissance called sprezzatura.

The Compleat Gentleman is filled with examples from the past and the present of the man our increasingly uncivilized age demands.

Customer Reviews:

Gandhi or Galahad?.......2007-09-25

Miner has provided an excellent description of concepts of honor and chivalry and "gentlemanly" behavior across the last two thousand plus years. The discussion is wide-ranging, from Trappist monks to stoic philosophers to medieval knights and modern warriors. A particularly telling point came towards the end, where Miner comes to pick up his son at school. It turns out that his son has been involved in a fight. He asks the teacher who started it, and she looks at him in disbelief. She wants to know if it matters. Miner replies that it does. He wants his sons to emulate Galahad, not Gandhi. He wants sons who are ready to decide what is right and to defend it. That is not, of course, to say that Gandhi's ideas might not have been important and relevant, but perhaps not applicable to this situation (in Miner's opinion). There is a difference between aggression and self-defense. There is a difference between being devoted to justice and being a bully. A "compleat gentleman" is dedicated to defending the weak, and standing up for what is right. He has manners, but not in a foppish manner. He is generous. He gives of himself, financially, emotionally and physically, but not in a "showy" manner. A few reviewers have been upset that Miner did not serve in Vietnam. He discloses this fact openly, and does not beat it to death, and regrets his decision. In any way that one looks at this, should he be punished for the rest of his life for the decision made then? The concepts of the book are important, and not momentary failings (or not, given the nature of the conflict) of the author. The only issue I might take with the author is on his assessment of dueling. It is mostly disparaged, where other scholars of the topic have considered it an indispensible "final rememdy" of an insult to honor. Some consideration of this topic would have been appreciated. My six year old son will get his own copy as soon as he can read at this level.

The A Rather Compleat Book.......2006-07-02

The first 3/4's of the book is mostly historical documentation and facts about knights and the concepts of chivalry as they were and as they are commonly (and often wrongly) interpreted. For those of you who love history you'll love it. For those of you who don't, bear with it because it all comes together at the end. It's also presented in a way that's interesting and not just a textbook drone. While I don't agree with absolutely everything Miner had to say he got me thinking and that's what mattered. A refreshing read for anyone interested in the truer workings of manners and chivalry. I'd recommend it. You won't be able to put it down.

Enjoyable, challenging, enlightening.......2006-06-13

What does it mean to be a gentleman? That is the concept that Miner seeks to explore and does so by examining history, delving into the great concept of chivalry and the time-honored traditions that have transcended generations and cultures to give a foundational view of the concept of a gentleman. While some cultures in some eras associated the concept of the gentleman with social status, title, wealth or birth; Miner argues that the concept is better represented by the concepts of true nobility - character, dignity, restraint and discernment.

Miner is a lover of history and traces the concept of manliness from the days of the knights and the proverbial Round Table to the "women and children first" mentality found on the sinking Titanic. He writes that three masculine archetypes emerge - the warrior, the lover, and the monk - to combine in the character that Miner calls "the compleat gentleman."

Miner's warrior is a man who has something to live for - and is willing to sacrifice his life either to protect it or even to further it. The warrior is not necessarily a man of war, but a man prepared to do battle for that which he loves. His life is marked by preparation for something great and then is lived out pursuing those ideals to which he is called. One great line Miner uses to explain his warrior is from the writings of the great philosopher Epictetus who said, "For it is better to die of hunger, exempt from fear and guilt, than to live in affluence with perturbation."

If Miner's gentleman is willing to die for something he loves, it is because he loves deeply and with great passion. While romantic love definitely makes the list, it is not the sole occupant - love of God, country, and cause are also worthy objects of a gentleman's passions.

Finally, Miner's gentleman is a monk. I loved this one. Miner tells us that the word monk comes from the Greek monakhos, meaning solitary - but Miner's concept of aloneness is time for reflection and study - viewed another way, the monk is a lover "of learning and of truth."

Running throughout the book is the theme sprezzatura - a concept Miner says underlies this "compleat gentleman." It is a self-awareness and self-restraint and differs like night and day from self-centeredness or even apathy. The concept is what Christians might refer to as meekness, a trait often associated with Christ, and clearly as misunderstood. Sprezzatura is the ability to think before one speaks, to grasp the gravity of words and actions; and even to know when inaction or silence is the best avenue. It carries with it a "James Bond" like persona where actions speak louder than words, and the words flow like honey from the lips of a man with a license to kill.

Miner doesn't delude himself or the reader into thinking that this "compleat gentleman" is around every corner; quite to the contrary, "all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare" writes Miner. He gives men something to strive for, something to hold up as an ideal and an understanding that throughout history there have been men who have risen above the standards of the day to truly be called gentlemen - and we sure need more of these in this day and time!

The Compleat Gentlemen is not a Christian book, nor does the author purport it to be so; but Christian men will agree with Miner's argument that men need to be men of honor and integrity. The book is a challenging read, but well worth the effort and I would suggest it for any man, especially for a young man considering the path of his journey.

Fascinating.......2006-03-29

Up front, the only serious disagreement I have with the author is his support for putting women in combat. I understand his reasoning, but his lack of military experience causes him to oversimplify the question.

I find it entertaining that readers here were offended and surprised that a book with a picture of a sword on the cover and references to chivalry (which means, roughly, "horsemanship" -- knighthood) would speak positively of service in war. If you think that nonviolence in the face of evil is the more gentlemanly route (other than in very strict circumstances), then fine. Be the gentleman while your wife and children are killed before your eyes by a criminal. I, on the other hand, will be doing my utmost to defend them. (Defend your wife and children, that is, mine will already be safe.) Those who are disturbed by the use of violence in this "less hostile and disgusting world" should stop using freedoms that were bought for them (not by them) with spilt blood. And perhaps check out a wonderful country such as, say, Somalia, and tell me if the world is *really* less hostile.

Yes, the author should have fought in Viet Nam when he had the chance. Alas, hindsight is 20/20, and at least he now realizes his failing.

I found his discussions of the Templars, in particular, fascinating. Aside from their questionable personal hygiene, they seem to exemplify the very highest sort of warrior ideal. It is also a relief to see a group of extraordinarily brave men get the credit that is their due, rather than more hateful lies about conspiracies to conceal the "divine feminine."

If you are a woman, you will be relieved to know that there are still men out there who "get it." If you are a man, you will understand what it is that you felt was wrong with our society's cult of weak men. This book will challenge you. It did me.

History, Not "How To".......2006-02-20

We bought this book hoping for an instruction manual on teaching our boys how to be chivalrous in an age of decay. While it is an interesting read, it is not so much a "guide" as a plotting of time. A more appropriate title would be, "The Compleat Gentleman: An Historical Discourse." Great on detail and well-written, but we were misled by the title a bit.

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the compleat gentleman

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Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0965902684

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The compleat gentleman (The English experience, its record in early printed books published in facsimile)

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The compleat gentleman (The English experience, its record in early printed books published in facsimile)
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The Compleat Gentleman: Five Centuries of Aristocratic Life

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The Compleat Gentleman: Library Edition
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Binding: MP3 CD

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The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips)

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The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry (Audiofy Digital Audiobook Chips)

Manufacturer: Audiofy/Blackstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Cards
ASIN: 1599126443

Product Description

This Audiofy audiobook chip packs Christopher Lane's full 8.5 hour reading of "The Compleat Gentleman: The Modern Man's Guide to Chivalry" on a tiny memory card. A single Audiofy audiobook chip, hardly larger than a stamp, holds a complete digital audiobook, and saves the last listening position automatically, unlike CDs. With an SD memory card slot or low-cost adapter - like those for digital cameras - this Audiofy audiobook chip can be played on Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh desktop computers or laptops (Microsoft Windows XP/2000/Me/98, or Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above) or transferred to Apple iPod media players. Audiobook chips also move seamlessly to most Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld PDAs with SD expansion slots, as well as Treo and Windows Mobile "smartphones" (Palm OS 5.2 or Windows Mobile 2002 and above)... At a time of astonishing confusion about what it means to be a man, Brad Miner has recovered the oldest and best ideal of manhood: the gentleman. Reviving a thousand-year tradition of chivalry, honor, and heroism, The Compleat Gentleman provides the essential model for twenty-first-century masculinity.

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Peacham's Compleat Gentleman, 1634
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This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

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Success for the New Global Manager: How to Work Across Distances, Countries, and Cultures
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As globalization has evolved from being the latest corporate buzzword to a basic economic reality, more and more organizations are realizing that they need managers with skills that translate well to the international arena. But unfortunately many organizations do not know how to identify and develop people for such complex responsibilities. This book-from the Center for Creative Leadership, ranked #1 worldwide in leadership education in a BusinessWeek survey-shows how. Success for the New Global Manager explains what new global managers-those who manage across distance, countries, and cultures- look like and presents four explicit skills they must have to succeed in this new reality. It shows managers how to identify and grow these new capabilities and how to adapt the skills they already possess to a broader global context. And it advises organizations on how they can help managers acquire these important capabilities.

Customer Reviews:

A thoughtprovoking, new look at the global manager.......2002-12-20

Success For The New Global Manager provides insights about managing globally from an in-depth, three year study with 211 managers - and thus offers more than most popular management books on the subject, which tend to be based on scant evidence. I particularly liked the book because of the cultural frameworks it explains and how managers can use them as a "mental map" for adjusting their style and for sensing what is happening around them. The book could be used as an additional text for management and leadership courses, or as simply an interesting read for someone who is beginning to manage globally, whether the individual is embarking on an expatriate assignment or managing people from different cultures without changing his or her location.

Having been an expatriate several years ago, I reflected on my experience in a new way as a result of reading this book.

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Sociology Department
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Good for Inexperienced US Managers.......2002-12-13

I've worked and lived in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australasia. This book might be useful for U.S. managers with no experience in the international arena. It has a very strong Western cultural bias; some recommendations in the book would be disfunctional in non-Western cultures; a somewhat naive approach to cross-cultural management.

Superb though a bit technical, but a tour-de-force anyway.......2002-11-29

In principle this book is a guide to the internationally inexperienced manager as he or she learns the complex world of global management. This book differs from most books from a business press, which tackle the terrain of global "business". Blissful for their absence in these pages are the topics most business books are about-economics, investment, trade policy, finance, taxes, labor factors, upsizing, downsizing, reengineering, accounting and accountability. Instead, there are terms like "global manager", "boundaries of distance, country, and culture", "cultural adaptability", "perspective-taking", and "ability to play the role of innovator". Where most business books are about seeing the world through the eyes of one's own goals, Success for the New Global Manager is about how and why other people see you differs from the way you see yourself.

Peter, with whom the reader presumably identifies, has a major ego-education task on his hands. He must learn to let his way of seeing the world not merely coexist with others' ways of viewing the world, but sometimes give his own view up entirely in order to conform to the view of others.

This is something of a revolutionary principle in an America-dominated business world where most Americans assume prospective partners must think, act, behave, and motivate themselves like Americans if they are to "fit in".

Culls managers are what this book seeks to nip the bud. It is revelatory how the authors-perhaps unwittingly even to each other-try to reach the naive hero before he heads out lance in hand, and to convince him to take a second look at what he is doing. The authors provide our would-be hero-Peter-with nothing less than an entirely new myth to go by. Peter accepts his new assignment confident that he pretty much knows all he needs to know (the lance). But soon he makes a misstep here, a blunder there, here and there and everywhere a misunderstanding or two, till he's all but squandered every opportunity he had.

Luckily, the authors of Success for the New Global Manager endow Peter with a willingness to adapt to others' needs. The Modern Hero Myth of Peter is that he realizes he has much to learn, and earnestly sets about improving himself through discerning and providing for others' needs. The Hero is made by modesty, not swordsmanship. The values of compassion suggested in Success for the New Global Manager are far closer to the Bhagavad Gita and Confucianism than it is to any legend floated to sea from the shores of Greece. One wishes that many more books with these authors' set of assumptions could address the conduct of business itself instead of management alone.

All this not to say that upon reading this book a sunshaft of benignity will shine upon the world of business. The authors set forth their epistemological message in managerial terms. For them, Peter needs four "pivotal capabilities"-international business knowledge, cultural adaptability, perspective-taking, and ability to play the role of innovator. Most of the book is devoted to acquiring these. However, they are not mere qualities one can study, pass an exam upon, and sage forth unto success; they are not ends in themselves. These four capabilities represent an attitude shift which is the psychological equivalent of a paradigm shift. Adapting to others' reality requires both motivation, specialized knowledge, and a particular set of skills.

Books-like this one-that address globalization in cultural rather than entrepreneurial terms are much needed today. Had the upper-mid managers of garment manufacturers like Nike known some of the basic tools described in this book, perhaps the fiascos related to Indonesian labor exploitation would not have occurred. For one, they would have been forewarned of the pitfalls of delegating management to third party organizations without also exercising strong oversight, in the manner many Western clothing manufacturers did with Korean subcontractors whose management style was ... well ... less than optimal.

But there is a bigger fish to fry than inept sports shoe manufacturers. It is that globalization is driven largely by American interests, whose managers view business in aggressive entrepreneurial terms and are largely unaware that a great many people value other ways of conducting business. In the Malay countries of Southwest Asia there is a mentality called gotong-royong ("everybody doing their part" or "we all pitch in") which can be described as task-directed consensus management. Shear away the patriarchal overlay imposed by ancient religions and Asia's much-lauded family-focused social system is really nothing but gotong-royong.

Success for the New Global Manager is an octagonal red sign. It reads, "Stop! There is danger ahead." There is nothing quite so scary as being ignorant of being ignorant. The cultural ignorance that this book addresses really should have been addressed way back in the early semesters of business school (and for that matter, as far back as secondary school). Why does a book like this one have to offer advice such as that on page 120, on which they counsel that if you are going to live in a country, you should listen to its music, read its literature and business books, and learn about the food.

The world knows a lot more about the U.S. than the U.S. knows about the world. A scary thought this book seeks to redress.

Not just for global managers.......2002-06-20

I found this book to be very insightful about today's marketplace in general - not necessarily limited to those managers who work internationally. The solid advice offered by these authors will certainly benefit anyone with colleagues from different backgrounds or cultures. The skills described here are essential for managers and their employees who want to remain flexible and educated about the worlds ever changing economy. Highly recommended!

Research you can put to work right away.......2002-04-18

This book provides clear, well-written research which global managers can put to immediate use.

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