Engendered to some extent on the concept of a coffee table book in spite of its slight size; I found Genuine Men: Journeys in Stories and Stills to be an absorbing once-over at a group of men including those fashioned by a wife, a daughter and mothers of sons. 

Inspired by a wish to showcase ordinary men serving as positive role models engaged in wide-ranging life situations; Genuine Men: Journeys in Stories and Stills, has proven a labor of love for writer Nancy Bruno.

Writer Bruno offers a glimpse into the inspiring lives of a diversified assemblage of men ages twelve to ninety-one.  She has penned their narratives judiciously and accompanies each account with photographs in this volume that accomplishes what Bruno meant for the work to be.  

Cultures worldwide from earliest days of social awareness appear to have generally determined men of their ethnic and social cultural group by accrued prosperity whether the medium is cattle or other livestock or a form of currency, as currency is deemed by the group, while also revering valor and expertise at exploits of métier. 

  Social regard has changed little over time;  modern mothers continue to encourage their daughters to look for a man who drives an expensive car, indicating he has a good, steady job and will provide for and protect her and the children mom hopes will result from the union. 

 Men are most frequently gauged as efficacious, or not, in modern times; by the size of their bank account, by their education and professions; doctors rate more importantly than the sanitation worker, as well as how fancy their automobile is, and, regularly on outward appearances. 

Compelling role models cannot on the whole be defined so much by material or physical exactness which at best is transitory; rather, role models are those who reveal through life involvements and the style in which they face disturbing situations and come out having learned from the situation.

Genuine Men: Journeys in Stories and Stills portrays the embodiment of what it truly means to be a man of undeniable métier and tangible moral fiber.

Christopher, a twelve-year-old preteen depicted in the narrative is shown playing soccer, jumping into the pool, and, we read about him and his commitment to his team, along with his responsibility in caring for his dog and school.  

Other genuine men included in the volume are a young man studying for his SATs, a middle child, a Vietnamese émigré, as well as a single dad, and a Hispanic religious leader, and a resolute paraplegic.  These men are all pictured, and each has a story to tell. 

 Mitch is a businessman, a husband and a dad, Bryant and Rob, and Walt all exemplify family.  There are men who have experimented with drugs, or used alcohol to ease pain, along with men who were raised in single parent homes.  There are men who are musicians and handymen, and those who are all thumbs.  Four elders round out the work.

 Ninety-one-year-old Gino was a poor student due in large part to poor eyesight; he caddied, drove ambulance for CCC, married and was dad to a son.  He also built a golf course and when his son died has established a golf scholarship, and, he has earned his High School diploma at eighty! Gino has been a fixture at Siena College for decades where he and his wife assist as stand-in parents to athletes,  coaches, faculty and staff.

 Many of the tales leave the reader with a feeling there is more to the story, and, that is as it should be; we do not need the whole story of each person, each of us merits that some thingsbe left private.

As a daughter, wife and the mother of sons; I particularly enjoyed Genuine Men: Journeys in Stories and Stills happy to recommend for the high school and college library, as well as for the public library.

 Available  Amazon  hard cover

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Reviewed by Molly Reviews BOOKS   molly   martin

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INTERNET bio:  Note:  from her website we learn As Nancy Bruno completed work on her first book, Beautiful Women, her oldest son insisted that she also write one for boys.

 Realizing that there were few books that told the life stories of everyday role models, she decided it was time to write about Genuine Men.

Award-winning documentary photographer Nancy Bruno uses black and white 35mm photography to capture the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life.

 She uses her ability to become "invisible" to her subjects as her means of examining and photographing humanity.

She lives and works in upstate New York with her husband and two sons.