Book of Man, A Navy SEAL's Guide to the Lost Art of Manhood

by Derrick F. Van Orden, Adam Mitchell

Written by a 26-year veteran of the United States Navy, member of SEAL Teams and star of the hit movie Act of Valor, Derrick Van Orden shares his experiences from around the world to both educate and entertain. Stories of fist fighting, fishing, and driving fast cars are all interwoven with the principles of what used to be known as basic manhood, but has now become a lost art.

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Aron Newberry · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have tremendous respect for the man Derek once was, but nothing but contempt for the man he currently is. Since this book was published he has acted like nothing more than a petulant child. His involvement in January 6th either makes him a victim of a cult, or a traitor to the nation. His actions in congress are unbecoming for his office. The militia that he leads in his community isn’t for the protection of the country, it is for the overthrow of the government. Which makes his January 6th participation all the more suspect. I’ll pass on taking advice from a once great man who has devolved into a rube. That doesn’t mean I disagree with the contents in the book, just that I get my advice elsewhere.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

What constitutes manly skill is the theme and the message of Derrick Van Orden's book. For Mr. Van Orden A man should have a basic set of skills. A man should be able to:

- Change a tire🚗
- Catch a fish and clean it!🐠
- Throw a punch (when necessary)🥊
- Drive a car fast 🏎
- Tie a necktie👔
- Build an emergency fire🔥
- Kiss a girl 😍
- Make a cocktail🍸
- Cook a steak! 🥩

This is only a sampling from the list. This might sound rather dry, but Derrick shares his skill list in an entertaining and amusing format.

WARNING: Mansplaining might be involved.

[Reeds]

I started reading this because of today’s climate. Everyone’s feelings are hurt and then they lash out in some physical way creating a dangerous environment. I wanted to read some common sense ways to use self-defense in case someone started attacking.
I like how Mr. Van Orden and his friends use humor to make their points. This isn’t a dry, dusty tome.
Good stuff.

[Dustin Schlichting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally worth the read.

[Aaron Bourlard · Rating 4 out of 5]

very entertaining

[Edward · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has some great tips on how to accomplish a number of things every man should know how to do like knot tying, making a drink, or offensive driving.

[Scott Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Simple, easy to read. Derrick is really funny as well as insightful. It's a fun book to read, and definitely challenged me to think beyond where I am. Well worth it.

[Bonnie_Rae · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh Derrick, you pathetic twit.

In July 2023, it was revealed that Van Orden had cursed out a group of high school-aged Senate pages for daring to take pictures of themselves on the Capitol Rotund floor. But that is not all!

Van Orden has a thing for preying on teenagers. In August 2021, it was reported that he had stormed into the Prairie du Chien Memorial Library and lashed out at the underage staffer about the display of books for a LGBT pride display and then stole the books (granted, he returned them a week later, but faced no real punishment for the theft) after, getting this, applying for a library card.

Then in this book we have this delightful gem about Van Orden, proclaimed Christian and family man, harassing young ensigns and humiliating an officer: When I got to the emergency room, we discovered they outfitted him with something called a “Bellevue bridge,” which is essentially a towel that runs between your thighs. You sit with your legs spread open with your ball sack on this towel, and it prevents it from sticking to your legs. Here’s this lieutenant sitting behind a little curtain, spread eagle, ball sack huge as a cantaloupe, and his eyes swollen nearly shut.

That’s when I spotted two ensigns, who happened to be young girls in their early twenties.

“Excuse me,” I said to the two cute girls, approaching them. “Could I ask you something?”
“Sure,” one of them answered.

After walking them over to the outside of the lieutenant’s location, I whipped the curtain back. “Have you ever seen anything like this?” I asked. They gasped in horror as they saw the LT in all of his glory. I’m sure they never wanted to have anything to do with a man ever again.


It is amazing to see what kind of turds can become Navy SEALs and then get a government job. Lord knows he couldn't function in any other job.

[Axel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this brief book. Perfect for keeping in your glove compartment or drawer for owner's manuals. Not very many details about how to do things but a lot of topics on things that mostly should only be done outside - fire building, igloo making, and aggressive driving. This book has a spirit of getting things done written with respect for others and the value of teamwork. I like this point Derrick Van Orden made about friendship learned from his childhood of modest means - "my family was so poor my only option was to collect connections." In other words connections with people are better than collections of things. The sooner we arrive at this revelation the more fulfilling living will be.

[Alan Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book on what it looks like to be a man. Love the way he uses outside influences from other men in his life. The idea of discipleship is seen through how all those men have impacted his life and they all provide various skills. The stories are entertaining, from the military training to the stories of growing up, all were enjoyable and crucial to Van Orden's development of becoming a man. That being said, a Navy Seal's guide to man, it is a pretty specific view on manhood and the perspective is from an American culture and I don't believe all the values are relatable and mindful of the diversity here in US. Great read, would recommend this for those who want to learn from a Navy Seal and grow in manhood!

[Jack Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great book idea in theory, but poorly executed. The book feels thin and disjointed at times. Some of the sections listing step-by-step instructions could have benefited from some diagrams or images. Show me; just don’t tell me. That’s all.

[Michael L Hutchinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good advice/info. Big difference between being a male, and being a man.

[Phoebe223 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the stories at the end.

[Issa Alharbi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Terrible beyond measure. Wasted my time. Normalizes sexual assault and pushes poisonous agendas. Totally disrespectful.