Mask Off, JJ Bola
Mask Off, JJ Bola
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
Club: $11.47

Mask Off
Masculinity Redefined

Author: JJ Bola

Narrator: Eloka Ivo

Unabridged: 4 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Pluto Press

Published: 08/20/2022

Synopsis

What is masculinity? Dominating the world around us, with deadly gun violence, male suicide rates and incels on Reddit, masculinity is perceived to be 'toxic', 'fragile' and 'in crisis'.

In this audiobook, beautifully narrated by the author, JJ Bola exposes masculinity as a performance that men are socially conditioned into. Using examples of non-Western cultural traditions, music and sport, he shines light on historical narratives around manhood, debunking popular myths along the way. He explores how LGBTQ men, men of colour, and male refugees experience masculinity in diverse ways, revealing its fluidity, how it's strengthened and weakened by different political contexts, such as the patriarchy or the far-right, and perceived differently by those around them.

At the heart of love and sex, the political stage, competitive sports, gang culture, and mental health issues, lies masculinity: Mask Off is an urgent call to unravel masculinity and redefine it.

About JJ Bola

JJ Bola is a writer, poet, and UNHCR Ambassador. He is the author of three poetry collections—Elevate, Daughter of the Sun, and WORD—which were later all published in one definitive collection called Refuge; a novel, No Place Like Home; and Mask Off: Masculinity Redefined, which exposes masculinity as a socially-conditioned performance. He was one of Spread the Word’s Flight Associates 2017 and a Kit de Waal Scholar for the Birkbeck University MA in Creative Writing. As a former refugee, JJ Bola was invited to the Davos Economic Forum 2018 and held a discussion with Cate Blanchett. JJ reads, speaks, gives workshops, and performs around the world. He currently resides in London, England.

Reviews

Goodreads review by ❀ annie ❀

this is the kind of book i'd love to give to a lot of men in my life, especially those who are a liiiittle more resistant to feminism (i'm looking at you, dad). it's an interesting read, but i'd say it would function best as an introduction to the topic of masculinity and patriarchy. bola consistent......more

Goodreads review by Kai

In Sei Kein Mann verbindet der Autor JJ Bola seine eigene Erfahrungen als Mann mit grundlegenden sozialkritischen Themen wie Feminismus und toxischer Männlichkeit. Er erklärt wie er als Kind und Teenager sich immer wieder machtlos und vernachlässigt gefühlt hat, von einer Gesellschaft in der das Off......more

Goodreads review by Meike

I've read quite a bit about femininity as performance (hello, Judith Butler), J.J. Bola now tackles the performative aspects of masculinity which, unsurprisingly, are just as eminent. The author addresses issues like intersectionality, myths of masculinity, consent, mental health, social media, spor......more

Goodreads review by Lotte

I think it's important this book exists and agree with everything the author says, but it is very much a surface-level introduction to the topic and not the deep dive I was expecting.......more

Goodreads review by Charlott

3,5 In Masks Off: Masculinity Redefined JJ Bola examines the ways masculinity (or better masculinities) is (are) crafted, reinforced and upheld and at what cost. Bringing together stories – and lessons learned - from his own life, experiences from working with different groups of men, as well as seco......more

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List