Excellent and powerful. Reading the Preface already had me feeling all the feelings, and reading slowly, and making notes and highlights and talking with my therapist and family. 

hooks writes with clarity and power about the destructive impacts of patriarchy on both women and men. She knows that identifying the problems of violence, dehumanization, shame and anger isn't the end of the work; that the hard work of men becoming more whole and healed is on men, but also needs women's participation. And the work of dismantling patriarchy's influence on the family isn't just on fathers, but on mothers as well. She writes clearly about the promise and limitations of feminism, as well as some of the blind spots of early faminism.

There were a few places where I disagreed with hooks, or where I think we've made some progress since she wrote what she wrote, but it's not my place to measure that.  I appreciated hearing from a voice of strength and pragmatism about feminism, and from that same voice challenging men and culture to be better.

It's a bit dated in places - the chapters on media (understandably) and work feel especially so. The work chapter is not inaccurate, but the stark unacceptance of women in workplaces which hooks describes appears to have given way, while full inclusion is still to come.

I highly recommend this book to everybody. Men, women, anyone who wants to understand and improve the effects of patriarchy on men and, well, everyone.

At the end of the book, what impressed me was the depth to which I felt challenged, but also hopeful. That's a tough and rewarding balancing act by hooks.