L'Amour's Journey: Louis L'Amour's life exemplifies perseverance, showing that success often comes after years of hard work and dedication. His varied experiences shaped him into a bestselling author, inspiring others to follow their passions and learn continuously.
Louis L'Amour, a legendary author known for his western novels, lived a remarkable life filled with adventure before achieving fame. His experiences included working in various jobs, traveling with a circus, and participating in boxing and World War II. L'Amour's journey emphasizes that success can take time, as he struggled for many years before becoming a bestseller. His son, Bo Lamour, reflects on his father's perseverance and the profound life lessons learned through these experiences. L'Amour's life story inspires others to pursue their passions with dedication, illustrating that personal journeys and hard work contribute significantly to professional success. He emphasized the importance of self-education through extensive reading, shaping his writing style and storytelling abilities.
Life at Sea: A young man lived on the streets of San Pedro for months before finding work at sea, which inspired his writing, mirroring the struggles of the past and the pursuit of adventure despite hardships.
A young man faced tough times in San Pedro while trying to work his way to sea. Despite living in rough conditions for months, he eventually found a ship that took him on an incredible journey around the world. This experience, while driven by necessity, later inspired his writing, similar to the adventures of writers like Jack London. Travel back then was slow and costly, often done by workers like him seeking to explore new places. His early encounters and struggles shaped him, showcasing a time when ambition was intertwined with hard labor. Eventually, he attempted to serve in World War II but faced challenges due to his health. Overall, his life reflects a quest for experiences and opportunities during a different era, emphasizing the determination to seek better fortunes, even amidst difficulties.
Life Journey: An athlete-turned-officer turned health scare into a military journey, skillfully managing logistics during WWII while being an avid reader, which shaped his later storytelling and life.
An athlete turned Army officer faced a health scare that turned out to be manageable. He embarked on a military journey during World War II, becoming a key player in logistics during critical operations like the Normandy invasion. Alongside his adventurous life, he was an avid reader, devouring various books, which contributed richly to his experiences and later storytelling. His knowledge from reading and military training helped him develop skills that were essential for success in his roles. Despite challenges, like dealing with harsh winter conditions while testing gear, he seamlessly transitioned through various responsibilities, from coaching a boxing team to managing cargo logistics. His passion for literature led to an impressive personal library, reflecting a life devoted to knowledge even amid the chaos of war. These experiences shaped not just his life but enriched his narratives.
Writers' Opportunities: Writers in the early 20th century had different publishing options, with pulps offering immediate pay and a great learning environment, helping them develop skills and a strong work ethic, unlike today's challenging landscape for aspiring writers.
In the early 20th century, writers had various options for publishing their stories. Literary magazines offered good writing but paid nothing, while slick magazines paid well but took a long time to publish. Pulps paid immediately upon acceptance and allowed for quick, volume writing, becoming a great training ground for writers. This environment helped writers develop their skills and earn a living. The speaker's father benefited from this system, learning to write quickly while tapping into his unconscious thoughts. His daily routine included writing early in the morning, spending time with family, and continuing to work diligently throughout the day. He enjoyed the writing process, highlighting a strong work ethic and passion for storytelling, which contrasts with today’s lack of opportunities for writers to grow and sustain themselves in a similar way.
Writing Journey: A writer's joy and ability to engage readers through imagination are key to success, as seen in a father's transition to Westerns, which prospered post-WWII, leading to recognition and popularity in a changing market.
A writer's energy and joy can deeply influence their work, as seen in a father's transition from adventure stories to Westerns after World War II. By engaging the reader's imagination with brief details, he became a prominent Western author, succeeding when the demand for Western stories grew in the 1950s. Despite facing tough times and struggling financially, he persevered, eventually gaining recognition with stories like 'Hondo', which led to notable sales in paperback originals. His ability to capture the spirit of adventure while adapting to changing reader interests helped him thrive, especially as he explored deeper narratives in the 1960s. Success came from passion and connecting with readers, especially at a historical point when Westerns resonated with the public's desire for adventure in familiar settings, showcasing how resilience and creativity can lead to lasting impact in literature.
Evolving Legacy: In the 1970s, a Western writer evolved by blending genres and reflecting on family themes, while his son preserves his legacy by exploring his unpublished works and the challenges faced during his career.
In the 1970s, a writer known for his Westerns began exploring new genres as his audience became more open to variety. He struggled initially with being typecast, but he creatively incorporated different elements into his Western stories. His work often reflected themes of family and connection, influenced by his own experiences. As he turned to unpolished works after his death, his son helped unveil the stories behind these books, showcasing the tension between the writer's intentions and the demands of publishers. This allowed a deeper understanding of his legacy, highlighting his influences and the struggles between personal expression and market expectations.
Louis Lamour's Legacy: Bo Lamour discusses his father's unfinished works and how he aims to present them, including two volumes of lost stories and a completed novel. This effort reveals Louis Lamour's literary intent and legacy, available for fans at LouisLamour.com.
Bo Lamour, the son of the famous author Louis Lamour, shares insights into his father's unfinished works and projects. He highlights two volumes of Louis' lost treasures, featuring beginnings of stories and notes left by his father. These books help fans understand the stories' intents and the author's career. Additionally, Bo worked to complete a novel, 'No Traveler Returns,' which Louis started in 1937 but never finished due to his drafting into the war. The collection allows readers to appreciate Louis' writing in new ways, making it easy to grasp the author’s intent. Bo provides a platform to engage with Louis’ legacy, encouraging fans to explore the assortment of works at LouisLamour.com. Overall, the ongoing projects aim to shed light on a beloved author while preserving his literary contributions to future generations.
The Life and Legacy of Louis L'Amour
The Art of Manliness
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Recent Episodes from The Art of Manliness
The 5 Marks of a Man
We often think of the difference between a boy and a man as a matter of age. But Brian Tome says that there can be 15-year-old men and 45-year-old boys, and that the real difference maker in being grown up isn't a matter of the number of years you accumulate but the qualities, behaviors, and mindset you possess.
Brian is a pastor and the author of The Five Marks of a Man. Today on the show, Brian unpacks what he thinks are the marks of mature manhood. We talk about the need to have a vision and how life-giving hobbies can create that vision. Brian argues that manhood requires staking out a minority position, being part of a pack, and creating more than you consume. And we discuss the ways men can still be protectors in the 21st century.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Podcast #78: The Myth of Following Your Passion
- AoM Article: The Ultimate List of Hobbies for Men — 75+ Ideas For Your Free Time
- AoM series on the 3 P's of Manhood: Protect, Procreate, Provide
- AoM Podcast #926: The 5 Shifts of Manhood
- AoM Podcast #810: How to Turn a Boy Into a Man
- AoM Article: Why Are Female Friendships the Ideal? (‘Cause Dude Friendships Also Rock)
- AoM Article: Modern Maturity — Create More, Consume Less
- Brian's Man Camp
Connect With Brian Tome
The Imagination Muscle — Where Good Ideas Come From (And How to Have More of Them)
Imagination is the ability to form mental images and concepts that don't exist or haven’t happened yet, think outside of current realities, and form connections between existing ideas to create something new and original.
If the number of movie sequels and the outsized popularity of music made decades ago is any measure, our current age is suffering from a deficit in imagination. And indeed, tests show that creativity, which takes the possibilities generated in the mind and produces something with them, has been in decline for many years now — a phenomenon that has repercussions for our personal edification, professional advancement, and societal flowering.
But if our imagination has indeed atrophied, the good news is that it can be strengthened. So argues my guest, Albert Read, the former managing director of Condé Nast Britain and the author of The Imagination Muscle: Where Good Ideas Come From (And How to Have More of Them). Today on the show, Albert shares his ideas on how our imagination can be built back up. We discuss how to get better at observation and how to use a commonplace book and the way you structure your reading to cross-pollinate your thinking and generate more fruitful ideas. We also discuss how to overcome the unthinking habit, resist stagnation as you age, and embrace imaginative risk.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Podcast #432: How to Achieve Creative Success
- AoM Podcast #683: How to Think Like a Renaissance Man
- AoM Podcast #357: How to Be a Creative Genius Like da Vinci
- AoM Podcast #874: Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life
Connect With Albert Read
5,000 Years of Sweat: Lost Workout Wisdom From the History of Physical Culture
In an age that doesn't think too much about history, you might be forgiven for thinking that a culture of exercise only emerged in the 20th century. But the idea of purposefully exercising to change one's body — what folks used to call "physical culture" — likely goes back to the very beginnings of time.
Here to unpack the origins, evolution, and future of fitness is Dr. Conor Heffernan, a Lecturer in the Sociology of Sport at Ulster University and the author of The History of Physical Culture. Today on the show, Conor takes us on a fascinating and wide-ranging tour of physical culture, from the ancient Egyptians, who made their pharaohs run around a pyramid to test their fitness to rule, to the ancient Greeks who used their gymnasiums for both bodily training and intellectual philosophizing, to modern strongmen who became proto fitness influencers, and many periods and societies in between. We discuss how training practices changed over time, where they may be going next, and the evergreen principles from past eras that we could still learn from today.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Podcast #988: Of Strength and Soul — Exploring the Philosophy of Physical Fitness
- AoM Podcast #939: What Lifting Ancient Stones Can Teach You About Being a Man
- Rogue documentaries on stone lifting in Scotland, Iceland, and Spain
- AoM Podcast #39: Eugen Sandow, Victorian Strongman
- AoM Podcast #624: The Crazy, Forgotten Story of America’s First Fitness Influencer, Bernarr MacFadden
- AoM Article: An Introduction to Indian Club Training
- AoM Video: Intro to Indian Club Training
- De Arte Gymnastica
- Johann GutsMuths
- Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
- Turnvereine gymnastic system
- The Strongman Project
Connect With Conor Heffernan
What's Going on With Your Social Anxiety?
Do you have trouble feeling comfortable when socializing? Maybe sometimes you do fine, but other times you feel nervous, shy, and awkward. Or maybe socializing always feels like a struggle. Either way, you know how frustrating and even debilitating social anxiety can be. It cannot only lead to avoiding potentially enriching experiences and a failure to make desired connections, it can sometimes be hard to understand.
So what's going on when you socially misfire?
Here to unpack that question is Thomas Smithyman, who is a clinical psychologist and the author of Dating Without Fear: Overcome Social Anxiety and Connect. Today on the show, we get into the dynamics of social anxiety in both romantic and platonic contexts. Thomas explains what defines social anxiety, how it exists on a spectrum from mild shyness to an outright disorder, and what causes it, from genetics to faulty thinking. We talk about the protection strategies people often use to avoid the pain of social judgement, and why they actually backfire. We then get into what you can do to be more socially comfortable and confident, including a key to effective flirting, why you should try to make a "mediocre first impression," and how to find your way into what Thomas calls the "warm social world."
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM series on overcoming shyness
- AoM Article: Introversion as an Excuse
- AoM Article: How to Overcome Phone Shyness
- Sunday Firesides: Want to Solve Your Social Problems? Get Over Your Self
Connect With Thomas Smithyman
The Life and Legacy of Louis L'Amour
With over 300 million books sold, Louis L'Amour is one of the bestselling authors of all time. All 120 of his books remain in print. But the greatest story L'Amour ever penned was his own. He spent the early part of his life traveling in a circus, working as a lumberjack and miner, circling the world as a seaman, winning over 50 fights as a professional boxer, and serving in WWII.
Today on the show, I talk about both the personal and professional aspects of Louis' life with his son, Beau L'Amour. We discuss some of Louis' adventures and the autodidactic education he gave himself by way of a voracious reading habit. We then turn to how Louis got started as a writer and how he cut his teeth writing for pulp magazines before breaking through as a Western novelist and becoming a blockbuster success in his sixties.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Louis L'Amour works mentioned in the show:
- Education of a Wandering Man: A Memoir
- Hondo
- Yondering
- No Traveller Returns
- The Walking Drum
- Last of the Breed
- Louis L'Amour's Lost Treasures, Volume 1 and Volume 2
- "Holding Her Down" by Jack London
- AoM Article: How and Why to Become a Lifelong Learner
- AoM Article: The Libraries of Famous Men — Louis L’Amour
Connect With Beau L'Amour
The Safe, Effective Supplement That Can Improve Your Body and Brain
What if there was a supplement that could build muscle, maintain bone health, fortify the brain against cognitive decline due to age and stress, and alleviate depression, has been proven safe, and comes with almost no side effects? Well, there is such a supplement, it's been around a long time, and it isn't even expensive. It's creatine.
Here to unpack the myths, benefits, and recommended ways to use creatine is Darren Candow, a professor of exercise physiology and nutrition who supervises the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Regina. Darren specializes in studying creatine and has published over 70 papers on the subject. Today on the show, Darren explains how a supplement often associated with bodybuilders may actually be beneficial for just about everyone — athletes and non-athletes and the young and old alike. He unpacks what creatine does in the body, and how its benefits extend beyond the body and into the brain. He offers recommendations on the formulation of creatine to use, a suggested dosage and whether it should increase with age, and how to avoid the bloating effect. He also shares what we know about creatine's safety, including its effects on the kidneys, and whether it can cause hair loss.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Article: Creatine — A Primer on Its Benefits and Use
- AoM Article: A Primer On Muscle-Building Supplements — Which Work and Which Don’t?
- AoM Podcast #878: The Fitness Supplements That Actually Work
- AoM Podcast #585: Inflammation, Saunas, and the New Science of Depression
- AoM Podcast #852: The Brain Energy Theory of Mental Illness
- Darren's studies
Connect With Darren Candow
Is Self-Control Overrated?
Self-control, the ability to resolve a conflict between two competing desires, is frequently touted as the golden key to success. But many of the most popular ideas about self-control are actually at odds with how it really operates.
Here to unpack some of the lesser-understood and counterintuitive ideas around discipline and willpower is Michael Inzlicht, a professor of psychology who has studied the nature of self-regulation in depth. In the first part of our conversation, Michael unpacks the popular ego depletion model of willpower and how it hasn't held up to scientific scrutiny. We then turn to the surprising fact that the people who seem to exhibit a lot of self-control don't actually exercise a lot of discipline and restraint in their lives, that the achievement of goals is more a function of having virtuous desires, and what contributes to having those desires.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Related studies:
- Perceived Mental Fatigue and Self-Control
- A Multilab Preregistered Replication of the Ego-Depletion Effect
- Everyday Temptations: An Experience Sampling Study of Desire, Conflict, and Self-Control
- New Zealand Study on Trait Self-Control
- The Moralization of Effort
- The Mundanity of Excellence
- The Identity Model of Self-Regulation
- The Effort Paradox: Effort Is Both Costly and Valued
- AoM Podcast #961: The Mundanity of Excellence
- AoM Article: Motivation Over Discipline
- AoM Article: ¿Tienes Ganas?
- Sunday Firesides: What Looks Like Grit, Is Often Fit
- AoM Article: What Do You Want to Want?
Connect With Michael Inzlicht
You Were Born to Run
For decades, some researchers have argued that the notable human capacity for endurance evolved from the hunting practices of our ancestors, which produced physiological adaptations that make us uniquely well suited for running.
But this theory has always had its detractors.
As my guest explains, a new study addresses these long-standing criticisms and adds evidence that, indeed, we were all born to run.
Alex Hutchinson is a journalist who covers the science of endurance and fitness, and today on the show, he explains what those criticisms were and how this new research counters them. We talk about the role running held amongst peoples of the past, how running is not only primal but cultural and even spiritual, and why we continue to run today, even though we’re not hunting for food. And we discuss how, even if we are born to run, that doesn’t mean everyone will always enjoy running all of the time, and how to get into running if you’re someone who doesn’t feel an innate desire for it.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Alex’s previous appearances on the AoM podcast:
- “Why You (Yes, You) Were Born to Run” by Alex Hutchinson
- “Ethnography and Ethnohistory Support the Efficiency of Hunting Through Endurance Running in Humans”
- Indian Running: Native American History and Tradition by Peter Nabokov
- The Hunting Hypothesis by Robert Ardrey
- “The Energetic Paradox of Human Running and Hominid Evolution” — 1984 paper by David Carrier
- Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich
- AoM Podcast #691: What You Can (Really) Learn About Exercise from Your Human Ancestors With Daniel Lieberman
- Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
- “Reexamining the Mythology of the Tarahumara Runners” by Alex Hutchinson
- To the Limit: The Meaning of Endurance from Mexico to the Himalayas by Michael Crawley
Connect With Alex Hutchinson
Becoming a Tech Intentional Family
In a family, a lot of the dynamics around devices and screens are reactive in nature. Kids bug for their own smartphones, parents worry they'll be left out without one, and without weighing the pros and cons, give in to their kids' requests. Parents let children have a ton of screen time because it lets the parents do what they want; then, they reach a moment where they feel disturbed about how much time their kids are on screens, berate their children for this habit, which they've facilitated, and vow that things are going to abruptly turn around.
Rather than basing your policies about kids and screens on mood, fear, and impulse, it would be better to do so based on reason and reflection. Emily Cherkin has some ideas on how to get there. Emily is a former teacher, a screentime consultant who helps parents and educators balance the role of devices in kids' lives, and the author of The Screentime Solution: A Judgment-Free Guide to Becoming a Tech-Intentional Family. Today on the show, Emily unpacks the state of screentime amongst kids today, how the "displacement hypothesis" explains how its impact extends beyond a decline in mental health, and why parents give their kids smartphones even when they're not sure it's good for them. We then turn to how families can become more tech intentional, and how that starts with parents taking a look at their own behavior. We discuss why putting parental controls on devices isn't the ultimate solution, why a better one is based on your relationship with your kids, why you need to live your digital life out loud, and some considerations to think through before getting your kid their first smartphone.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- AoM Podcast #300: How to Raise Free Range Kids With Lenore Skenazy
- AoM Article: What’s the Right Age to Get a Kid Their First Smartphone? 3 Tech Thinkers Weigh In
- AoM Article: The Best Internet Filter for Kids
- The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
- The Light Phone
Connect With Emily Cherkin
10 Philosophy-Inspired Challenges for Becoming a Better and Happier Man
Although they may call it different things and approach its attainment in different ways, many of the world’s religions and philosophies have a similar goal: achieving a life of virtue, peace, and flourishing.
In his new book, Seriously Happy, Ben Aldrige explains how anyone can use the wisdom of ancient traditions to improve themselves and live the Good life. Today on the show, Ben offers a thumbnail sketch of Buddhism, Cynicism, Taoism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Aristotelianism, along with practices and challenges inspired by these philosophies, including walking a banana, listening to a music performance without music, and taking a Wu Wei adventure, that you can use to put ancient wisdom into action and become a better and happier man.
Resources Related to the Podcast
- Ben’s previous appearance on the AoM podcast: Episode #640 — Weird and Wonderful Ways to Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
- AoM Podcast #148: Trying Not to Try
- Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright
- John Cage’s 4’33”
- Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Connect With Ben Aldridge
