Book Signing Celebrates ‘The Art of Manliness’

By Lauren Adiova

Tankfarm & Co. held a book signing for Brett McKay, co-author of “The Art of Manliness,” on Saturday, providing Seal Beach residents and AOM fans alike with free coffee, beer and haircuts, all donated by Imperial Barber Grade Products, Widmer Brothers Brewing and Handsome Coffee Roasters. 

McKay published two books based on the content of The Art of Manliness blog and has collaborated with John and Mike Anderson, the co-founders at Tankfarm clothing. They have been partners since 2009, creating T-shirts for the AOM website, and decided to put together the event.

“I started Art of Manliness while I was a law student and the reason why I started it was because I was just tired of the men’s lifestyle content being put out there, it just didn’t resonate with me,” McKay said. “So I decided to start the men’s magazine that I always wanted to read and it’s also a way for me, a sort of self-education, to learn things about being a man that I never picked up, the kind of skills a man should have.

“Because I was a new dad, a new husband, I wanted to figure out how can I be the best guy I can be for my wife, my kids, and for society, the community,” McKay continued. “I researched the stuff that I wanted to improve upon and I share with others what I learned. What I’ve found is that other men had the same questions, they just didn’t know where to go to get those answers and I’m providing those in a small way.”

Manliness can be defined in multiple ways. The blog, written by Brett and his wife Kate, gives tips and advice on social and survival skills for a "manly man."

“My idea of manliness comes from classical culture, from ancient Greece and ancient Rome and if you asked a man 2,000 years ago in ancient Greece ‘What does manliness mean?’ they’d say it means being a man of virtue, it means being honorable, having courage, self-discipline and will,” said McKay.

“We had a great turnout,” Tankfarm’s John Anderson said. “Every event that we’ve had here has always been successful. We’re neighborhood guys so the city really gets behind our events and everyone is respectful. So it’s a lot of love. When you get great companies together, it’s always a good time.”

Approximately 100 people came to Tankfarm to meet and shake hands with McKay, participate the periodic raffles with Tankfarm prizes, and enjoy the coffee, beer, haircuts and atmosphere.

In regards to the turnout, McKay said, “It’s humbling. It’s really, really humbling just to shake their hands and hear their stories of how this site has helped them in the different times in their life. It’s great because a lot of the site’s content is geared toward young men for making that transition from adolescence to adulthood and just seeing how the site has helped them make that transition, it just makes what we do worth it. It just makes me really happy.”