Rating: 
Summary: Chivalry? Is that what they're calling it these days?
Review: Although the author has compiled a number of useful bits of information, he does the entire notion of chivalry a disservice by ultimately tarring it with his political conservatism. A gentleman would never go out of his way to be a hypocrite but that appears to be precisely what Mr. Miner has done. The subject of the war on Iraq, for example, has no place in this book... yet he apparantly felt compelled to drop the bloody mess smack into it. The most basic premise of chivalry might be framed as "a gentleman fights in the wars he applauds" but the author has chosen to close his eyes to this. Indeed, when he was asked to fight (in Viet Nam) Mr. Miner found it prudent to seek Conscientious Objector status (which would have earned him a white feather in a time more noted for its chivalry). Had he remained consistant in his views one could regard him with the respect earned by those who exhibit the courage of their convictions. His conversion to pro-war conservatism (while he remains safely out of harms way) however, makes a mockery of the subject he has devoted so many words to. There are just a handful of well written books on this subject. This one, unfortunately, is not among them.
Rating: 
Summary: To Be The Compleat Gentleman - Or Not!
Review: As Brad Miner takes you on a historical and theoretical walk on life's journey in one coming to grips with ones self and where he toes the line on acting with Chivalry, you will find yourself sitting upon a strong muscular steed alongside the likes of King Arthur himself.
You may find yourself shrinking in the shadows of great men aboard the Titanic or shining next to characters less than chivalrous in Medieval times, but it matters not, for following this well written manual will in no ways the less challenge you to become more of a Compleat Gentleman than you have ever imagined.
Growing up in Upstate New York, under the close care of my neighbor and Grandfather I learned what it was to be a gentleman. Lewis Earl Lumley, my late Grandfather was a true gentleman and a leader in the community.
But it wasn't until my wife Stacy W. Drake purchased this book and I read it that I understood why I should strive to be a gentleman and how to go about it!
Thanks Brad for a wonderful book, written to the young lads of my generation who without careful consideration could possible loose one of the greatest gifts given by those who have passed on before us - The gift of Chivalry.
Rating: 
Summary: How to think like a gentleman
Review: How does one become a compleat gentleman? According to Brad Miner, the first step is to desire to be one (as the word should be defined, not necessarily as we use it today).
Mr. Miner does not take the "Etiquette" by Emily Post approach to the subject. A gentleman does not follow a checklist of do's and don'ts. No checklist can address every circumstance in which the gentleman may find himself.
Rather, the author attempts to show the aspiring gentleman how he should think, for if a man understands the principles that inform gentlemanly behavior, he will need no checklist.
Mr. Miner succeeds in his lesson. Though certain points are made repetitiously, the breadth of the author's knowledge of history and of the classics is not only apparent, but also helpful. The book would be interesting as a history of Western Civilization even if it did not address the topic under consideration.
The compleat gentleman, according to Mr. Miner, strives for balance between the should be, and the can be. So, while he desires to meet the highest moral and spiritual standard, the true gentleman is not, as my father once said, "So heavenly minded that he is of no earthly good."
If you want a book to tell you what to wear and when to wear it, what to say and when to say it, and how to respond to specific circumstances, do not read this book.
If, on the other hand, you want to be challenged to think like a man and live like a man, I recommend "The Compleat Gentleman."
Rating:
Summary: What a mess
Review: I can't seem to figure out what Mr. Minor is trying to accomplish with this book. The book starts out as a history of knights, chivalry and warriors? Then turns into a collection of Victorian quotes about man's role? And in the end it feels like a justification of the author's conservative beliefs? In any case this book is a mess! I had high hopes with chapter titles like "The Warrior", "The Lover", "The Monk". However these don't lead very far from small stories and mild rants on modern culture. Most disappointing is his justification of the Iraq war and his own navel gazing rationalization of his conscientious-objector status during the Vietnam war. Skip this book and turn to more interesting material like Robert Moore, Michael Meade or Sam Keen.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, Informative, and Necessary
Review: I picked up this book for research and ended up reading it for pure enjoyment. It was like a drink of clean water. Finally, someone has described what a gentleman truly is. There will be some readers who do not understand it or who do not agree with the ideology, and who will therefore disparage the book. However, I encourage anyone interested in not only the history of chivalry but also its practical application in everyday life to read Brad Miner's book. It's time and money well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding "History of the Idea of the Gentleman"
Review: Many men reflect in quiet moments that they are not, perhaps, what something inside them longs to be. We have every material comfort our ancestors longed for, and many they couldn't have conceived, and yet, as our President put it in 2000, so much prosperity, to so little purpose. What is lacking is these men are not gentlemen, or at least that they are intellectually divorced from the ideal. This book is an outstanding review of the entire idea, grown so alien to us in our age of no-fault divorce, baby-daddies and crass materialism. As Miner sets forth in his introduction, the book is neither a manifesto nor a particular call to action, but instead a concise (a bit too concise, in my opinion) history of what it has meant to be a gentleman, from the birth of the idea to what it means to be a gentleman in the modern world. I cannot imagine a better gift for a young gentleman on the verge of graduation. This book has the potential to make the reader a better man.
Rating:
Summary: Thought-Provoking Tome, if a Little Tedious
Review: Miner presents a worthy and fascinating premise. It's interesting reading if you can get through a lot of the history, especially in the first half of the book. Some of the lecture gets a little repetitive and tedious, and I found myself skipping whole sections just to stay on point. A few digressions, some entertaining and pertinent, some less so. But all in all, and interesting book that I enjoyed overall. At least provokes some serious thought on the subject, and on ancillary topics such as politics, religion, and marriage. I'm not sure I agree 100% with where Miner would be on all these things, but it invites further thinking and study on the matter.
Rating:
Summary: Thought-Provoking Tome, if a Little Tedious
Review: Miner presents a worthy and fascinating premise. It's interesting reading if you can get through a lot of the history, especially in the first half of the book. Some of the lecture gets a little repetitive and tedious, and I found myself skipping whole sections just to stay on point. A few digressions, some entertaining and pertinent, some less so. But all in all, and interesting book that I enjoyed overall. At least provokes some serious thought on the subject, and on ancillary topics such as politics, religion, and marriage. I'm not sure I agree 100% with where Miner would be on all these things, but it invites further thinking and study on the matter.
Rating: 
Summary: A lesson in geneology.
Review: Reading this book was as interesting as reading the geneologies listed in the Bible. Every now and then a good nugget of information would appear, then back to the begatting. Being much more history than a guide, the recent grad will have dropped this book long before the necessity of its contents could be appreciated. I was looking for situational based advice and lessons from another voice and found this source lacking.
Rating:
Summary: A lesson in geneology.
Review: The modern era has left void the definition of an ideal Man. If the "primitive wild man" of the men's movement leaves you thinking there must be another option, then Mr. Miner's "Compleat Gentleman" is for you. Using a concise (very concise) review of selected ages, Mr. Miner simultaneously presents an image of the ideal "compleat gentleman" and lays out several broad avenues for further investigation should you care to take him on. I found his book both a call to which I could aspire and a guide to start me on my way.
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