Boom! This is Books & Biceps #310!

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If you’re a new subscriber or missed my yearly book round-up, The 15 Most Memorable Books I Read in 2023, you can read it here.

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BOOKS

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson

There are a handful of authors out there who I like to say that I’d buy an automatic lifetime pass for their work. Meaning, I don’t even need to know the topic of their next book (or several books) because if they’re putting out a new project I’ll buy it. That’s how great of a writer they are and how much I trust their ability to pick compelling stories and to execute.

Erik Larson is on this list and his new book, The Demon of Unrest, is a historical masterpiece that takes us on a trip down the tragic road that led the United States to Civil War in the 1860s.

Using Fort Sumter as the focal point of the story, we’re introduced to an array of important historical figures via their surviving letters and journals, giving the story an accuracy and realness that is one of Larson’s calling cards. It also drops you directly into the tumultuous moments between Abraham Lincoln’s election and his taking office that proved to be disastrous for our country.

And you have to keep in mind that the Lincoln of 1859 and 1860 was an unproven, unheralded figure who many politicians and then-media members thought would be a colossal failure of a president. Add to that James Buchanan’s total incompetence and cowardice and you’ve got a nation teetering on the brink of war, with states seceding left and right, while in limbo between an inept leader and an uncertain one.

Also, this book is very much about slavery and how it was the dominant issue in every part of southern life at the time. I have to warn you that some of what you’ll read, from the horrific slavery markets to the “holding pens” to the screeds given by the southern leaders in defense of what many believed to be their God-given right to own other humans, is hard to take. But it’s necessary to understanding how the Civil War unfolded and how Lincoln went from campaigning on the idea that he’d let slave-holding states keep slavery once in office (if it would head off war) to doing a complete 180 and committing himself and the North to abolishing the practice for good.

This is an intense, tremendous read that I can’t recommend enough. Grab your copy here.

👉 You’re Invited: This issue of Books & Biceps is free, but if you want to gain access to our Premium Flex Community, our Big Read of the Month, Physical Challenges, exclusive content and our Members-Only Tuesday Issue, I highly recommend that you upgrade to paid. Become a Premium Flex member right now!

BICEPS

As you all know, I love my Flex Factory garage gym and I like to think I have it packed to the gills with equipment considering the space that I have.

But I recently came across this guy’s basement gym and it’s on an entirely other level. Interestingly enough, he’s not that muscular of a guy, but he’s a DIY dude who not only buys equipment, but also jerry-rigs it to other equipment and builds his own stuff.

Every inch of his 644’ square foot space is taken up with plates, weights, pegs, blocks, bells and more:

I always like to see what other people do in their home gyms and this is fascinating to look at. Too cluttered for my taste, with a bunch of stuff I’d personally rarely use, but I give this dude an ‘A’ for effort haha!

QUICK FLEXES

Whenever people ask me about my ultimate fitness goals, I typically give a joking answer about being the most jacked guy in his 80s who you’ve ever seen, which isn’t necessarily a lie, but it’s also vague…

Realistically, I want to be Roger Kleffman, a 90-year-old guy still setting records in the pool and winning medals at meets.

That’s it. That’s my goal. If I can be doing that into my 90s I’ll consider my fitness journey throughout my life to be a resounding success.

In fact, between reading about Roger and the Olympics starting, I’ve decided to get back into the pool for real. Legit facility. Legit Master’s Team. Legit training. 50 fly. 100 fly. 200 fly. I want to see how fast I can go and put myself firmly on the path to breaking records 50 years from now!

If you’ve been waiting for the Macho Man audiobook, you can preorder it right here! Oooohhhhh yeahhhhhh! Only on AUDIBLE:

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Thank you all for reading! Stay Strong! - Jon

BONUS: Check out these greatest hits:

ONE: How ESPN’s SportsCenter United a Generation in the 90s

TWO: Hanging with Big John Studd as an 8-Year-Old Macho Man Fan

PS: You still reading Gus and Mallory? Thanks for getting through the whole thing! No skimming!

Time to Honor Our Meathead Agreement

In the gym there is an unspoken agreement that if a fellow dude needs a spot you jump in and help, one meathead to another.

If you enjoy reading this newsletter every week, let’s spot each other.

Let’s consider my writing and sending each issue of Books & Biceps my spotting you the best books, interviews and meathead content around.

Your spot to me is that you share this issue with ONE person who you think would like it.

That’s the deal. I spot you. You spot me. Just like the gym. Thanks!

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