This book provides Bernarr Macfadden's approach to hair care, emphasizing natural methods such as scalp massage, regular brushing, and exposure to fresh air. Macfadden also discusses unconventional techniques like hair pulling to stimulate scalp circulation. The book reflects his broader philosophy of natural health and wellness.
Muscular Power and Beauty provides detailed instructions for enhancing physical strength and beauty, emphasizing the importance of developing the muscular system and increasing lung capacity. The book outlines various exercises for different muscle groups and promotes a lifestyle of vigorous physical exercise and natural health practices.
Strengthening the Eyes, first published in 1924, is a comprehensive guide to improving eyesight naturally. It combines Bernarr MacFadden's physical fitness principles with Dr. William H. Bates' eye training methods. The book covers various aspects of vision improvement, including anatomy, physiology, and exercises to enhance eye health.
Macfadden's Encyclopedia of Physical Culture provides detailed instructions on using physcultopathy to cure diseases, along with information on natural health-building methods and human anatomy. It reflects Bernarr Macfadden's advocacy for physical fitness and alternative health practices.
This book by Bernarr Macfadden focuses on the development, loss, and regain of virile powers in men. It emphasizes the importance of physical culture and health practices in achieving robust manhood. Macfadden discusses various aspects of health and sexuality, advocating for a strong, active lifestyle.
Amerika, also known as The Man Who Disappeared, is an unfinished novel by Franz Kafka. It tells the story of Karl Rossmann, a young man who is banished to the United States after being falsely accused of a scandal. The novel explores themes of alienation, identity, and the struggles of an immigrant in a new and unfamiliar world.
Published in 1900, 'Sister Carrie' by Theodore Dreiser is a seminal work of American naturalism. The novel tells the story of Carrie Meeber, an 18-year-old woman who moves from a small town in Wisconsin to Chicago and later New York City, where she transforms from a struggling factory worker into a successful actress. The narrative also follows George Hurstwood, a married man who runs away with Carrie, only to descend into poverty and despair. The book is a powerful commentary on the American Dream, the pitfalls of capitalism, and the changing roles of women in society. It is known for its gritty and realistic portrayal of urban life, highlighting themes of ambition, morality, and the determinism of social and economic forces[1][2][4].
An American Tragedy is a novel by Theodore Dreiser, published in 1925, which tells the story of Clyde Griffiths, a young man driven by ambition and desire for wealth and status. The novel is based on the real-life murder case of Grace Brown by Chester Gillette and explores themes of the American Dream, class, and moral ambiguity. It is a detailed social panorama that critiques the societal pressures leading to individual downfall.
The topic of health and fitness has long been a popular one for magazines, and in most recent times, for blogs and Instagram accounts. But what these modern publishers and influencers probably don't realize is that they're standing on the shoulders of an ambitious eccentric who laid the foundation for much of modern American media: Bernarr Macfadden.
My guest today is Mark Adams, who wrote a biography of this proto fitness guru called Mr. America: How Muscular Millionaire Bernarr Macfadden Transformed the Nation Through Sex, Salad, and the Ultimate Starvation Diet. Mark and I begin our conversation with how Macfadden discovered a passion for health and fitness as a young man and failed at his attempt to become a personal trainer, despite coining the motto "Weakness is a crime; don't be a criminal." We then discuss how Macfadden went on to start the highly successful magazine, Physical Culture, and then an entire publishing empire, which pioneered many of the confessional, first-person, personal branding techniques still used today. Mark shares the tenets of Macfadden's sometimes sound, sometimes wacky health philosophy, including his advocacy of fasting, and what happened when Mark tried out some of Macfadden's protocols on himself. Mark and I then delve into how Macfadden founded a utopian community in the New Jersey suburbs, was convicted of obscenity charges, trained fascist cadets for Mussolini, and ran for U.S. senator on a physical fitness platform. We end our conversation with why Macfadden was forgotten, and yet had a lasting effect on the world of health and fitness, as well as media as a whole.
Get the show notes at aom.is/macfadden.
The Art of Manliness 
