by Brian McGackin

Quirk Books, $12.95 128 pages

There is only one book that celebrates the glory of Xbox 360, frozen pizza, Bruce Willis, and beer in poetry. That book is Broetry, by Brian McGackin. It speaks for and to Everyman. Follow the “bro” through his high school and college experience in poems such as “Ode to That Girl I Dated for, Like, Two Months Sophomore Year” and “My Friends Who Don’t Have Student Loans.” While most poetry takes on serious and confounding subjects, this book of poetry for dudes tackles manly topics like sex, sports, women, movies, football and frat parties. McGackin, a self-titled broet laureate, attempts to provide the perfect poem for every situation. Artist Lars Leetaru adds humor with black and white illustrations. In “Not Another Teen Movie,” McGackin cleverly traces the evolution of a relationship using only the titles of well-known movies. Some poems contain explicit language, but considering the subject matter, it is to be expected. After all, it is a guy writing about guy things. What is modern masculinity? Who is the modern man? Readers likely won’t find the deep answers to these questions, but there will be laughs along the way.

Elizabeth “Iambic Pentameter” Franklin