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Reviewed by Mansoor Ahmed for Readers' Favorite
Michael LeBlanc's What If Anger Is the Answer? A Harvard Marine's Guide to Shaping Aggression is an intense look at how we view aggression. He basically argues that instead of just suppressing anger, we should be using it as a tool for a stronger life. He opens the book with a heavy story—a chaotic chow hall shooting in Afghanistan where a Staff Sergeant has to hold a soldier's face together while charging through gunfire. It’s a jarring start, but it sets the stage for how he mixes these raw Marine Corps experiences with Plato’s philosophy. He uses a great metaphor of the soul having three parts: the "little man" (reason), the hydra (appetites), and the lion (anger). The goal isn't to kill the lion, but to make it into an ally.
Michael LeBlanc's writing is interactive and avoids the preachy tone you get in a lot of self-help books. He shares some excellent self-deprecating stories, like his struggle in Officer Candidate School with midnight peanut butter binges and how he had to adapt and overcome using what he calls "Neanderthal Logic." He explores the concept of thumos—noble fierceness that fuels everyone from Caesar to Medal of Honor winners—and contrasts it with how modern society tries to shut that energy down. As someone navigating the daily grind here in Lahore, where the heat and the traffic can make your temper flare before you even get to work, LeBlanc’s advice on channeling a stubborn drive was exactly what I needed to hear. What If Anger Is the Answer? is an essential read for anyone trying to turn their inner beasts into something productive.