Play Your Position · 2026-01-13 · 53 min
What happens when reading stops being "school" and starts being power ? In this upbeat, hopeful conversation, MaryLou sits down with Chris Clinard , founder of Books4Guys - a growing community and mission built to get books into the hands of young men (and grown men) who might not see themselves as readers… yet. Chris shares how he went from "didn't like reading in high school" to becoming the kind of person who can't stop talking about books - in the best way. His turning point wasn't discipline or a sudden personality change. It was relevance. He started reading biographies of athletes he admired, then leadership and personal development books, and realized: I wish I'd found these earlier. That insight became Books4Guys: a place where men can get recommendations, discover authors, and - most importantly - help put books into the hands of students through partnerships with high schools, coaches, and mentorship programs. If you've been worried about attention spans, leadership, or what young people are up against in a screen-saturated world, Chris offers a grounded, non-preachy reminder: one good book at the right time can change someone's trajectory.
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