Mad Blood Stirring

The Inner Lives of Violent Men

By: Daemon Fairless

Narrated by: Daemon Fairless

Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

With a rare clarity and fearless honesty, Daemon Fairless tackles the horrors and compulsions of male violence from the perspective of someone who struggles with violent impulses himself, creating a non-fiction masterpiece with the narrative power of novels such as Fight Club and A History of Violence.

A man, no matter how civilized, is still an animal - and sometimes a dangerous one. Men are responsible for the lion's share of assault, rape, murder, and warfare. Conventional wisdom chalks this up to socialization, that men are taught to be violent. And they are. But there's more to it. Violence is a dangerous desire - a set of powerful and inherent emotions we are loath to own up to. And so there remains a hidden geography to male violence - an inner ecosystem of rage, dominance, blood lust, insecurity, and bravado - yet to be mapped. Mad Blood Stirring is journalist Daemon Fairless's riveting first-person travelogue through this territory as he seeks to understand the inner lives of violent men and, ultimately, himself.

©2018 Daemon Fairless (P)2018 Random House Canada

Critic reviews

Shortlisted for the 2019 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction

“Why do men fight? Why do men rape? Why do men kill? In Mad Blood Stirring, Daemon Fairless dives into the lives of fighters, rapists and killers, as well as digs into the science, to let us ‘in’ to the pandemic of male violence and the gendered nature of violence. He spares no one, least of all himself; his writing is generous, feminist and at times poetic. I wrote many exclamation marks and notes in the margins, including ‘Thank you.’” (Jane Doe, activist and author of The Story of Jane Doe: A Book About Rape)

“Mad Blood Stirring is a courageous and deeply insightful exploration of the male appetite for violence. By turns harrowing, dismaying and fascinating, this book stands alone in the humility and intelligence with which it examines this most difficult of subjects.” (Kevin Patterson, author of News from the Red Desert)

Wow..a must read for everyone

I am male... 33 years old with a history of violence that while for the most part has been minor i.e. bar fights, small rivalries, sports related or run of the mill chest bumping encounters, has sometimes teetered on and on 2 or 3 occasions crossed the line into very serious and potentially disastrous consequences, especially as a teenager and early adult. I don't especially like violence but I'm quite comfortable with it as a tool and looking deep within my own psyche I know without a doubt that in the right context I would be perfectly fine employing it especially if given the pretext of moral sanctioning by some "higher authority ". 90% of the time I am peaceable and even placating in my encounters with other folks but sometimes I feel a a hulk like creature...a Mr. Hyde clambering to be let out to smash and destroy....to raid and pillage. Why?

This insightful book goes deep in it's attempt to understand the processes which stir our inner Hydes. By examining his own inner workings the author holds up a mirror in which we are allowed glimpses of our own demons, all while using research to explain the wrinkles and folds of the face which stares back at us. It is by understanding the beast and it's powerful influence on and in our lives that we are able to strengthen our very control of it. By running from it we only allow the cage of our control to weaken as the fury inside musters it's own strength for those moments when our guard is weakest. This book is great in conjunction with others such as 'The little black book of violence' and 'The anatomy of violence' to name just 2.

Wow... much more than discussion of men

... fantastic story and narration. Incredible information about the ages of males, population of those males, and likelihood of war v peace. I did a quick search of the age group he talked about, for USA. My jaw dropped considering it's 2020 and a scary place to be right now. He makes a lot of sense and his research is phenomenal.

Science and Storytelling at its best

Intricately woven together like a tapestry. The author weaves in his own story, his life experience and solid neuroscience to carve a path through the murky jungle of mail violence. I found my Myself clenching my jaw and crying real tears of recognition of the violence within myself. The author is open and vulnerable and that can be a rare thing in a book that is about the science of male violence. He never preaches or takes a stand on anything except for the fact that male violence can change and that is a good thing for all of us. I highly recommend this book to anyone men women even boys who need to understand what it’s like to be a man and face down those demons of violence that live inside us all.

I've Learned So Much

I picked this book up after googling "why do men do such horrible things?" and I have to say my question was answered. As a woman, there were many things I could never understand about my male relatives and partners. I feel like I have so much more insight in the way men think and how it is different than women. I have come to accept that there are simply some things I just can't understand either.

There are some facts and statistics that I almost wish I didn't know. After finishing this book, I definitely view men differently. Even though my fears weren't necessary assuaged, at least I have a better understanding of how the opposite sex thinks.

All in all, I found the book to be extremely interesting and entertaining. There were only a few times that I felt bored. It was extremely informative while also telling a deeply personal and relatable story. I think this is a must-read for young men and women.