When we admire a man we say we “look up to him.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that he is taller than us. Perhaps the phrase is rooted in the idea of a child looking up to an adult mentor, but in everyday usage, we say we look up to a man because he has ascended to a higher level in some capacity that we wish to emulate. This sense of “looking up” is how we should interpret the meaning of Jack Donovan’s new book, A Sky WithoutEagles: Selected Essays and Speeches, 2010-2014. The eagle has long been a symbol of greatness in the eyes of men and so we feel a sense of tragedy in the title. In a sky without eagles we have nothing to look up to and nothing to inspire us. Is this the world we now live in? Each chapter in the book touches on this question in some way as it relates to themes of masculinity.
Donovan is well known for his writings about masculinity and, in particular, for his 2012 book entitled The Way of Men. A Sky Without Eagles,published last week, collects shorter writings dating back to 2009, including some newer or previously unavailable pieces. The subject matter ranges from race, religion, and politics—the things you aren’t supposed to talk about in polite company—to culture, lifestyle, and identity. Whatever the topic, each piece relates back to the premise of The Way of Men, that the masculine role is defined by violence and attempts to suppress violence have resulted in a loss of meaning in men’s lives.
As if to emphasize this premise, the book begins with one of Donovan’s most popular essays, “Violence is Golden,” an argument that social order is based upon violence or the threat of violence. People who rely upon the government to keep the peace are relying on violence. When you vote in a democracy you vote for who is in charge of using violent force to control society. This fact is often forgotten or ignored by activists who claim to use “non-violent protest” to achieve their goals. More often than not such protests are actually an appeal to the government to use force on behalf of the activists. The point is that violence will never be eliminated from society and it is disingenuous to claim this as a realistic political aim.
Jack Donovan
This is followed by a number of essays in which Donovan juxtaposes his own views with those of related movements or ideologies. First there is “A Sky Without Eagles,” a transcription of a speech given at a gathering of White Nationalists explaining why hierarchy is important and how its abolition in pursuit of equality has led to unintended negative consequences. Next is “Anarcho-Fascism,” an analysis of the fasces symbol in the context of building honor cultures in defiance to the globalist state. Then he directly addresses his association with White Nationalism in “Mighty White.” This is followed by “Vote With Your Ass,” an essay on the futility of the democratic process, and “The Grievance Table: Why I’m Not A Men’s Rights Activist.” The purpose of these five essays seems to be to define what Jack Donovan is not. He may have some affiliation with certain groups and ideas, but the only idea he is fully committed to is the Way of Men.
The next four essays are connected by a common theme of feminism and its effects on the role of men. “There Is No Honor In Competition With Women” speaks to the uniqueness of manly relationships; how men push one another to strive for greater things in a way that cannot be duplicated in a relationship between a man and a woman. “Mother May I? Masculinity” discusses the state of whippedness that mankind finds himself in today. “Draw The Line” is about the need for men to protect a place for themselves, one that cannot be breached by women. “Everyone A Harlot” depicts the ill effects of living in a “culture” addicted to masturbatory pleasure-seeking.
There are two essays dedicated to the importance of strength, including a new one, entitled “Train For Honor,” about the principle of strength and how it is relevant to men today even if strength is no longer needed for basic survival. “The Physical Challenge” tells a personal account of understanding the value of hard manual labor. This is followed by an essay on how “Principles of Convenience,” those that are easy to live up to, are worthless principles.
The end of the book turns to the mindset of the Barbarian, which is clearly shown as the solution to countering globalization and other threats to masculinity. “The Manly Barbarian” is Donovan’s analysis of pre-civilized man as portrayed in Veblen’s Theory of the Leisure Class. “Becoming the New Barbarians” is a transcript of a speech about practical ways to begin thinking like a barbarian. Then there’s “CROM,” a new essay that uses Conan the Barbarian’s fictional deity to explain important distinctions regarding the pagan view of the world. Finally, A Sky Without Eagles ends with “The Brotherhood,” Jack Donovan’s dream of a society based on the tactical virtues of the Way of Men.
The book’s cover art depicts an octopus acting the part of the glorious eagle from the Great Seal of the United States, except the olive branch has been replaced with a police club. The meaning of the octopus might be found in a Heathen Harvest interview with Donovan, published in May of 2012, where he states: “…if groups of people drew a harder line between “us” and “them,” it would really foul up the capitalist system. It would be like an octopus trying to reach into a bunch of open clam shells that suddenly snapped shut. The whole ‘one world tribe’ idea makes it easier for the octopus to drain us and get fat. The world is an open buffet, and corporations can become so large that they wield more power than nations. Tribalism is the only way I see to starve the beast.” The need to draw a line between “us” and “them” is a recurrent point made throughout the book and is offered as a solution for how to kill the octopus and repopulate the sky with eagles.
Written by: Nathan Leonard
Publisher: Dissonant Hum (United States)
Hardcover: 170 pages
ISBN-10: 0985452331/ ISBN-13: 978-0985452339
File Under: Commentary & Opinion / Philosophy / Men’s Studies
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Violence Is Golden
- A Sky Without Eagles (Speech Transcript – NEW)
- Anarcho-Fascism
- Mighty White
- Vote With Your Ass
- The Grievance Table
- There Is No Honor In Competition With Women
- Mother May I? Masculinity
- Draw The Line
- Everyone A Harlot
- Train For Honor (NEW)
- The Physical Challenge (NEW)
- Principles of Convenience
- The Manly Barbarian
- Becoming The New Barbarians (Speech Transcript)
- CROM! (NEW)
- The Brotherhood (NEW)
Available Formats
Hardcover ISBN-10: 0985452331. List Price: $35.00. Buy now on Amazon.
Mp3 Audiobook
A podcast-style audiobook reading of each essay by author Jack Donovan, including two “live” tracks from public speeches, plus a PDF with hyper-linked table of contents included with ZIP file download.
Heathen Harvest 
Reblogged this on Sebastian's Blog.