Are you looking for the best dating books for guys?

You have come to the right place.

Dating Literature for Guys: Overview

The overall dating literature for men is spotty, presenting some good stuff, some great stuff, but also a lot of not as good information.

The issue is that it’s a field which has attracted a lot of men who were:

• Not very good with women to begin with
• Disgruntled and carrying misogynistic views
• Awkward with people in general (and didn’t understand basic social dynamics)

None of these issues are permanent and they all can be corrected.
That’s what good literature, training and self-development are for, after all.

But that doesn’t mean that all the teachers and “gurus” in the community actually corrected those issues.
Some got “good enough” or somehow built somewhat of a following to start teaching -and making money out of it- but they were not necessarily the best teachers and role models to follow.

That has led to a proliferation of dating advice for guys that are far from optimal and, at times, even plainly counterproductive.

Worry not though, this article distills the best of the best and gives you a quick overview as why they are in this list.

Best Dating Books for Men

And here is the current TOP 14 dating books for men:

14. Models

by Mark Manson
Summary | Amazon

Models is in between a self-development text, a high level “mindsets” text and an actual book on dating strategies and techniques.

Indeed, the reason it’s not featured any higher in this best dating books for men list is because it’s a bit too general and “general public friendly”.

What do I mean by that?
I mean that either because he really believes in it or in an effort to reach a wider general audience, Mark Manson takes rather”safe” positions.

He says for example that relationships are more fulfilling than sleeping around, that being honest is better than playing games and that embracing vulnerability is the most powerful thing you can do
And those make everyone nod in approval and make for wonderful Instagram quotes.

And it’s not that they are not true, they are.
But it’s also true that sleeping around can be great fun. And it can be better than relationships in certain periods of life and, for certain womanizing personalities, it can be better for, like… Ever.

Also, I’m ambivalent about Mark’s message of “dropping all games and being honest”.
That kind of message does not equip the readers with the knowledge and understanding of the dating dynamics. Because people do play games and wear marks whether you approach it honestly or not. It’s simply part and parcel of being humans.

But then again, I’m a guy writing on a website called “The Power Moves” :). And Models is a great book coming from a healthy and secure mindset which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Watch out that you don’t overdo the vulnerability that Manson makes central in Models and you’ll be in safe hands here.

Quote: Challenge yourself to find the good and beautiful thing inside of everyone. It’s there. It’s your job to find it. Not their job to show you.

13. No More Mr. Nice Guy

By Robert Glover
Summary | Audiobook

Albeit not strictly a dating book for men, “No More Mr. Nice Guy” is the best and deepest overview of the “nice guy syndrome”.

And, possibly, also the best book I have read to understand the nice guy syndrome and overcome it.

And since nice guys aren’t usually very successful ad dating, this is a must read for every “guy who’s too nice”.
Just make sure you don’t swing on the opposite direction -unless for a very brief period while you overcome the nice guy syndrome-.

If you need to increase your assertiveness though there are better products out there, including Social Power on this website.

Quote: Humans connect with humans. Hiding one’s humanity and trying to project an image of perfection makes a person vague, slippery, lifeless, and uninteresting.

12. How to Be a 3% Man

by Corey Wayne
Summary | Audiobook

How to Be a 3% Man is the most popular book in this list, at least going by Amazon’s reviews.

I found a few issues and blemishes in there, especially when it comes to actual social dynamics and psychology of dating.

But there is a reason why it still makes its way in this best dating books for men list.
And it’s because it covers most topics and most high-level mindsets from a position of genuinity and in a way that will provide a big bang for the buck to the average guy reading it.

Quote: Masculine energy is about drive, purpose, mission, succeeding, accomplishing, overcoming obstacles, and achieving goals

11. DateOnomics

by Jon Birger
Summary | Amazon

Guys, I’ll be brief here.
But if you want to understand dating, it’s good to also get some numbers on dating.

DateOnomics will do just that.

was one the most eye-opening and “aha-filled” text I have ever read about dating in the last year.
It makes a very good pairing with “Attraction Explained“, which focuses more on psychology experiments and science rather than numbers. And “The Evolution of Desire“, focusing mostly on evolutionary psychology.

Quote: Robert M. Solow, the Nobel Prize winner for the theory of economic growth, once said, ‘Everything reminds Milton [Friedman] of the money supply. Well, everything reminds me of sex, but I keep it out of the paper.’

Well, Solow might have missed something economically significant by not linking sex with economic growth. 

10. The Man’s Guide to Women

by John Gottman
Summary | Audiobook

Many guys reading a “best dating books for guys list” want to date better because they want a girlfriend and a relationship.

Well, then these guys need to get a professional when it comes to relationships.
Because the Achilles’ heel of the dating literature indeed is that often -but not always- the authors focus on “being alpha” while understanding little of relationship dynamics and what makes a relationship successful.

And that’s why I put a decade-long researcher on relationships such as Gottman on this list.

His book mixes proper advice on understanding women with how to develop a strong, happy and (hopefully) long-lasting relationship.

Quote: News flash: Men, you have the power to make or break a relationship

9. Alpha Male Strategies

By Alpha Male Strategies
Summary | Audiobook

Dating seen from a red pill perspective.

That means that AMS not only condones, but encourages manipulation and “stringing women along for as long as possible” because, you know… Women deserve it.
And of course, the old red pill tenet that “women are incapable of loving a man”.

That being said, except for those two major drawbacks, this is a solid book.
AMS has a unique and ver different approach from most other sources on this page. He focuses on a man’s purpose, that should always be ahead of woman.

Quote: If you want your woman to submit to you in the bedroom, then you better damn well make sure she’s submitting to you outside of the bedroom, it’s that simple.

8. Invincible

by David Tian
Summary & Review

David Tian seems to be mostly focused on the Asian population with his marketing, but the product and content are good for everyone.

He mixes Tony Robbin’s material with concepts from “The Art of Seduction” (without crediting it), a strong focus on fundamentals and a good understanding of dating dynamics and psychology.

The high price tag, the highest in this whole list, doesn’t help it feature any higher.

7. One Date

By Chase Amante
Summary & Review

One Date is one of the best products when it comes to content and information.

No mental states, no “transformation”, no colored pills or anything: just great content and information.

Chase introduces a new concept here, such as how to structure date depending on the type of woman. So you get an “excitement” type of date, “connection” type of date, plus a compliance-heavy type of date.

That rings very true to me and it’s an important distinction to make.
On the other hand, if you want a long-term girlfriend, you probably should do what you like most and attract in your life the type of woman that best vibes with you.

I rate it “only” N.5 because of the podcast/interview style of the course which I didn’t particularly like -I think there are more efficient ways to deliver information on a course-.
Otherwise, content and information should be what matters most, and big thumbs up there.

Note:
I have only finished the first module of “One Date” and not the whole course.

6. The Art of Seduction

by Robert Greene
Summary | Audiobook

The Art of Seduction is not the best go-to resource to date and seduce in the modern world.

Greene uses his typical flowery language that sells and markets so well to depict a slow-burning type of seduction that would perfect… On paper and if people had all the time in the world.
But in a fast-moving world, most of the times, you are probably better off with a more efficient “in or out” approach.

Robert Greene doesn’t seem to be a womanizer himself indeed.
BUT, he is a deep connoisseur of human nature and psychology.

And no other dating book for guys goes so in-depth when it comes to the psychological analysis of seducers and in-depth psychology of seduction.
Indeed, The Art of Seduction is a darling of mine as one of the deepest texts when it comes to the understanding not just of heterosexual seduction, but also of social seduction.

Quote: There is too little mystery in the world; too many people say exactly what they feel or want.

5. Fundamentals of Female Dynamics

by Michael Knight
Summary | Kindle

Fundamentals of Female Dating, one of the very best dating books for guys, is sadly a great example that the link between quality and popularity is a very tenuous one.

Indeed, albeit it’s great content and the deep grasp of dating and psychology of its author, Fundamentals of Female Dynamics is a vastly underrated text.

Well, at least now you know about it :).

Quote: Persisting through adversity is what truly separates the men from the boys.

4. How to Make Girls Chase

By Chase Amante
Summary & Review

Chase Amante burst into the scene at a time when “pick-up” meant asking opinions, working groups, “negging” and learning “routines”.


And it’s not that those techniques don’t have a place and a time: they do. But the way they were being taught and used -and some still do so today- had a tendency of making the seducer a rather obnoxious guy and, in the worst cases, a rather socially inept one too.

Chase approach was simpler, more direct and more focused on being an overall high value man.
All married with a solid understanding of psychology and dating dynamics.

It’s been a while that “How to Make Girls Chase” has been published and, as far as I am aware, it hasn’t had any updates.
And in spite of that, it remains one of the best dating books for guys.

3. The System

By Todd Valentine
Summary & Review

This is the third course in this list.
And it’s the highest-featuring course. 

To begin with, I really like a lot Todd’s attitude. 
He masterfully mixes practice and real-world knowledge with scientifically sound, mating-intelligent information.

And the second advantage of Todd’s course is that he shows the actual infields. 
Todd is not a teacher who stays put in the class. He gets his hands dirty, so to speak, and puts his face where his mouth is.

Even as a non-beginner, I still could learn a lot and tweak my style in a way that further increased my effectiveness.

2. Mate

By Tucker Max & Geoffrey Miller
Summary | Audiobook

Tucker Max knows how to rack up a lay count.
And Geoffrey Miller knows the science of dating and attraction.

In truth, “What Women Want” is more oriented for long-term relationships and better geared for a provider style of dating.
But most guys don’t want to be pick-up artists, and that’s one of the reasons why “What Women Want” ranks so high on this list.

The second reasons is that this the best book to actually understand what women want, as it tackles the fundamentals better than any other resource on this list.
And since the basics account for 80% of your success, “What Women Want” gives you the biggest bang for the buck, in the shortest amount of time, at a price which is much cheaper than any other course featured in this list (including my own).

Quote: If she just wanted to come, she’d have stayed home with a bottle of white wine, Fifty Shades of Gray, and her vibrator. If she’s with you, it’s because she wants more than just an orgasm. She wants a sexual connection. She wants to feel sexually desired.

1. Dating Power Dynamics

by Lucio Buffalmano
Overview | Free Chapter | Free Audio Chapter

Obvious disclaimer: I am the author of Dating Power Dynamics and, thus, heavily biased.
So if you don’t like this website’s content, feel free to skip this one.

But the type of guy I am, I wouldn’t have written a book at all if I didn’t think I could deliver a top notch product and add a unique point of view.

Particularly, there were a few points that I felt were missing in the dating books for guys which I sought to address.
They are:

1. Combining science with experience (hundreds of papers are cited here and there are videos, dialogues, and texts examples all over it)
2. Addressing dating and dating strategies both as a provider and as a lover (most resources teach or recommend one or the other, but I believe both work and both have a place in man’s life, also depending at which point of their life they are)
3. Addressing power dynamics and games people play (something that was sorely missing, especially from a scientific and balanced point of view)
4. Addressing dating strategies both from a “game” point of view and a scientifical point of view (many dating authors focus on game, while scientific authors focus on the traits that impact the individual’s SMV. Few resources combine both)

Quote: Sometimes the difference between disgust and one of the best days of her life is just in his emotional intelligence.

Wrapping Up

You have just finished a list of the best dating advice for guys available.

I only include products and books I have personally read and I keep reading, experiencing and improving all the time.
This means that my lists are a work in progress that will always be updated.
Sign up to the newsletter if you want to get the latest of my best book updates.

Social Power

For a holistic on social dynamics, check out “social power”.

One module is focused on seduction, while all the rest provides you with the foundations to become a more confident and powerful individual.