Press Kit

"One boy grows up in two different worlds, one shaped by neglect, the other by the people who chose to step in. The Men We Make asks a question every parent, mentor, and leader must face, who are the men we are helping create."

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"Two lives. One boy. The difference is who shows up."

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In The Men We Make, Magnus Johnson delivers a bold debut that follows the same man through two radically different lives — one shaped by neglect and violence, the other by love and presence. A gripping, propulsive read about the invisible forces that shape who we become.

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The Men We Make is a debut novel by Magnus Johnson — former Green Beret, Bronze Star recipient, and co-founder of Mission 22 — that follows a single character, Darin, through two parallel lives. In Part One, Darin grows up in an environment of neglect and cruelty. In Part Two, the same boy is raised with care, understanding, and love. Same person. Radically different outcomes. Johnson doesn't moralize — he shows. With a riveting voice and a storyteller's instinct for tension, he forces readers to reckon with the adults who shaped them and to ask honestly: who are the men and women we are helping make? Drawing on his years studying what breaks men on the battlefield and what rebuilds them in civilian life, Johnson brings rare emotional authority to this story. The Men We Make is a fast, unforgettable read that will change how you show up for the people around you.

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Magnus Johnson is a former Green Beret, Bronze Star recipient, and co-founder of Mission 22, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the veteran suicide epidemic. He has spent his life studying what breaks men and what builds them, first on the battlefield, then in the long, often invisible struggle of coming home. After leaving the military, Johnson faced what so many veterans face: the disorienting work of rebuilding identity outside the uniform. That journey, through art, mindfulness, community, and faith, became the foundation for everything he has built. This includes Mission 22's Recovery + Resiliency program, designed to help veterans transform trauma into Post Traumatic Growth.

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"Magnus Johnson doesn't just have a riveting story… he has a riveting voice — a rich tone and style that turns pages into feelings and emotions as you read. This is the definition of a page turner."

"The Men We Make is less about theory and more about legacy. It challenges readers to consider not just the men they are becoming, but the men they are helping shape."

"I could not put this book down, and finished it in one sitting. This novel is quite profound and gut wrenching. Its contrast in portrayals of Darin and the outcomes of his life/choices paint the undeniable picture of how important nurture vs nature is in all of our lives. This is an important read for the understanding of the human psyche, and the grace we all should have for not only ourselves, but also for others."

"This book leaves us considering the life of Darrin long after we've finished reading. It begs us to look at our own lives and relationships and ask ourselves how we are impacting the people around us."