Chivalry from the average college-age male may seem dead these days, but seven UA students are trying to bring it back to life with “”The Nerdy McFly Manifesto.””
The book is the creation of Jamal Boddie, Bryce Dawson, Max DuBois, Egomeli Hormeku, Rafael Morales, Nigel Lewis and Jonathan Sedberry. The authors are having a release party and signing at the Campus Recreation Center, 1400 E. Sixth St., today from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Another book signing party will be held Monday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Center, 1322 E. First St., from 3-5 p.m.
The “”Manifesto”” is a list of 101 rules for college-age men, covering everything from cooking to style to the basic technique of perfecting a necktie.
So why the name Nerdy McFly?
The authors think it’s a man who is equal parts James Bond and Albert Einstein. Shaken, not stirred.
“”You either have to be cool or you have to be smart,”” said Sedberry, a junior majoring in biochemistry and political science. “”And we’re just trying to be both.””
The idea for creating the book came to the group around spring break, when they realized many college-age students valued athletic ability or coolness over intelligence.
“”They were shunning the kids that went to the library,”” said Hormeku, a senior majoring in physiology and political science. “”They would praise the kids that would not go to the library. We hung out with both crowds.””
Shying away from the common misconception that studying made people uncool, the seven began thinking of rules, akin to the “”man laws”” of Miller Lite beer commercials: rules all Nerdy McFlys should live by.
The book took about four months to write, said Morales, a marketing junior. Each group member was responsible for writing and editing it, and Rahsaan Gethers, a journalism senior, served as the primary editor.
The rules each come with an explanatory footnote and an interactive section where the reader can write down thoughts, Hormeku said.
The group self-published the book, which will run at $10 apiece.
The book can be purchased around Arizona’s college campuses and out of state where the authors are from, Sedberry said.
Dawson, an English junior, said publishing companies wanted to see how the book sold before picking it up.
Looking for a publisher was a difficult process, as most companies were reluctant to publish a book from college students, and the concept seemed strange to them, he added.
“”You got a name like ‘Nerdy McFly,’ you think it’s a picture book,”” Dawson said.
If the book sells well, the authors hope to go on a book tour to promote their “”Manifesto.””
“”I think what we do have to say is going to be crucial on this campus, and we want the grassroots to be UA,”” Hormeku said. “”The males on this campus need this book.””
Each author had his own opinion on which rule was the most important. Collectively, they named rules that dealt with everything from music to style to learning from mistakes.
They all agreed, however, that people nerdy or fly should stay true to themselves.
“”To be a Nerdy McFly guy, it’s like a suit that doesn’t fit. … You don’t buy another suit, you just make alterations to make it perfect for you,”” Hormeku said.
