Review by finleyexp -- Man Mission by Eytan Uliel
Posted: 03 Oct 2020, 23:55
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
Man Mission by Eytan Uliel is an adventure tale that takes four men across the world and into manhood over the course of 15 years. In very manly fashion, each trip became an exercise in one upmanship, endurance, and camaraderie. By demanding, begging, and otherwise pushing their families into acquiescence, four friends made it their sacred yearly right to spend 5-10 days in rugged, dangerous situations. It's a story of bravery and ignorance meeting exotic scenery and harsh reality. I'm surprised they didn't experience worse injuries on some of these escapades.
Most journeys are straight forward; others not so much. For the author and his friends, the act of getting from Point A to Point B was deceptively easy during the planning stages. And, like all too many travelers they had their plans and naivety dashed by reality. Who needs drug dealers? Men with leg injuries. Who needs the repetitive motion of paddling a kayak through rapids? Guys who can't keep their kayaks upright. Who needs to be there for his wife three months after she's given birth to their third child? Not that guy, over there, he's boarding the plane for New Zealand. One part travelogue, one part confessional; Man Mission is 100% one man's mission to convey the importance of balancing family, life long friendships, developing traditions, and finding your path through life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Man Mission, it is a perfect fit for adventure seekers looking for quick glimpses into varied destinations. Or, for self-help readers looking for examples in humility building. The author doesn't mince words, he holds the spotlight on himself and his follies over the 15 years he covers in this story. If you don't like foul language or lewdness, then skip this book. These are guys, sometimes doing absurdly male things, if that is offensive, then don't read this book. Otherwise, dive in knowing that this gem is well-edited, thoroughly worth the time, and packed with surprises.
I like gritty narratives that capture the beauty and cruelty of reality. This was not a gritty narrative, Man Mission is a smart, well-written, and professionally edited narrative about men developing grit. Never underestimate the power of diarrhea to completely change the quality of an adventure—for everyone. Nor the power of burnout to drive recklessness to extremes. The aspect that I liked most was the author's use of his voice: he's bared his rear for the world to see and he's shown that we all have flaws and problems prioritizing. While I most disliked the skimming through his personal life, some of the non-trip related incidents could have been expanded upon. Though, I suspect the author was attempting to give as little background as required to not distract from the travel tales.
I give 4 out of 4 stars because the story is well-spun, well-edited, and well worth the read. There were a few places where the author could have gone grittier to really bring home the danger and the awesomeness of his experiences traveling with friends. I think the author could have expanded those few areas, either to give more details about his personal life, or to further show how his desire to adventure influenced his personal life. Had he given those additional details, then would they have distracted from the story he was telling about male bonding? Hard decisions to make when writing? Never. Ready to read a sequel? Certainly.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Man Mission by Eytan Uliel is an adventure tale that takes four men across the world and into manhood over the course of 15 years. In very manly fashion, each trip became an exercise in one upmanship, endurance, and camaraderie. By demanding, begging, and otherwise pushing their families into acquiescence, four friends made it their sacred yearly right to spend 5-10 days in rugged, dangerous situations. It's a story of bravery and ignorance meeting exotic scenery and harsh reality. I'm surprised they didn't experience worse injuries on some of these escapades.
Most journeys are straight forward; others not so much. For the author and his friends, the act of getting from Point A to Point B was deceptively easy during the planning stages. And, like all too many travelers they had their plans and naivety dashed by reality. Who needs drug dealers? Men with leg injuries. Who needs the repetitive motion of paddling a kayak through rapids? Guys who can't keep their kayaks upright. Who needs to be there for his wife three months after she's given birth to their third child? Not that guy, over there, he's boarding the plane for New Zealand. One part travelogue, one part confessional; Man Mission is 100% one man's mission to convey the importance of balancing family, life long friendships, developing traditions, and finding your path through life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Man Mission, it is a perfect fit for adventure seekers looking for quick glimpses into varied destinations. Or, for self-help readers looking for examples in humility building. The author doesn't mince words, he holds the spotlight on himself and his follies over the 15 years he covers in this story. If you don't like foul language or lewdness, then skip this book. These are guys, sometimes doing absurdly male things, if that is offensive, then don't read this book. Otherwise, dive in knowing that this gem is well-edited, thoroughly worth the time, and packed with surprises.
I like gritty narratives that capture the beauty and cruelty of reality. This was not a gritty narrative, Man Mission is a smart, well-written, and professionally edited narrative about men developing grit. Never underestimate the power of diarrhea to completely change the quality of an adventure—for everyone. Nor the power of burnout to drive recklessness to extremes. The aspect that I liked most was the author's use of his voice: he's bared his rear for the world to see and he's shown that we all have flaws and problems prioritizing. While I most disliked the skimming through his personal life, some of the non-trip related incidents could have been expanded upon. Though, I suspect the author was attempting to give as little background as required to not distract from the travel tales.
I give 4 out of 4 stars because the story is well-spun, well-edited, and well worth the read. There were a few places where the author could have gone grittier to really bring home the danger and the awesomeness of his experiences traveling with friends. I think the author could have expanded those few areas, either to give more details about his personal life, or to further show how his desire to adventure influenced his personal life. Had he given those additional details, then would they have distracted from the story he was telling about male bonding? Hard decisions to make when writing? Never. Ready to read a sequel? Certainly.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes