Review of Man Mission

[Kelly Tunstall]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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A teenage dream to travel to far-off exotic locations and sample worldly cuisines became a reality for four Australian friends. The central character, Sam, Daniel, and Alec, were firm friends by the time they were all in college. Furnished with their brilliant and ambitious but not altogether well-planned idea, a fifteen-year tradition was borne.

Man Mission is the story of their annual strictly men-only trips that would span continents. They would face life-changing challenges on their expeditions and push themselves beyond their physical and mental limits. They would go on magnificent adventures together and witness jaw-dropping scenery. Their expeditions would lead them to hike the Harper’s Pass Trail in New Zealand and sleep under an astonishing display of stars. They would navigate the frigid waters of Australia’s Murray River in unsteady kayaks, and experience the adrenaline rush of cycling through the dark mountain tunnels of the Japanese Alps, surrendering to the possibility that death may be inevitable. As their list of trips grew in risk and danger, so did the rules and penalties for violating the Man Mission Code. If any one of the group did anything decidedly un-masculine, a unanimous decision would be made to establish the least manly of the group who would have to endure the humiliation of wearing the Pink Bracelet.

As the four friends navigate their relationships, marriages, babies, career successes, and failures together, each trip and adventure would teach them something about what the world has conditioned men to believe is expected of them. None of them knew what a major part their tradition would come to play in navigating the age-old question of what it was to be a “real” man, but not necessarily a happy or fulfilled one.

Man Mission by Eytan Uliel is a hilarious and touching insight into the male psyche. It is a story that explores genuine fears and feelings that men have about what it means to be truly happy and what harm imposed societal pressures can inflict. It emphasizes the struggles that men face about verbalizing their true desires, anger, and insecurities and their fear of being judged a failure if their dreams do not align with tradition or expectations.

I enjoyed the connection between the uncertainty the four friends experience while navigating their relationships alongside the unpredictability of difficulties and struggles on their adventures. As they bravely took on new experiences in each country, so did they face trying challenges in their careers and families.

Eytan Uliel takes the reader on an electrifying journey of exploring the different countries the four friends visit on their travels. The descriptive writing paints a remarkably vivid picture and I could imagine the freezing temperatures and the overbearing heat. I thoroughly enjoyed picturing the various cuisines experienced. This story is written in such an engaging way, it is an easy-to-read and utterly entertaining book.

I really could not find anything I did not enjoy about this book. Some of the revelations into the mental struggles were heartbreaking, but I feel it is a much-needed insight into male mental well-being. It addresses difficult topics, for example, why young boys are taught that crying and expressing their innermost thoughts are a sign of fragility and that struggling through life is something to be respected. I believe this book would be an excellent read for any man, not only to normalize his struggles but also the potential struggles of other men. It unifies rather than isolates men by recognizing topics that would be healthier by being normalized. Women would not only enjoy but also benefit from reading this novel to open up discussions about the themes Man Mission addresses, as well as recognize where potential difficulties could arise by not having the hard conversations. It is also an enthralling travel and adventure novel and might inspire you to take more chances and see more of the extraordinary world we live in, as it has done for me.

I believe this book is professionally edited. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5, as I believe this novel starts a conversation that is so vital and long overdue. Man Mission confirms how men globally may appear to be different from each other, but some struggles to this day remain universal.

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Man Mission
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[Book owly]

It's an amazing book. I had a great time reading it. Your review describes the book in a Fantastic way. I hope other readers also like and enjoy it. Thank you for the great review.

[Favour Alade Boluwatife]

This book talks a lot about traveling to different parts of the world. I love how the writer expatiate on some certain part of the world that I haven’t even heard about

[MsH2k]

Man Mission by Eytan Uliel is a hilarious and touching insight into the male psyche.

The insight into the male psyche was the aspect I appreciated most about this adventure. Thank you for your delightful review.

[Nisha DSouza]

I immensely enjoyed reading your review, Kelly. It was amazing how you described and summarized the book. Great job!