Review by mary-annef -- Man Mission by Eytan Uliel

[mary-annef]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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In Man Mission, Eytan Uliel tells us his life story through tales of adventure and mishap with his three best friends. The annual "Man Missions" start simple, and close to home for the Aussie blokes. They hike New Zealand, cycle in Japan, and kayak the Murray River in Australia. In these early years, the men are establishing themselves career-wise, cementing their relationships, and starting families. Over time, as waistlines and wallets thicken, the trips become more exotic - Spain, Korea, and even a safari in South Africa. But in Vietnam, Uliel gets a call from his wife that changes his life forever. Over trips to Hawaii, Peru, and Iceland, we see the men come to grips with the cards dealt them. How doing what's expected doesn't guarantee anything. And how very little is what it seems from the outside.

Uliel's self-deprecatory humor saves his work from appealing to an exclusively male audience. These are not, except for Alec, experienced action men sporting six-packs. But instead, corporate desk jockeys with flabby stomachs. For them, a marathon is four children's parties in a weekend. And the extent to which their missions are life-threatening is inversely proportional to the amount of planning put into them. You definitely won't find any technical sporting tips, if anything, the reverse. But I was riveted and read the book in two sittings. The characters are engaging, and there are points where their antics made me laugh out loud. Even in later chapters, when more serious topics emerge, there remain moments of lightness. Like when the men come across their Asian doppelgangers in a hot spring in Thailand. Uliel is mercilessly and candidly quizzed on his use of performance enhancers (not the sporting kind).

There was nothing that I disliked about the book. It deals with serious issues such as infidelity, the pressures of financial insecurity, and the death of loved ones. Some readers have responded powerfully to the infidelity aspect. My view is that Uliel addresses the subject with honesty, sensitivity, and as much humor as can be regarded as appropriate. I think he raises important questions about gender roles in society and outdated expectations of men in an evolving world. That said, it's entirely possible to skim over this aspect and enjoy the book as a lighthearted and funny travelogue. There is no profanity or erotica.

I particularly liked the format of the book. Uliel dedicates a chapter to each of the fifteen Man Missions. He begins each with a map and ends with the "vital statistics" of each trip. I can see myself referring to it for ideas for future holidays, and have already bought a copy as a gift.

I'm rating Man Mission 4 out of 4 stars because it came across as professionally edited and was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Consider it if you are an outdoor enthusiast or know a man who aspires to be.

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Man Mission
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[xoxoAnushka]

You've summarized your review very well. Your review was too good, too nice.

[Julius_]

I also read this book when it was the BOTM. I'm glad you liked it's formatting as well. The man missions were exciting and adventurous. Thanks for the review.

[mary-annef]

You've summarized your review very well. Your review was too good, too nice.

Thanks so much!

[mary-annef]

I also read this book when it was the BOTM. I'm glad you liked it's formatting as well. The man missions were exciting and adventurous. Thanks for the review.

My pleasure, thanks for stopping by.

[kdstrack]

The sensitive topics contrasted with the man missions create an interesting picture of the characters' view of life. I also appreciated the maps and the statistics noted at the end of each mission. Great analysis of this book! Thanks.

[mary-annef]

The sensitive topics contrasted with the man missions create an interesting picture of the characters' view of life. I also appreciated the maps and the statistics noted at the end of each mission. Great analysis of this book! Thanks.

Thanks for stopping by:-)

[Maria Esposito]

I, too, have read and reviewed this book and completely agree with you that the author touched on the topic of infidelity with honesty and wit. I was expecting a "macho" perspective on the adventures, but I was positively surprised! Thank you for your insightful review!

[mary-annef]

I, too, have read and reviewed this book and completely agree with you that the author touched on the topic of infidelity with honesty and wit. I was expecting a "macho" perspective on the adventures, but I was positively surprised! Thank you for your insightful review!

Thanks @Espo , I was also expecting that:-)

[Nkoo]

This book certainly has great potentials. Great to know that you enjoyed it just like I did. I think the book will make a great movie. Thanks for the great review.

[mary-annef]

This book certainly has great potentials. Great to know that you enjoyed it just like I did. I think the book will make a great movie. Thanks for the great review.

What a fabulous idea, yes! Thanks for your comments.

[Shabram22]

I have also read this book and also enjoyed it. I really liked to get a feel of what goes on in a man's head. But I won't agree with you there there is no profanity. There is quite a lot of it actually. Thanks for your review!

[mary-annef]

I have also read this book and also enjoyed it. I really liked to get a feel of what goes on in a man's head. But I won't agree with you there there is no profanity. There is quite a lot of it actually. Thanks for your review!

Hi - thanks for drawing my attention to that! I think I was so engrossed in reading that I didn't notice it. I clearly hang out with some potty mouthes. I just took a quick look and picked up that he uses "damn" and "goddamn" quite a lot. Was there other worse stuff?

[Shabram22]

I have also read this book and also enjoyed it. I really liked to get a feel of what goes on in a man's head. But I won't agree with you there there is no profanity. There is quite a lot of it actually. Thanks for your review!

Hi - thanks for drawing my attention to that! I think I was so engrossed in reading that I didn't notice it. I clearly hang out with some potty mouthes. I just took a quick look and picked up that he uses "damn" and "goddamn" quite a lot. Was there other worse stuff?

The f* word was used in almost every other sentence of dialogue. This was something I was really bothered with because I don't like to use or hear such language.

[Sanju Lali]

A nice memoir that takes us on a epic journey of four men who travel several lesser known places around the world looks quite fascinating. Thanks for your nice review.