Review of Man Mission

[Olawande Abiola]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Etan, Sam, Alec, and Dan are four friends from college. They used to fantasize about going to camp every year and doing strange things. They traveled for the next fifteen years. The four men's adventures are as ridiculous as they are fantastic; they are completely unprepared and have no idea what they will face on the journey, but they grew each year with determination to get better, and as they progress, they produce one of the most incredible stories by enjoying their adventurous journey to various parts of the world. I knew we were in for a huge adventure after Etan and Sam's trip to New Zealand, and their discussions about doing this every year.

Perhaps even more incredible is the fifteen-year bond that develops between the four men and the insights into their minds and hearts that Etan Uliel offers. I was fascinated by the men's friendships, actions, and self-perceptions. I discovered a great deal about the responsibility men place on themselves and their views of what it means to be a man. If you enjoy travel books and memoirs, this book has the perfect combination.

Along the way, I was often frustrated by the men's masculinity and chest-thumping activities during the journey, but I admired the author's courage to depict himself and his buddies in an honest light. The novel, with all of the men's foibles and sensitivities, felt genuine in a manner that kept me reading until the end.

I found myself celebrating each man's triumphs and wincing at each man's struggles. There were obviously triggers for me in some of the cruel, abusive actions portrayed in the book, but I thought it was a fair price for a peek into these men's hearts and thoughts.

The context of a fifteen-year custom provided an excellent opportunity for the reader to observe the development of these four men. The author did a fantastic job of providing information for each trip at the end of each chapter.I noticed that I had to go through 11 empty pages before I got to read the next page. I read with the Epub app, which was a bit frustrating. I highly recommend  Man Mission and I give it a 4 out of 4 rating for its unique perspective on life and the way these adventures are told.

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Man Mission
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