Review of Man Mission

[Faatimah Noormahomed]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Man Mission by Eytan Uliel is a non-fiction book that follows four men as they go on yearly adventures around the world. Told in the first-person from Eytan’s point of view, we follow him and his three closest friends, Sam, Daniel, and Alec, as they go on these adventures, or man missions, over the span of fifteen years. Over the course of the story, we see Eytan and his friends in many different phases of their lives, from working entry-level jobs in their mid-to-late twenties to being married with kids in their forties. The initial idea for the trips is that by undertaking dangerous and physically demanding adventures, they can prove how macho and manly they are. At least, this is the goal for Eytan, who struggles with his masculinity and the traditional idea of what it means to be a real man. Soon, however, these yearly trips become so much more. They become a place of solace for these men - where they can go to be vulnerable and express their true selves - and to a great extent, they become a reprieve from their real lives back at home. So yes, while it’s about the physical journey to different continents, it’s also very much about the journey towards self-awareness and self-acceptance.

I loved the way this story was written. While it is a non-fiction book, it’s written very much like a fiction book would be written, which pleasantly surprised me! I think the story itself and its overall message were more easily digestible by the reader because of this. Additionally, the imagery and description of the places that the characters visit was phenomenal. I was thoroughly immersed in this book and honestly felt like I was there with the characters on every adventure. While I loved the travel aspect of this book, I was as invested in Eytan’s character development. Throughout the book, we see him struggling with beliefs instilled in him by society; beliefs about what a ‘real man’ is – the qualities he should have and the things he should be able to provide. He lets these beliefs stifle the person that he is, and his decisions and his life are ruled by what he thinks he should be able to bring to the table. We learn that he feels trapped in his life, and experiences guilt for wanting more out of life even though he has everything he thinks should make him happy.

This book took me through the full spectrum of emotions. At times, it had me laughing out loud at some of the trials the men experienced on their adventures. At others, it made me feel so sad because of what Eytan was going through, and I just wanted to be able to reach into the book and give him a big hug. I honestly have nothing negative to say about this book. Some of the choices that Eytan made in the book frustrated me, but I think these choices were necessary for his character development.

This book has been professionally edited, and I only noticed a few errors while reading. That, combined with the fact that I enjoyed it so much that I struggled to put it down, is why I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

I would highly recommend Man Mission to anyone over the age of 18 years because it does contain numerous instances of profanity and it alludes to matters of a sexual nature. It was such an enjoyable book to read, and it discusses an important topic that is often overlooked.

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Man Mission
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[Mildred Echesa]

This book is really good for people who live adventures since the men go on several adventures. I enjoyed your review.

[Obi Egbuniwe]

The characters of Sam, Daniel and Alec seem very engaging. Upbeat adventure books like this have always interested me. I'll definitely give it a read. Great review.

[Christabel Egbeama]

I love everything about this book from start to finish. I love the aspect of the unnamed first- person narrator. I appreciate the author for displaying the importance of friendship through the four friends.