Review of Man Mission
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Debra Morgan
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Review of Man Mission
[Following is a volunteer review of "Man Mission" by Eytan Uliel.]
When Eytan Uliel and his friend Sam decided to take a trek to New Zealand for a “wilderness-foodie” vacation, as they called it, they didn’t realize what they were setting into motion. Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey is the story of how a group of friends, Eytan, Sam, Daniel and Alec, established a tradition of travel, endurance and solidarity. From their home in Australia, these four men traveled to multiple points of the globe, such as New Zealand, Spain, Vietnam and Korea, to challenge themselves. Physically, they executed feats such as biking, paddle-boarding and hiking. They considered it a part of their responsibility to the club to eat local foods, sometimes regrettably, and to rest in local accommodations when available. Each adventure, with a couple of exceptions, culminated in a man-feast of lots and lots of meat and “manly” foods. Every MM (Man Mission) also had its setbacks: Sprains, broken bones, harrowing yet hilarious near-death experiences, and a blunder involving Tiger Balm, to name a few. There were causes to celebrate and to rally together in support. And, intermingled with and between these adventures, there was daily life: Marriage, divorce, children, jobs and unemployment.
Eytan Uliel is a masterful storyteller. It was difficult to tear myself away because I wanted to find out what happened next. There is a lot of humor, pain and everything in-between involved in his narrative about his adventures with his three best friends and their home lives in between trips. Iceland, without a doubt, is my favorite location in their journeys. It is evident from the author’s telling of this adventure that their expeditions were some of the most nurturing growth experiences in his life.
I honestly could not name one negative aspect of this book. From beginning to end, it is engaging and almost seductive in its descriptions of chosen destinations for each journey. The book is an adventure and a treasure itself. Mr. Uliel expresses his appreciation of his ability to experience all of this unapologetically but with the sure knowledge that not everyone has the means to do this. I appreciate his awareness of this as well.
This book is definitely professionally edited; I found one error. I have rated Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey 4 out of 4 stars. It deserves nothing less.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys travel journals, “man-cation” stories and anyone who wants a feel-good coming-of-age-after-20s book. Although it is about the travels of four men, I can tell you that as a woman, I gained much insight into why men need their own time and space, so don’t be shy if you aren’t a guy.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
When Eytan Uliel and his friend Sam decided to take a trek to New Zealand for a “wilderness-foodie” vacation, as they called it, they didn’t realize what they were setting into motion. Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey is the story of how a group of friends, Eytan, Sam, Daniel and Alec, established a tradition of travel, endurance and solidarity. From their home in Australia, these four men traveled to multiple points of the globe, such as New Zealand, Spain, Vietnam and Korea, to challenge themselves. Physically, they executed feats such as biking, paddle-boarding and hiking. They considered it a part of their responsibility to the club to eat local foods, sometimes regrettably, and to rest in local accommodations when available. Each adventure, with a couple of exceptions, culminated in a man-feast of lots and lots of meat and “manly” foods. Every MM (Man Mission) also had its setbacks: Sprains, broken bones, harrowing yet hilarious near-death experiences, and a blunder involving Tiger Balm, to name a few. There were causes to celebrate and to rally together in support. And, intermingled with and between these adventures, there was daily life: Marriage, divorce, children, jobs and unemployment.
Eytan Uliel is a masterful storyteller. It was difficult to tear myself away because I wanted to find out what happened next. There is a lot of humor, pain and everything in-between involved in his narrative about his adventures with his three best friends and their home lives in between trips. Iceland, without a doubt, is my favorite location in their journeys. It is evident from the author’s telling of this adventure that their expeditions were some of the most nurturing growth experiences in his life.
I honestly could not name one negative aspect of this book. From beginning to end, it is engaging and almost seductive in its descriptions of chosen destinations for each journey. The book is an adventure and a treasure itself. Mr. Uliel expresses his appreciation of his ability to experience all of this unapologetically but with the sure knowledge that not everyone has the means to do this. I appreciate his awareness of this as well.
This book is definitely professionally edited; I found one error. I have rated Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey 4 out of 4 stars. It deserves nothing less.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys travel journals, “man-cation” stories and anyone who wants a feel-good coming-of-age-after-20s book. Although it is about the travels of four men, I can tell you that as a woman, I gained much insight into why men need their own time and space, so don’t be shy if you aren’t a guy.
******
Man Mission
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: McDowell by William H. Coles
