Review of Man Mission

[Brian_Clark]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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From cycling two hundred miles in Japan to hiking the Inca Trail in Peru. Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey follows a small band of friends as they navigate the challenges of being modern men. The Man Mission was born from the need of four men to escape from the rigorous demands of everyday life, reconnect with their masculinity, and push their boundaries. A chance for them to show true grit and raw determination. An opportunity to face adversity and walk away with a few more tales to tell.

In each chapter, Eytan Uliel lays out two storylines like rows of bricks for a literary wall. He places the foundation through anecdotes from their annual outings. This provides a comical look at four middle-aged men attempting to recapture some of their former glory. At times these attempts prove successful with minimal amounts of injury and collateral damage. At other times, they prove to be a quick way to explore medical care in other countries.

The author then builds on this foundation by giving a glimpse into the struggles and victories of each man over the years. This book offers an unflinching look at conversations about topics ranging from marriage and children to infidelity and mortality. The kind of conversations that can only occur between close friends who would do anything for each other.

The writing style is engaging and entertaining. His descriptions provide an invitation to each locale, from the wafting smell of exotic foods to the gritty feeling of dirt sticking to sweaty skin. Through these descriptions, it is not difficult to envision a visit to Vietnam or New Zealand. I also found this book to be exceptionally well edited with no spelling or grammatical errors to be found.

There was nothing about this book that I did not enjoy and I will be giving it another read. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something light-hearted yet substantial. However, I think the extensive use of profanity and some of the topics discussed are not appropriate for younger readers.

I rate Man Mission: Four Men, Fifteen Years, One Epic Journey by Eytan Uliel 5 out of 5 stars. It kept an amazing balance between being amusing and heartbreaking, without tipping the reader toward either extreme. The dialogue was relaxed and genuine while taking on some difficult topics. Overall, it felt like sitting around a campfire and talking with some good friends.

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Man Mission
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