Amazon Review by Lady of Literature
Great Read!
4 out of 5 stars
July 8, 2019
This is a really insightful read about what it means to be a man in society and I think offers a critical view on how achieving happiness isn’t so clear cut. I really loved those characters even though there were plenty of times where I wanted to slap them for doing something stupid, saying something insensitive, or just flat out ignoring a problem so as to focus on the man mission, but nonetheless, I still grew to care for them. So much so that I found myself more entertained with their daily lives than their annual missions. In the end, I think it is a book with many lessons and warnings on how to live for both genders, I know I took away some important notes for my future, especially in the marriage department. I find this to be an emotional read for adults who feel more like their pretending to be adults and pretending to be happy instead of understanding the true meaning behind it.
Amazon review by Shelby Swift
Beautiful Memoir that Delves into a Man’s Soul
5 out of 5 stars
June 23, 2019
Man Mission is wonderfully written with breath taking scenery and raw emotions. These four friends learn to navigate the difficulties of life including: death of a parent, infidelity, divorce, and new relationships; moreover, the author weaves these difficult life events in and around their exotic trips giving the reader the full picture of his life. I especially love the maps on each chapter highlighting the location and duration of each trip. I highly recommend Man Mission to people who like reading about travel, or those who feel stuck on their circular lives
Amazon review by Bella
Relatable whether you’re a man or woman!
4 out of 5 stars
May 1, 2019
This book reminded me of the movie Wild Hogs! Whether you’re a man or woman I think the concept of this book is relatable! Lately I’ve seen more and more people my age participating in “getaways” with their friends and I’m quickly realizing what these trips are really for. It’s less about getting away from reality and more about reconnecting with yourself and the people who have helped shape your life for so many years. Life has many seasons and as we age, we find ourselves wrapped up in our “normal” – marriage, job, kids, activities, etc. In this book, the comradely that the men carry through the years is something I think we all can relate to; they see each other through the good and the bad. My husband would really like this book as he and his lifelong friends go on “Man Missions” every year! Whether you’ve been partaking in a similar tradition or you’ve been wanting to, this book has the ability to spark a much-needed trip with your tribe!
Amazon review by Reader Dean
Man Mission deals with profound questions, ones that are inherent in the lives we live.
5 out of 5 stars
April 29, 2019
What makes a man a real man? Some might say that kayaking down a river rapids or biking a treacherous mountain trail makes you a man. Yet despite all those “manly” adventures, in the end you still have to come home to Australia and engage in an adventure of a different sort – that of being the breadwinner for a family, sacrificing your own happiness for the happiness of the people and things that depend on them: a wife and children, a mortgage, piano lessons, soccer practice, gym memberships, and all the rest that goes with domestic living.
So which one makes you a real man? The rapids? The support? Both? In Man Mission, author Eytan Uliel explores this question and others.
The yearly Man Mission that the four men take is fun; despite the danger, the injuries, and the near-constant discomfort, it provides the companions with a getaway to do traditional manly things: hangout with buddies, not shave nor shower, not write a single report, not change a dirty diaper; it’s a week to rely on one’s wits and prowess alone. But in the end, there’s always coming back to the other man mission, the one where responsibility is the driving factor, sometimes deeply gratifying, but decidedly not always fun, and sometimes downright soul-rending.
Man Mission deals with profound questions, ones that are inherent in the lives we live in the 21st century. Rarely does a reader come across a book like this one. It is fun, but also poignant, an easy read, but one that deals with profound questions. I definitely recommend it.
Amazon Canada review by Tanya C
A great read!
4 out of 5 stars
April 29, 2019
As someone that loves stories that follow groups of friends on unusual, hilarious journeys, Eytan Uliel’s Man Mission was right up my alley. In addition to catering to my love for travel, this is a story that was able to open my eyes to the trials and tribulations that men often silently face.
Man Mission follows four tight-knit friends over decades as they embark on annual man missions — endurance adventures to the most exotic locales that they can find. Join the group as they brush with mighty lions in South Africa, attempt terrifying ice climbing in Iceland and watch the sunrise on the ruins of Machu Picchu. Along the way, they face many hilarious challenges that add humor and realness to this wonderful story
Goodreads review by Jessica Belmont
A great read!
4 out of 4 stars
April 14, 2019
I found this really entertaining to read. It was an intriguing look into the ups and downs one man’s life and how an annual “Man Mission” with his buddies played a part.
I thought it was an intriguing look into a man’s perspective on life. There is so much honesty here, I really enjoyed how this was written. It’s a soul-baring and fascinating story.
Between the action, the comedy and the honesty of this novel, I highly recommend checking it out!
Amazon review by Una Milagra
I loved this book!!
5 out of 5 stars
March 10, 2019
This is one of my favorite books I have read in a while. The story follows four best friends over the course of 15 years as they grow, start families, and take on life’s responsibilities. Each year they take a break from their regular lives to visit an exotic location and participate in an outdoorsy, “manly” Man Mission, in which they are required to get from point A to point B under their own power (biking, kayaking, or hiking) and push themselves beyond their limits. Every year they return home, sometimes humbled, often injured, but always with new perspectives on their lives and what it means to be a man.
The novel is told from the first-person point of view of an unnamed narrator, whose self-deprecating humor keeps the read entertaining and endearing. The men in the book are free from the stereotypical roles played men in novels and television, and they are completely relatable and authentic. Their struggles and pressures are the same that normal, decent men in modern day society face.
I don’t know what more I could ask from a book. I laughed at the characters’ mishaps, cried with them in their sorrows, teared up at their touching moments, and stopped to ponder their philosophical musings. I closed the book with a happy heart and a serious case of wanderlust. I would recommend Man Mission to anyone, male or female, who loves to read about far off places and appreciates realistic, relatable characters.
GoodReads Review by Naomi Spigelman
Delightful
5 out of 5 stars
February 20, 2019
A delightful novel which masterfully chronicles one man’s journey through the ups and downs of life intertwined with annual road trips to exotic destinations, spanning 15 years with three of his best mates. The juxtaposition of the tribulations of daily life with the often clumsy, sometimes hilarious mishaps that these men on mission encounter, makes it a thoroughly enjoyable read, both thought-provoking and thoroughly entertaining at the same time.
Amazon Review by Karen Rowe
I wanted to have big dreams again — of crossing oceans and catching the falling stars
5 out of 5 stars
February 13, 2019
I really enjoyed this journey through manhood, the seamless and deftly-woven parallel stories depicting the evolution of the 4 mens’ relationships and their Man Missions. Eytan Uliel is a skilled raconteur. Funny, heartfelt, light-hearted and simultaneously insightful and endearing. This is perfect for beach or travel reading as you can easily pick up where you left off. I would definitely recommend it!
Amazon Review by Stacey E Vance
February 7, 2019
I have read countless books, seen countless movies, and experienced many instances of “girl’s trips.” So, when I found Man Mission, I was a little taken back by the idea of a “guy’s trip.” I was unsure of what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised by the depth of friendship and vulnerability portrayed in the book. Man Mission takes us through the trip of a lifetime between 4 men, friends of different backgrounds and circumstances. I feel that, after reading this book, I have a better understanding of the type of bond the men in my life share with each other. It is not less than my bond with my female friends; just different. I could almost see the faces of the men in the story, smell the air in the amazing settings, and hear the laughter. I really enjoyed the vulnerability shown by the author throughout the book most of all.
Amazon Review by Kathi Huber
February 7, 2019
I was not sure what to expect when sitting down to read this book just from the title. But I had a pleasant surprise!! This is an interesting read about the lives of four college buddies bonding their lifelong friendships thru their everyday lives with its ups and downs, mundane to the heartbreaking realities…..and annual adventurous trips to some exotic locations. The descriptiveness of the exotic locales from flora to fauna to landscapes is outstanding. Uliel gives an insightful perspective from serious happenings in the lives of these adventurous friends to some funny incidents along the road called life all strengthening that bond of friendship as they live, learn, and adjust to changes in their lives. A pleasant read for anyone… male or female. Happy Reading!! Enjoy!!
Amazon Review by Patty Beyer
February 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this book about men and their bonding experiences. Adding to these great friendships are the wonderful different locations our friends go on in their adventures makes the book so much more enjoyable. The friendship is what makes this read so enjoyable and when you add the adventure element along with the locales, many of which are on my bucket list of places to visit, it’s a must read. Look forward to reading more by this great author.
Kobo Review by Belinda Gold
February 3, 2019
A wonderful read…
It could be forgiven for thinking this book is an extensive travel blog and a celebration of the freedom of an annual boys’ trip. Seemingly without warning it becomes a manifesto of modern day enlightenment balancing desires for corporate success and financial comforts with deep soul searching on the meaning of life’s existential questions. For men, it’s an enviable journey of brotherhood, adventure, part travelogue part food journal that at the same time evokes thought provoking questions. For woman it is a rare insight into a secret boys code that may just help understand the hidden complexities of the male psyche.
Amazon Review by Susan A. Barich
January 28, 2019
I love the soul-baring honesty of Uliel’s character as he travels through the stages of his life, always having his core group of friends as a touch stone. Inhale – go through another stage of the human experience; exhale – hang out for a week with close friends and just have fun. And it is such a fun journey. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for a good read to dive into.
Amazon Review by Joe S
I’m going to die, I think. And not for the first time today.
January 31, 2019
A wild romp through some of the exotic locations on earth. A few guys, the road, and adventures you’d expect from a group of men getting in touch with their inner ‘macho’.
Kobo Review by Avi Ifergan
For men and women – no matter whether you are single, married or divorced
January 29, 2019
I immensely enjoyed this book. Uliel’s writing is easy to read. Witty, charming, self-effacing and incredibly honest in its introspection. Following the journey, I recognized my own, and recognized, as we all should, that we are not alone in the challenges we face. Important for women, to better understand the men in their life. There were parts I read out aloud, to my wife, in bed. For me, this is the greatest indicator of a book worth reading. Highly recommend it!
Amazon Review by B.W
A relatable story about friendship and adventure
January 28, 2019
An inspiring, insightful, wild ride. You don’t have to be man to appreciate what these friends go through together on their adventures. Highly recommend!