Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity
By Joel Stein
Grand Central Publishing
Stein wants to know what it means to be a man, and how to embody that meaning so he can set an example for his son, Laszlo. In his quest for that knowledge, he camps out with Boy Scouts, tags along with firefighters, builds a house, attempts to get through basic training, and braves the ring with MMA badass Randy Couture. He’s big on self-deprecation: “My anti-masculinity is so strong that every time I meet a real man, I wind up talking about his emotions. I’m like the Man Cooler.”
Ultimately, he cops to winding up the way he started: “fearful, lazy, and soft.” But it’s fun to read about Stein changing up his safe, cozy life behind a computer screen, and it makes you wonder if you could handle some of his adventures. His time in the military with the type of man he most fears (“the kind who is trained to kill people”) is especially compelling. And anyone willing to get repeatedly punched in the face and make it sound almost fun deserves kudos.
