Man Made

March 12, 2012
Studying sonograms, Stein (Time humor columnist) felt he needed to upgrade his manliness in order to become a role model for his son: “If I can just make it through some man stuff—go camping, play a sport, hunt an animal, fix stuff around the house—I’ll gain some credibility.” With that goal, he embarked on his quest to transform himself into a manly man, even though his wife, Cassandra, regarded it as “an incredibly stupid idea.” After scribbling a list of “11 new Herculean labors,” he began by going on a weekend Boy Scout camping trip: “At about 0300, I gain an even deeper appreciation for houses.” He does a 24-hour shift with L.A. firefighters even though wearing “vulnerable-toed shoes” instead of boots. After advice from former NFL star Warren Sapp, he learns what day traders do (“they gamble”), rides in a borrowed Lamborghini, goes hunting, attempts to overcome his fear of dogs (“they bite”), does home repair with his father-in-law (“Throwing things out a window is incredibly fun”), and spends three days at a Marine boot camp: “It’s like I’m at the world’s best haunted house.” He ends his “manjourney” by entering the ring with UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture. Stein proves himself to be a champion humorist by probing the serious side of his subject while peppering the paragraphs with numerous fresh and funny notions. Agent: Suzanne Gluck.

May 1, 2012
Impending fatherhood convinces a former devotee of Easy-Bake Ovens that it's time to start learning the ways of rough-and-tumble guys. Time columnist Stein knew that he had to "man up" at least a little bit after learning that his wife Cassandra was pregnant with their first son. The author wanted to be the type of dad who plays catch with his boy, teaches him how to build campfires and tie square knots. Unfortunately for him, Stein didn't actually know how to do any of these things; hair product and home-baked goods were more in his wheelhouse. Unabashedly urbane, the author forged ahead with what proves to be a consistently hilarious and surprisingly profound crash course in manliness. Among other adventures, he raced to fires, camped in the wilderness, tracked wild turkeys and shot a powerful Army cannon. In every circumstance he was the ultimate fish-out-of-water propelled ever forward by a deep devotion to his newborn son--a reality that infuses every wild escapade with as much warmth as humor. Almost every delightfully descriptive paragraph seems to be punctuated with a wry turnaround or self-deprecating knock aimed squarely at the author's supposedly unmanly nature. Venturing so far out of his comfort zone definitely demonstrates a father's love for his son, but it also does much to reconfirm the value of masculine identity. Although Stein acknowledges the absurdity of subjecting himself to choke holds designed to render opponents unconscious, he can't help but embrace undeniable manly virtues like physical strength, camaraderie and courage--and seek to pass them on to his son. Charming, funny and life affirming.

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December 1, 2011

Writing in the grand tradition of guys learning to be guys, Time staffer Stein (billed as "one of the most widely read American columnists never to have written a book--until now") chronicles his efforts to get manly when he has a son. He goes hunting, for instance, and withstands three days of Marine Corps basic training. Likely entertaining with some clinching insights; note that Stein's one million Twitter followers will be interested.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2012
When 38-year-old, self-confessed unmanly man Stein finds out he and his wife are having a baby boy, he is seized by the compulsion to learn how to do all that manly stuff he's neglected. So he spends time with some firefighters (all the while hugely intimidated by their dazzling good looks); learns to love dogs (with the help of a former Playboy playmate); gets some lessons in the fundamentals of baseball (from a two-time MLB all-star); and spends a weekend as a Boy Scout (mentored by a 13-year-old named Wiggles). The author's wife thinks his manquest is a stupid idea, but for Stein, it's a necessary attempt to confront all of the things he's spent his life avoiding and to learn some skills that will make him a better father to his little boy. It's a very funny book, but it's not really a comedy; it's more like a cockeyed autobiography, an embarrassingly honest story of one man's last-ditch effort to Become a Man. Most readersand their female counterpartswill relate to the book in some way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)