cover image Man Made: 
My Stupid Quest for Masculinity

Man Made: My Stupid Quest for Masculinity

Joel Stein. Grand Central, $26.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-4465-7312-2

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 15)