Self-Made Man

BOOK: Self-Made Man: One Woman’s Journey Into Manhood and Back Again
AUTHOR: Norah Vincent

GRADE: B+

Walking a day in a man’s shoes is like cruising down easy street. Right? No cat-calls from the homeless and just plan class-less. Freedom from the societal dictates to be a size 0 (on a “fat day”, at that). No PMS or cramps. The ability to bed anyone in sight without being labeled a “slut.” The list could go on and on. Who among us ladies has not fantasized about living a man’s life?

After spending a night dressed in drag on a dare, Norah Vincent becomes so fascinated by the experience that she decides to spend the next eighteen months living as a man. Vincent assumes the name “Ned” (after a bizarre childhood nickname), visits costume and makeup artists to create a believable outside appearance and works with a voice coach from Julliard before embarking on her infiltration into the spaces and situations women never see.

She decided to focus her exploration on the following: friendship, sex, love, life, work and self. She joins a men’s bowling league to learn about male friendships and a host of strip clubs to learn about sex. She infiltrates a monastery for life lessons and joins a mens retreat for self exploration. She dates women and gets a balls-to-the-wall sales job. What she discovers is not the joy and ease she expected; but the shocking difficulty of being male – even in a man’s world. She emerges exhausted to the point of a mental breakdown which lands her in the psych ward for 16 days.

Self-Made Man is an honest and unflinching debunking of all the erroneous beliefs surrounding men. As opposed to walking away bitter and jealous over the male advantages, Norah Vincent comes away with sympathy, compassion and sadness at her discoveries. I was shocked, amused and riveted. I would recommend this for all.