Self-Made Man: One Woman's Journey Into Manhood and Back Again

Surprising, heartbreaking, and painful, you get to go with Norah on her journey. Recommended for men and women.

I've come across this just a few weeks ago and I heard that Ms.Vincent had released a book about it in '07, or something. So I just had to get my hands on it. I really enjoyed reading it and it was just so beautiful. Men are just like women, too. They have feelings too, they need love like any other human. They need to be reassured everything is going to be okay, and they have every right to let out their feelings. Although I already knew this, it changed my perspective even more. Just, thank you Ms.Vincent for making such a great book.

I was browsing at Costco the other day and the cover of this book caught my eye. I read about a page and a half and was hooked. Since reading Eldredge's "Wild at Heart," I've been reading a lot about masculine spirituality (and modern masculinity in general). Vincent's book should be an integral part of anyone's studies in that area, and writers would be remiss to dismiss this book out of hand (and why hadn't I heard of it until now?). Although Vincent can't help but interepret her observations through the lens of her feminist education, she is refreshingly honest about that, and remarkably open-minded when her perceptions crash up against her long-held beliefs. That she comes from a perspective almost antithetical to the so-called men's movement makes her conclusions all the more valid. I want to say that she "doesn't have a dog in the hunt," but isn't it true that we ALL have a dog in the hunt? Enabling greater understanding between men and women serves us all. I recommend "Self-made Man" to anyone interested in gaining a greater understanding of the male animal.

I gained more insight into male behavior from Ms. Vincent's viewpoint than I have as 46 years of living as one myself. I'm extremely glad she didn't do a superficial travel log through the world of men, or a "why men suck" type of expose. The only thing that I didn't like about the book is that it left me wanting more information on some of the friends she met as Ned. Her writing made me as fond of her cohorts as she seemed to become herself. Highly recommended reading that folks will clearly be talking about more and more.

I was lured by the title/cover photo....I was hooked by the synopsis and thought this would make a diverting read. I knew I would laugh at Ms. Vincent's exploits and adventures, what I was completely unprepared for was the sense of sadness that overcame me as I finished 'Self-Made Man'. In her guise as "Ned", the author explores such bastions of manhood as strip-clubs, the world of dating women, a monastery and a men's support group. Her experiences are intriguing as well as entertaining and will make most people think about how men and women are perceived by each other. I think this book should be required reading for any woman who is currently married, engaged to or in a relationship with a man. It made me seriously examine my attitudes towards men and my perceptions of their behavior. It underscores so sublimely the need for men and women to HONESTLY communicate with each other...on ALL levels. The most telling point for me was when the author was at the men's support group retreat, when the members drew their heros & some drew Atlas holding up the world. Read this book with an open mind, whether you are male or female and you will see there is more to it than just a cool stunt just for its own sake. I hope people will pick it up and give it a chance.

Norah Vincent is a respected journalist who went "under cover" by dressing as a man for an extended period of time. She interacted with men and women in various contexts: joining a bowling league, working a high-pressure sales job, even spending weeks at a monastery. She writes candidly about her experiences in "Self-Made Man." The book is funny in many places, unexpectedly poignant in others, as Vincent discovers some unsettling truths about what it's like to be a guy in today's world. The book is particularly refreshing in that it is not a guy-bashing book: one of Vincent's conclusions is that it is difficult to be a man and she writes about the different expectations and cultural conventions that affect the way men act and interact. Vincent is also frank about the effect her deception had on her: she is troubled by her deception and writes in the last chapter about her own emotional breakdown after she leaves her alter ego "Ned" behind. A thoughtful, honest, fascinating book that will make you laugh and make you think. Brava, Ms. Vincent!