Book Review of Self-Made Man by Norah Vincent

Self-Made Man, written by journalist, Norah Vincent, is an enthralling account of her undercover research into the world of men. The mystery Norah sets out to solve: do men really have it better than women? It's a well-known fact, in America, that most men make more money than women in the same field, with the same experience. Most women are now full-time employee, wife, mom, dishwasher, housekeeper, chef, and taxi. So, why wouldn't most women think men have it better? You may be in for a surprise.

Norah makes it clear that her motivation has nothing to do with any personal transgender tendencies. She chooses to become Ned for eighteen months to provide an insider account of life as a man. To pull it off, she employs the help of a makeup artist, a personal trainer, and a voice coach. Ned spends time with an all-male bowling league, an intense sales team, monks and a men's therapy group. He learns rites of passage, develops unlikely friendships, explores a strip club, and dates women. While trying to meet women, Ned experiences how harsh women and rejection can be. He reveals the determination, control and strength that is expected of men. While Norah shares her gender deception with some of her encounters, she fears discovery with many others.

What Norah uncovers in her riveting journey into a man's world is eye-opening for me and Norah. Extremely insightful, Norah delivers a very spellbinding, humorous, and illuminating journey. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys stories similar to Black Like Me or wonders what it would be like to be a man. I guarantee you Norah will give you an intimate look of what it's really like to be a man in America.

Can you imagine living one day trying to pass as a man? Norah does it successfully for a year and a half! Self-Made Man was so inspiring to me; I dressed up as a cowboy for Halloween (even applied a realistic mustache) and played the role of a man for most of the day. Not nearly as intense as Norah's endeavor, it was interesting to experience different reactions from people that thought I was a man. I discovered men that were strangers are more abrasive to other men. I can tell you one thing men have in their favor: they age better. I looked 10 years younger as a man. I observed noticeable discomfortable from my male co-workers while the females (even my boss) were completely fine with my transformation. Is this man's animalism, homophobia, or indignation that a woman is invading their 'territory'? Are women not threatened because of some mystical power they possess over most men? I can tell you one thing men have in their favor: they age better. I looked 10 years younger as a man. Norah will uncover many of these mysteries in her book, Self-Made Man.