Man Made

Joel Stein's book, subtitled A Stupid Quest for Masculinity, is deadpan, self-deprecating, and very funny. It also provides unexpected moments of insight as he endures military training, goes on calls with firefighters, and, perhaps most hilariously, hunts turkeys, among other pursuits. Stein's humor thankfully lacks snark, and his reporting puts the reader in mind of The Pump House Gang and other earlier classics.