A Man’s Journey to Simple Abundance

Sarah Ban Breathnach wanted to offer men the same reflective book that she offered women in Simple Abundance. Yet, she also knew that she needed a man to help her represent an authentic male experience, a book that mined beneath the “Men Are from Mars” stereotypes and “Iron John” expectations. So she joined forces with Michael Segell, former “Men’s Mind” columnist for Esquire and author of Standup Guy. From there, the duo gathered these contemplative, humorous, and mature essays written by a diverse sampling of men, including a backwoods hermit, mystical rabbi, and world renowned rock star. Segell writes the poignant introductions to the essays while Ban Breathnach inserts her personal responses at the end of particularly provocative essays. At times she sounds like an interloper in a “boy’s only” tree fort club, her comments sounding out of place within these private moments of male bonding. Yet she forces readers, men and women alike, to acknowledge the feminine within the male experience, a lofty goal that we tend to resist. Contributors include Sting, who talks about the difference between thrill seeking and risk taking in “Let Your Soul Be Your Rookie.” Adventure writer Tim Cahill writes about “The Bravest Thing I Ever Did”–face his panic disorder as his vomited his way through an un-aired television interview. And Thomas Moore speaks to the ecstasy of melding spirituality and sexuality. –Gail Hudson