A Man's Journey to Simple Abundance
Sarah Ban Breathnach wanted to offer men the same reflective book that  she offered women inSimple  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 forEsquireand author ofStandup 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