The Purpose of a Man

by John Minx, Daniel Brevitt

Meet Michael Galvin, the luckiest man in Ormskirk at the age of twenty-eight: living with the woman of his dreams and completely at ease with this outrageous slice of good fortune. So maybe he hates his job at UK Avionics, even if it isn’t the most taxing role in the world; and then there’s his larger-than-life older brother, Robert, who continues to cast a spell over the town with his endless revelries and reckless ways. But all in all, he has a lot to feel thankful for and little reason for complaint.
Unfortunately for Michael, things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. Or, to put it another way, his comfort zone is about to be demolished in the most spectacular fashion as the forces of love and hate go toe to toe.

'This is easily the best indie work of fiction I've read yet. If you like David Nicholls and Nick Hornby, you'll love this - it's right up there with the best of what I believe they call 'lad lit' - SO well written, intelligent without being either self-consciously so, or overly wordy; it's funny, realistic, beautifully observed, sad in parts. Easily as good as other works of this genre that are traditionally published.'
- Terry Tyler (Author of Dream On & You Wish)

Brevitt brings Michael’s voice to life in such a natural, engaging way that it was easy to keep reading even after 1am had come and gone.
- The Book Tart





An hilarious and poignant exploration of love, sex, marriage, and sibling rivalry: The Purpose Of A Man

Genres: Fiction, Romance

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 19, 2013

About the author

Short-listed for the Michael Marks Awards, and To Hell With Publishing Prize, my novel A Study in Revenge was also a recent Kindle Scout winner.
In my personal life, I'm a bit of a nomad and have spent more than a decade on the road, crossing several continents in the process, with extended stays in China, Ethiopia, and Brazil. The one constant being a love of fiction writing - I'm as passionate as ever about composing novels on the hoof.
My imagination also likes to roam about and I've written taut domestic thrillers, stories about talking dogs with delusions of grandeur, mysterious deaths in Thailand, small town family dramas set in the North of England, and cyber spies on the lam (to name a few of them). All of these books are available to purchase via Amazon stores, with several also available through Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.
For advanced notice of new releases, please consider following me via my Amazon Author profile here:
smarturl.it/johnminx

Reviews

[Terry Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily the best indie work of fiction I've read yet. If you like David Nicholls and Nick Hornby, you'll love this - it's right up there with the best of what I believe they call 'lad lit' - SO well written, intelligent without being either self-consciously so, or overly wordy; it's funny, realistic, beautifully observed, sad in parts. Easily as good as other works of this genre that are traditionally published.

There is no in depth storyline, there aren't any of the "wow, I never guessed that" plot twists that most people expect in fiction these days, but it doesn't matter because it's just a joy to read. The character of Robert Galvin is a masterpiece. Absolutely loved it, can't recommend it too highly.

[Nicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel was kind enough to send me a free copy of this in return for an honest review, so here goes...
I would probably rate this 3 1/2 if possible. 3 is too low, 4 a little high, but I rounded up, as I think this is a well written book, easily as good as most published books.
I read a fair bit of chick lit, so this was a bit of a novelty for me, being from a male point of view. The themes are familiar, dealing with a bad career choice and romantic problems, but it is also about sibling rivalry and the toll of an extreme lifestyle (I don't want to say more and spoil it for anyone else). The surprise to me was that this is just as much Robert's story as Michael's. in fact, I had to refer back to the book briefly while writing this, as our narrator's name never actually registered with me strongly. As characters, Robert is the strongest one, even though I disliked him the majority of the time. Subtly, the message I got was that behaviour is learnt from the father (judging by the mothers reaction when Robert says his father had been a better man), and the ending with Robert and his own small son made me wonder if he was also doomed to a similar future.
Jessica was also a strong character, and I enjoyed the Rio plans. Who hasn't thought that packing up and starting over would not be the answer to their problems? This is not an overly cheerful read, but the style of writing is light and I found it easy reading.
I read this over 3 days. A little something about how I read books which may or may not be relevant. I tend to have a "main" book I am reading. This is usually a "real" book by an established author that I have bought or borrowed from the library. I also have a kindle or iBook going. This will be a new author that I have downloaded free or cheap. I read these when I have spare minutes to kill. In line at the shops, standing up on packed train etc. if I like the author, I will purchase their future books and next time I read one of theirs, they will be the "real" book. If I don't like it, I hit delete and no real harm done.
I was, at the time of reading this, reading another quite good book. I found I actually preferred to pick up the ipad, and continue on with this one at home as I wanted to see what would happen next. That other quite good book, which I started first, is still only 100 pages read. I think that says a lot for this newer author!
Thanks again for the chance to read your book. Enjoyed it very much.

[Eleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm actually wavering here between a 4 and a 5 stars. 4.5 maybe. For Amazon purposes I may go with the 5. Actually I'm going with 5 here too - because I feel it is really well written, and although I was slow with the first bit, it became a massive draw to me - in fact I finished it over breakfast today :)
I was offered this book free by the author, to see if I would like to read it and possibly leave a review. I wasn't entirely comfortable with this, although there was no pressure exerted whatsoever from the author, I knew I would feel compelled to read it and write a good review. For this reason I declined the free copy, but promised to take a look at the sample.
I read the sample and it left me wanting more. I was intrigued by this sort of story from a male point of view, and the brother's character looked like someone I was going to love to hate.
I bought the book and have not been disappointed.
The male characters are all strong and well drawn in, the females possibly less so - but that's ok - it's great and very refreshing to read from a male point of view. The story is told by Michael throughout, and he is a great character, really like him. Made me shout out loud at him not to make a massive mistake which you could see was inevitable as the author brought you up to it. You saw his strengths and weaknesses and also saw him through his father and brothers eyes.
The brother Robert is larger than life and jumps out the page. I hated him, admired him, he made my skin crawl, then I thought he was 'all right' - he was real. You don't get in his head the same as Michael, but he does reveal himself to some extent and it is fascinating.
The story is simple,real life drama. Ups and downs of love, family and sibling rivalry. Sibling rivalry being the main theme and what got me gripped by the book towards the middle - read the second part of the book a lot faster than the first.
Great book - will look out for more by this author :)

[Bodicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished reading The Purpose of a Man and I am still wiping away a few tears. This is a sad and poignant story but it is also one of hope.

The story centres around Michael and his relationship with his brother, Robert. Robert is an alcoholic. He is also married with a small child, likes to be the centre of attention, cheats on his wife repeatedly and has ruthlessly tried to injure his brother in as many ways he can think of, and get away with, since childhood. Their father is someone they both look up to but Robert takes in a stage further. He so desperately wants his fathers approval it is almost an obsession and a goal which ultimately makes him self destruct as an adult. He has seen Michael as the fly in the ointment of this goal and has spent a lifetime belittling him, enjoying when things go wrong for him and sharing this with their parents. At the same time, whilst trying to portray the image of success and masculinity, he ultimately leads himself to a place where he loses his wife and child, his self respect and potentially his life.

Michael, who tells the story, is initially happy with his lot. He is used to being told he is somewhat a failure and disappointment in his brother Robert's eyes but doesn't let it worry him too much until his girlfriend, Jessica, seems to confirm it. This is almost too much to bear and Michael is forced to confront his own ideals, that of his brother and of his parents to see who is right and who is wrong.

Daniel Brevitt has written a story which touches your heart and makes you care what happens to the characters. He has got it bang on about life with an alcoholic and has explored it, and the the topic of sibling rivalry, with heart, honesty and skill.

[Pageoftarts · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister goes by the name The Book Tart. She loves books. She has had a website built to help other book lovers find books ( http://www.thebooktart.com ). I hold a seat on her Court of Reviewers and every now and again I review books for her.

Sometimes having a seat on the Court of Reviewers means you get set up on blind dates -with books. Some are DOA due to differences in personality and clashes of taste, while others are surprisingly well suited. The Purpose of a Man by Daniel Brevitt slipped neatly into the latter group. My first meeting with the book went something like this:


Me: "Hello, I'm the Page. You're the Purpose of a Man, yes? Well, let's get this started. Have a seat and tell me about yourself."

Purpose: "People say there's something about me. They don't say what and I don't much care. I like being different."

Me: "Me too!"

Purpose: "I have a girlfriend."

Me: "Right, right, and I'm married, and you're a book. Go on."

Purpose: "I like my life. I think it could continue just as it is and I'd be happy."

Me: "So you pretty much have the whole kit and kaboodle? Good town, good job, meaningful relationships with family and friends, and all that jazz?"

Purpose: "Well, no. But my girlfriend is amazing."

Me: "..."

Purpose: "Don't look at me like that."

Me: *pause for another beat to study Purpose*

Me: "Alright Purpose, I'll tell you what: I think you can stay. You seem a bit naive but strangely likable. I'm going to make myself comfortable and you're going to tell me your story.




And that was that. I curled up on my couch and didn't stop reading until I reached the end.

Purpose is Michael Galvin's story. Brevitt brings Michael's voice to life in such a natural, engaging way that it was easy to keep reading even after 1am had come and gone. As it was a blind date book, I didn't quite know what type of story to expect. Would this be a fluffy rom-com with mishaps, misunderstandings, and finally reconciliation, where Michael and his girlfriend would realize life couldn't get much better? Maybe it was a tragedy where he would lose all that he held dear through his own actions and be left in a pile of ash at the end. No promises were made and I didn't ask. It was enough to continue swiping pages (yes, surprise of surprises, I actually read an electronic copy).

I liked Michael. I identified with him and wanted his life to work out; he felt quite human. Like the rest of us, his life is shaped by his choices -the good, the bad, and the downright stupid.

Daniel Brevitt wrote this story back in 2002. Publishers would show interest but never commit. Over the years Brevitt would pull Purpose out, dust it off, and edit and rework it. Now through the wonderful tool of self publishing The Purpose of a Man is available for our reading pleasure.

I hope you give it a go and I hope Brevitt continues to write.

(* eBook provided for review for my honest opinion)

[Nicola L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael has never really gotten along with his older brother Robert, a hard-drinking ‘man about town’ and a philanderer who thinks nothing of cheating on his long-suffering wife and constantly rubbing Michael’s nose in it that he is the most successful of the two. The sibling rivalry has always been evident between them, ever since Robert tried to drown Michael in a swimming pool when they were kids, yet the irony is that Michael doesn’t altogether have a bad life either: living with his beautiful girlfriend and working in a job that he tolerates, if not exactly enjoys. Things are going along fairly reasonably for both of them, so what happens when something throws a spanner in the works and pushes the brothers right out of their comfort zones? In this comedic novel, Daniel Brevitt explores the fraught relationship between brothers and takes a look at just what happens when love and hate spectacularly collide.

This was a well-written novel with some great comedic and poignant situations, but most importantly of all, it felt very realistic. Themes such as relationships ending, friends growing apart from one another and careers being at a crossroads for example are all very topical and undoubtedly many readers will be able to relate to a lot of the issues that take place within the storyline. Nothing felt false or overly dramatic and like everything could actually happen in real life. The characters too, had depth and incited a lot of feelings from me- love ‘em or hate ‘em.

Michael as the narrator, was very well drawn; I could identify with him being stuck in a rut and feeling at a career crossroads and also sympathised with his shoddy treatment by Robert. I genuinely wanted Robert to get some kind of comeuppance for his actions towards his brother and then immediately had conflicting emotions at feeling that way. Both Michael and Robert undertake very believable journeys during the course of the plot and I felt these were conveyed particularly well. Neither is particularly likeable on certain occasions, but it is interesting to read about flawed individuals and what makes them tick, which was certainly the case here.

I felt that towards the end of the book, the story took a direction which I hadn’t necessarily expected. Not that it’s a bad thing, but I did find myself a little bit surprised. Despite that, this was most definitely a solid four-star read for me. I’m eager to see what the author comes up with next.

**Thanks to the author for providing a complimentary review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.**

[Wendy Janes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael lives a life of ease in the north of England with his extraordinarily beautiful girlfriend. His job may be boring but it’s not exactly demanding. He is almost resigned to the fact that his older brother, Robert, is a constant irritant, a bully and a show-off. However, he is blissfully unaware that his life is on the verge of changing, in quite dramatic ways.

You know a book has you in its clutches when you start shouting at the characters, and I shouted at Michael on more than one occasion. He’s an affable rather lazy guy who I can easily picture at the start of the book sitting at his desk at work idly staring out the window feeling mildly surprised that this is adult life. In contrast Robert is a larger-than-life character who knows exactly what he wants and how to get it – whether that’s a woman or a drink. Although Robert is the more dramatic character, my allegiance remains firmly with Michael, hence the shouting. Michael’s relationships with his friends and with the women in his life are well drawn, but I think it’s the complex relationship between the brothers that really drives the narrative. An early flashback to a shocking scene in a swimming pool extends the sibling rivalry theme to include father and son relationships, and leads to an exploration of whether you can ever change your nature.

There are many memorable scenes in this book, filled with description and dialogue that rings true. I’d like to pick out a couple of my favourites. One is a wedding reception chock-full of dancing and drunken conversations over the music. The other is a terribly poignant and rather grim Christmas Day that Michael spends with his parents, where the sheer effort to get through the bleak day is conveyed so effectively. In addition, some of the brief almost off-the-cuff lines really strike home. I love the one where Michael says that stories about his brother are ‘issued in tireless vocal-runs, typeset by the boozy breath of a hundred pub regulars’.

I’m not sure how I’ve got so far into this review without mentioning how funny this book is. A dark humour runs through the story, and the author successfully captures the absurdity of the workplace with its idiotic practices, time-wasting emails, and the tedium of going ‘through the motions of going through the motions’.

The authentic characters and the style of writing combine to give me the satisfying read I’m always looking for.

I’d like to thank the author for sending me a review copy.

[Gabriel Boutros · Rating 5 out of 5]

If it’s hard to pinpoint what genre The Purpose of a Man is, maybe this is because there are no witches or vampires in this book, nor super spies or super sleuths. There are also no great revelations about the human condition, or characters having sudden epiphanies about the meaning of life. And nothing blows up!
Rather, this well-written book is a small but poignant tale about some very realistic characters living in the market town of Ormskirk, in England; the poignancy coming precisely because the characters in the book could be any twenty or thirty-somethings we might have known, if not ourselves. The main character, Michael Galvin, is a man in his late twenties who still has lots of growing to do, and lots to learn about how to make relationships work. The book follows him, and his friends and family, over a period of several months as he does precisely that: grows up a bit, and works on the various relationships in his life with varying degrees of success.
The people he interacts with, whether it’s his too beautiful girlfriend Jessica, or his larger than life, and with an ego to match, brother Robert, are finely drawn, although not always sympathetically. There are few maudlin or saccharine moments in this study of the changing meaning of modern manhood. There are scenes that are difficult to watch, as harsh feelings are revealed at the most surprising times, much like in real life. Michael’s problems are those of many young people today as they try to forge their own paths; they aren’t particularly world-shaking, but the reader can feel how important it is for him to solve them.
It’s the kind of book for readers who feel like getting lost in the lives of real people, instead of getting lost in things that will never happen to anyone in the world we live in.
When the book ends, the reader knows that Michael’s story goes on. He will get older and hopefully wiser, and the reader is left hoping to run into him again one day, to see how he has made out. If the measure of a book is how much a reader comes to believe in and care about its characters, then this book deserves the highest ratings. Reading about Michael and his clan wasn’t always like a pleasant visit, but when it ended it felt as if old friends had moved away.

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a copy of The Purpose of a Man from Daniel in exchange for a review. I'm a reader so these are my thoughts rather than a formal review. A 3.5* read.
The book is well written as it flows well and drew me into the story - not to the extent of staying up into the small hours reading but definitely had me delaying the housework to find out what happens next!
It is written with a gritty British dark humour which I liked - no rose-tinted glasses here. I started off thinking it was about Michael, the narrator. Michael takes us through his life in a northern town and some sections of the book definitely hit home! The differences in peoples personal and public lives are exposed, friends moving apart as they mature and change, how we all to some extent end up settling. Michael is quite a one dimensional character, set as a foil for his brother. He is generally a good guy, nothing flash but nothing mean - an average guy I suppose.
As the book progresses, Michael's brother Robert became a more central character for me - he was definitely a 3 dimensional character and watching him, the 'big man' about town, slowly disintegrate was intriguing. Though a reason was given for Robert's intense dislike of Michael from childhood, I would have liked this to be explored more (Robert should have been sectioned for the Ilfracombe incident I think!) and I thought Michael let him off from years of abuse too easily (true to character).
So I suppose its a novel of growth and maturity, with gritty writing and whilst some areas may have benefitted from a bit more depth, it was a good and fairly engrossing read. Readers of 'lad-lit' will enjoy.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael has always lived in the shadow of his brother Robert. He doesn't even love his job, just because his brother pulled some connections for it. But when Michael meets Jessica, he can't believe his luck. She is the best thing that ever happened to him. What did he do to deserve her?

Jessica's trip to Italy turned the relationship in a different direction. So, Michael is left all alone to wonder. What is the purpose of a man?

The plot is around three main characters, Michael, Robert, Jessica. No, not a love triangle, not here. Michael is nice guy, but he can't come out of the shadow of his big brother. He isn't jealous, just doesn't like that Robert gets everything easy. He loves Jessica, but as the story continues, makes me wonder does he love only the image of having the perfect woman.


Robert is a totally different story. For the moments, I wasn't really sure who is the main character here. He is married, but he is cheating, he drinks a lot, he treats people like he is better then them. And still, people love him. But when his wife leaves him taking his child away, and horrible disease has been diagnosed, Robert starts to change.

The first half of the book seemed too slow for me. But I kept reading and the story was getting better and better. Relationships, cheating, rivalry among siblings, this story has it all. Written with dark humor, it reminded me a little bit of Nick Hornby's writing. Good start for a debut author.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale of two brothers - Michael and Robert - this story was both very grim but also an extremely realistic portrayal of those hidden things within families. Of the two I preferred Robert despite his character - possibly because as a person I'm beginning to understand there is darkness in everyone, and that drew me to him. The relationship between the two is fascinating - Michael in many ways is a shadow of Robert but I found it interesting how they were both different and the same. Well written, with some what I call "morbid humour" it is easy to read and absorbing. The sibling rivalry was fascinating to me as I am an only child - I never had to sail those waters! To finish, I would say if you like a family drama, but with a bit of grit to it, this book is for you. Enjoyable. My thanks to Daniel Brevitt for sending me a copy to read.

[B.L. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is wonderful look into reality. This author has forgone the cliché, rich, disturbing handsome, powerful protagonist and opted instead for the common man. The fact that the author was able to immerse us so completely into the mundane challenges of sibling rivalry, job dissatisfaction and painful relationships and make them both provocative and compelling, speaks to his talent as a writer. It doesn’t take the reader long to form a relationship with Michael Galvin and start to really pull for him, perhaps because we have all been there.
I found this a thoroughly enjoyable read, down to earth and witty. Loved the characters, the articulation, the setting. I just loved this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daniel was kind enough to send me a copy of this book to review, and I'm so pleased he did, as it is the kind of book I love. A nice easy read, and with very believable characters, made this a book I would definately recommend to others.
Written from Michael's point of view, we follow him on a journey, and see him mature. I found myself sympathizing with him over his relationship with his brother Robert, and it made me giggle how a grown man could be so into S Club 7!!!
Give it a go, you won't be disappointed.

[Barbara White · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writer of this book, Michael, is a very lucky man and by his own stupidity lets it go. We've all done things we regret but usually we're able to come back from them, but Michael can't and in the end he's left with his regrets, looking back to when he was happy and didn't realise it. Lessons to learn there... It's a well written book, communicating Michael's feelings really well, perhaps saying things lots of men would like to say if they could speak. Perhaps men should read it. This sounds like a gloomy book, but it's not. His son is lovely and their relationship is not spoiled and his love for his son is a big positive in the book.

[John Seymour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

The book started out as an entertaining bit of fluff with stock characters. The main character is a nebbish that has somehow wound up with a stellar girlfriend. And there is the immensely popular older brother who is a bully. Two dimensional but mildly entertaining. The first half took me about two weeks to read.

Someplace around the middle, the two main characters became three- dimensional. I won't spoil the story by elaborating. Suffice it to say the second half was finished in one day. It became a story of dealing with the effects of alcoholism.

[Wendy Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Purpose Of A Man

For fans of Nick Spalding, here is another author's story about that time in life between being dependent on your parents and feeling like a true adult. A relatable story of a dysfunctional, real family, with laughs and tales to which we can all relate!

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good of it's kind. We'll-written and unusual

[Liesa Jayne Keys · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poignant but funny, an excellent read, I haven’t read any Nick Hornby or David Nicholls for a while but this is equally as good. It’s very real, a great observation of life, love and self sabotage.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get A Life, or Read About One

So, I ask myself, why am I reading this, why am I enjoying it, and why am I, apparently, recommending to others that they read it? It contains no epiphanies and reveals no deep truths. The characters are in the "everyman" mode, with just enough casual dysfunction to make them fiction-worthy. The tale is neither gripping, nor exotic, and the resolution is mild and open ended.

Well, the devil is in the details. On almost every page there is a throwaway observation or line or bit of dialogue that is really quite arresting, amusing or just writerly-impressive. There are many set pieces, in pubs, dining rooms, lounges or bedrooms, that are exquisite. Heck, there is one brief bit in which we observe our hero and his girlfriend's disapproving mother killing a few moments stuck alone together that is pricelessly brutal and just perfectly composed.

So, one the one hand you could find yourself a gorgeous girlfriend and a creepy family and psychotic brother and work this all out for yourself, or you could enjoy this author's playful, touching, and supremely well-crafted version while sitting on your couch. Sometimes the couch is the correct option, and if so, this is just an exceptionally fine book to start with.

(Please note that I found this book a while ago while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)