Jeff Wilser - The Man Cave Book

Behind every man cave is a story. This book tells that story. The inspiration, the joy, the hardwired wisdom. Its all here. We clear up misconceptions, spread the gospel, and lay down the rules and regulations. Youll find tips for rookies, rewards for veterans, and, hopefully, the answer to the great question: What were you thinking?

The Man Cave Book focuses on what makes a great man cave great. Why are they built? How are they built? What can we learn about our own caves, our culture, our humanity, and our own souls?

Along the journey, we guarantee plenty of surprises, many laughs, and, if men were permitted to cry, a few tears of happiness.

A man cave can be anything: a stylish lounge, a home theater, a high-tech Mecca to gaming, a music studio, or just an ode to your once great college crash-pad. The world is your oyster. Even the International Space Station is getting a man cave.

There are many excellent reasons to build a man cave. Its easier, cheaper, and safer than going to a bar. Its a harmless outlet. It rekindles friendships. It keeps your trash from the rest of the house. It can even help spark a relationship, especially your relationship with Jack, Johnnie, and Bud.

The man cave is an opportunitymaybe our best and last opportunityfor freedom. Freedom from responsibility, freedom from work, and freedom from taste.

When single, we let our walls go bare. When married, we let our walls go pink. And something happens to us when we settle into domesticity. After the wedding, we swallow our egos, phase out our buddies, and choke back tears as our homesour very homes collect bizarre items like gravy boats, potpourri, and vacuum cleaners.

We sacrifice. We stamp out our past. We even throw out the essentials, those must-have objects like the Redskins couch with built-in beer holders, the wall-sized tapestry of Cloud City, the original Atari that no longer works, the stuffed heads of falcons, and the semi-automatic, 800-rounds-per-minute assault rifles that are probably legal in at least three states. We scrap all of this. And like Parisians in the early 1940s, we endure.

But somethings not right. We feel a rumbling deep in our bellies, a primordial urge, a sense that weve lost a shred of our identity. Lesser men will feed this hunger with mistresses, alcoholism, a midlife crisis.

Not us. Were stronger. But we wonder what if .

What if theres a way to have it all? What if theres a way to resurrect the glory of our past, to cherish our hobbies, and to create a sanctuarya magical getawaythat lets us nourish our souls, with dignity, and without disrupting our families?

Enter THE MAN CAVE.

The Inspiration: ManCaveSite.org

M an caves begin and end with Mike Yost. He is the uncontested king. The guts, soul, and spirit of the man cave and much of this book come from Mikes website, ManCaveSite.org. Mike Yost is the man. He started the online community, he grew the site, and his thoughts are stamped in this books DNA. It is the brave men of that community who have graciously shared their caves, dreams, obsessions, and do-it-yourself gone wild and inspiring stories in this book. My role is researcher, interviewer, writer. In other words, if you think something is a good idea, it belongs to Mike and the ManCaveSite community. If you think it makes no sense, chalk it up to me.

Jeff Wilser

Man Cave 1.0

Y ou are looking at history. This is the cave of Marty Peterson, a good friend of Mike Yost. Without Martys cave, ManCaveSite.org wouldnt exist, this book wouldnt exist, and, quite probably, Western civilization as we know it would not exist. When our descendants find Martys cave in ten thousand years, they will be setting foot among the mammoth-painters of our time.

In 2008, I had a buddy who built a man cave (Marty Peterson). Id never heard the term before. He made it from an RV garage. Wed hang out there and have a great time. He put so much effort into this thing, and I wanted to showcase his work. I checked the Internet, looking for a central place to show it offnothing.

So I had the idea to build a site thats free, that lets men showcase their man caves, and that provides resources.

If you plan to build a man cave, make it your own. Every man cave is a reflection of its owners personality. Thats whats so neat. Everyone is different. Some guys ask me, What should be in there? Build it to make you happy.

Its always an ongoing effort. Its never done. Every guy who owns a man cave will tell you its always a work in progress. Theyre always finding stuff in flea markets, on eBay; thats part of the fun.

The Men Only concept is a misconception. People think that its some women-hater club.

Couldnt be any further from the truth. And every man cave owner that I talk to is among the most devoted fathers you will find. Family first. And thats another nice thing about the man cave: its at home. The man is there.

Once you finish the book be sure to join the man cave community at ManCaveSite.org. Youll find thousands more photos and resources, links, message forums, and other fellow cave dwellers.

Mike Yost

Origins of the Man Cave: The Boyhood Fort

N othing really changes in life. Except that we gain weight, lose hair, piss more, read less, and, if were honest, occasionally lose interest in sex. Besides all that , nothing really changes in life. The man cave is simply an updated version of the tree house, or the boyhood fort.

Whos allowed

Boyhood Fort : Not girlsthey have cooties

Man Cave : Not womenthey have authority

Primary materials used in construction

Boyhood Fort : Wood, stuff your mom doesnt want

Man Cave : Particleboard, stuff your wife doesnt want

Key activities inside

Boyhood Fort : Goofing around, avoiding responsibility

Man Cave : Goofing around, avoiding responsibility

Peak periods of use

Boyhood Fort : After school, weekends

Man Cave : After work, weekends

What other family members think of the space

Boyhood Fort : Patient, not thrilled, but its better to just roll with the program and hope for the best

Man Cave : Patient, not thrilled, but its better to just roll with the program and hope for the best

Slumber parties with buddies?

Boyhood Fort : Yes

Man Cave : No

Reason that your bedroom, living room, and house will not suffice for leisure space

Boyhood Fort : Huh? Its a tree house , you dork.

Man Cave : Huh? Its a man cave , you douche.

Food and beverages consumed

Boyhood Fort : Soda and unhealthy snacks

Man Cave : Beer and unhealthy snacks

Masturbating inside?

Boyhood Fort : When old enough

Man Cave : When young enough

Spend the night inside?

Boyhood Fort : Not as a habit, but its been known to happen

Man Cave : Not as a habit, but its been known to happen

Stuff on walls

Boyhood Fort : Posters, sports memorabilia

Man Cave : Posters, sports memorabilia

Money spent on space

Boyhood Fort : As little as possible

Man Cave : As much as possible

Is this a phase you will outgrow?

Boyhood Fort : Yes

Man Cave : No