Nice Average Guy

At the ripe age of 43, Fitz is seemingly well-settled in his comfortable life. He is poised to become a lifer in his uninspiring job, his marriage is dispassionately stable and he has a close relationship with his widowed, yet independent mother. If he is propelled through life by anything, it is the nagging fear that, at any moment, he could lose any of these three aspects of his life.

What Fitz is unable to articulate, both to himself and to others, is that deep in his core, he simply wants loving bonds with people who appreciate him and a small measure of peace amid an otherwise chaotic world.Following an argument with his overbearing wife and an ugly scene with his insensitive boss, Fitz reluctantly accepts a recommendation from his malcontent colleague to seek help from an unorthodox, yet surprisingly effective self-trained therapist. Armed with the therapist’s customized “game plan,” Fitz is challenged to deal with a series of unexpected life-changing events. He learns to face adversity, himself and his demons.During his introspective journey, Fitz manages to bump up against basic adult fears – he will not find love; his life has no meaning; his employer will discover that he is easily dispensable; he will never fulfill his dreams; and risk-taking usually leads to unrecoverable harm. Along his path, Fitz encounters a memorable cast of quirky friends, each serving a meaningful purpose as he bravely attempts to grow through his experiences.

Nice Average Guy is a humorous and thought-provoking blend of joy and sorrow. It has been aptly described as a richly entertaining, fictional self-help book. As a commentator noted, “Nice Average Guy works because Mansour has a rarified ability to balance his insight of a deeply humane take on life with a fair amount of goofy fun, tenderness, empathy, and humor.”

Ned Mansour received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California and his law degree from the University of San Diego. After a 21-year career with Mattel, Inc., he retired in 2000 as President. In addition to assisting charitable organizations, he has served on corporate boards. He authored Divided Roads, White Canvas and A Cedar Valley Christmas and co-wrote Florian's Special Gift.