The Male Brain Book Review

Book Club - And Then Some

The Male Brain

By Louann Brizendine, M.D.

Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

For this 271-page book, there are 40 pages of “Notes,” and 82 pages of “References,” or 122 pages out of 271 devoted to sources.  Basically, this is a 135-page book.

It is truly a quick, interesting read full of stories, case studies, real-life scenarios, and anecdotes.

Despite the number of notes and references, this is not a scholarly work.

If you’re new to the area of “brain science,” this book will serve as an introduction to the chemical/hormonal world of a man’s brain.

What Brizendine shows readers is how the brain is affected by various chemicals and hormones (i.e., testosterone, cortisol, oxytocin, vasopressin, etc.), how the brain ages from infant to elder, and how these changes affect the male personality.

Because the book is relatively jargon-free, uses plain language (despite her scientific background and the sources provided), is written in a clear, accessible style, its pop-culture-like feel, and her story-telling approach, the book should be read by women, boys, students, and others interested in a clear, direct, easy-to-understand approach.

It is truly an entertaining read, and women will not only understand men better, but they will be less likely to blame them for being men, and, thus, decrease the likelihood of conflict, especially conflict over issues that are deeply embedded in men’s genes.

If her book, The Female Brain, is anything like this one (I haven’t read it), I would recommend it to all men!