The Female Brain by Louann Brizendine M.D. Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Female Brain
Book Review: Don't listen to the naysayers
Summary: 5 Stars
Don't listen to the naysayers.
Brizendine has had the guts to broach a touchy subject in a touchy era. For nearly half a century now the feel good political correctness movement--spearheaded by the feminist movement starting in the 60s--has tried to persuade us to ignore what is obvious to anyone with eyes open, that men and women are different. And they do this under the auspice of all of us just getting along. (Alas, the feminist call for us to just get along, if anything, supports Brizendine's claim that women will say and do just about anything to preserve societal harmony.)
To support this let's-all-get-along movement the idea that men and women are essentially identical at birth and are only "socialized" into gender indentity and gender roles has been carved into the cultural Zeitgeist as if gospel. But now that research is starting to uncover the fact that this nurture rationale for gender differences has been overstated for the past fifty years, the old guard is up in arms. For sure, they are simply in denial that their precious theories are turning out to be hogwash. (I recommend reading "How Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl," which recounts how the original case study meant to support the socialization of gender identity/role turned out to be a load of hooey.)
Brizendine's critics, such as Peterzell, are actually living in some fantasy world, where sexual differences are somehow washed out in statistical apologetics. For example, you may hear that the variation within groups is greater than the variation between groups--meaning that men and women will overlap, statistically, in traits we would associate with "feminine" and "masculine." What you won't hear is why such traits are considered "feminine" or "masculine" to begin with if they do not have some kind of intrinsic connection to womanhood and manhood, respectively. In other words, they tell us that gender differences are not great enough to warrant distinction while at the same time using the very distinctions that are near universal in every human culture on earth to distract us from these distinctions. (Women are tough enough to serve in the military...but, aha, why can't men be more peaceloving like women?)
The academics need to make up their minds. Either men and women are different or they are not. To try to rationalize away a difference is not science. It is politics. Brizendine's book is a bold step in saying enough is enough. Pretending that there is no difference, or that the difference is insignificant is not doing a service to society. It is only making us more confused.
Book Review: Dumbed Down, But Still Helpful
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to agree with other reviews that state this book is written in a somewhat dumbed-down style. I also agree that the author puts lots of clinical focus on dysfunctional women.
HOWEVER - as one such "dysfunctional" woman, the book brought me some of peace of mind. I suffer from terrible PMS; I finally stopped my period by continually taking birth control pills. Now that I am 45+, and getting closer to menopause, even the birth control pills seem to be failing me a bit - as a result, I am on antidepressants. Let me point out that my moodiness is no small issue - I have come very close to commiting assault out of sheer frustration and irritation - simply due to "hormone withdrawal". I become very agressive and easily irritated - making relationships at work and home problematic. Once I get things "corrected" via prescription drugs - my mood changes completely - it is almost like I am a totally different person! I always knew that the hormone drop was the reason for my Jekyll and Hyde personality, but this book taught me how estrogen and other hormones are related to brain chemicals such as serotonin.
So while some reviewers were alarmed by her frequent mention of Zoloft - I was rather relieved and felt quite validated that I was on the right path as far as keeping my moods more level, and feeling a lot more "sane".
Finally, the notes and references at the end of the book provide all anyone needs for further study...and is worth the price of the book, IMHO.
Book Review: Engaging and fascinating
Summary: 5 Stars
Dr. Brizendine manages to make a book with fifty-eight pages of references a delight to read. This is a book about the female human brain, but it's also a guide to the male brain. I've insisted that my fifteen-year-old son read this book, because it will help him to make sense of the alien mental landscape of his female peers.
Lazy reviewers are going to accuse the author of biological reductionism, i.e., of making women slaves to their biology. She explains over and over again that understanding one's neurobiology and hormonal climate allows one to make better-informed choices about life.
Some people may not like the way that she tackles the subject of love, but the evidence is clearly on her side. Oxytocin and vasopressin have a whole lot more to do with love than naked winged babies with archery gear.
My one criticism of the book lies in the author's clinical focus. She has spent a lot of time dealing with dysfunctional women, and her book sometimes focuses too much on pathology rather than on the broad normal range of experience. Still, it's a solid book.
Book Review: Enlightening
Summary: 5 Stars
While not everything listed as a 'fact' here was true (I am a woman and some of it simply did not ring true for me), there is a lot that is true. The important thing about this book is that it makes people understand that there are reasons for certain behaviors that arent' always obvious. It explains how the female brain is different than the male brain and how this triggers different ways of handling things. I would like to seem much more on this topic because I really think there is something very enlightening here that men and women can benefit from. Women do think differently than men and it is high time that books and television and magazines accept this. I am seeing it more and more in books like "Enchanted" by Nancy Madore and "I Feel Bad About my Neck" by Nora Ephron (both very good books). It is very refreshing to have our thoughts and behaviors as women accepted as normal.Book Review: Enlightening and entertaining
Summary: 5 Stars
Dr. Brizendine finally explained why everything that happens ... really happens. The book is full of lightly peppered scientific explanations for all that we know to be true about women. There are a few surprises and some of the revelations are truly amazing. She explains, in a light manner, the hows and why of why females relate to the rest of the world. She's answered many of the questions I ever had about why people react to each other the way they do.
I'd love to see every woman read this book, since forewarned is forearmed. Well done, Dr. Brizendine! I look forward to your writing a book on "The Male Brain." From a woman with that "zest".
Marsha Collier, Author of the eBay For Dummies series of books.