The Female Brain
Louann Brizendine
2007
279 pages
Published by Broadway Books
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Dear FTC: Hold on to your hats, because I actually borrowed this one from a friend. I know! I have friends…it’s a shocker.
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My yoga instructor (who I consider a friend, so I wasn’t lying to the FTC) and I like to discuss books. This was one that she read for a class, and then lent to me. Since she always reads the books I foist on her, it was my turn to read something she recommended.
Although I don’t think either one of us really remembers much from the book, or is running around supporting all of its claims, it was an interesting read. Brizendine states that women are intrinsically different from men due to different levels of hormones in our brains. In fact, she states often that our brains are marinating in different hormones at different stages of our lives. And after reading the words marinate and brain together for about the tenth time I was ready to scream…that was one phrase that was overused the first time.
Brizendine talks about estrogen and progesterone and testosterone and I honestly don’t remember what does what. She breaks the book up into seven chapters that each relate to stages of a woman’s life, such as infancy, puberty, motherhood, etc. And she gives examples of how hormones affect women at each of these stages. Thing is, she tends to oversimplify. After reading this book, you’d think that all teenage girls had screaming hissy fits on a daily basis. And that all women want to be mothers. And I don’t buy that. I had a very calm teenage experience…I didn’t fight with my mom, and I managed to skip the teenage angst. And I don’t want to be a mom. Not even when I’m around babies. Does that make me abnormal? I don’t think so, but you wouldn’t think so after reading this book.
So while there are some interesting facts to consider, I’d also take this one with a grain of salt.
I think I’ll be skipping this one, for two reasons. 1. The extreme use of the word marinate would irritate me too. 2. I have a “pre teen” (as she insists on being called. Seriously!), and I would prefer not to scare the living daylights out of myself. I would definitely believe the daily hissy fit theory!
Stephanie´s last [type] ..Book Review- The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
I just want to use the word “foist” after reading this post.
Who said women have brains in the first place? Wait….what was I talking about? Oh, look, a pretty squirrel.
Trisha´s last [type] ..Anticipatory Reads
I’ve had this one on my shelf forever! I will read it at somepoint and then we can compare thoughts too
Amused´s last [type] ..Ghosts of Your Past
I have absolutely zero desire to be a mom. So there’s at least two of us.
Hmm… sounds really interesting, but the oversimplifying bit kind of turns me off. I’ll mark this as a possibly some day book
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Taking marinated brains with a grain of salt? It all sounds a bit like Hannibal Lector!
rhapsodyinbooks´s last [type] ..Judge Not Lest You Judge Not
My brain says that I don’t want to read this one.
bybee´s last [type] ..What- Ho
Hey, we reviewed this over at The Blue Bookcase! I agree with you … I was a little put off at some of the generalizations she made. I’m not so sure every women is so ecstatic about breast feeding.
Ugh. I think I would have a violent reaction to this one, as I do with most books (fiction or non) that oversimplify gender differences and similarities. I have been wanting to re-read Woman by Natalie Angier for years, and I think that’s more my speed.
nomadreader (Carrie)´s last [type] ..book review- Id Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman
I was just going to suggest WOMAN by Angier!
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Being around other people’s babies has never made me want to be a mom. Quite the opposite at times.
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I do think women’s brains are different …. but it is way too hard to generalize.
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Ahhh! Marinate and Brain… sounds Yuck!
I really do not want to read this one ! But your review made me smile!
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I don’t really want to be a mom, either. I kind of don’t like children. I always thought that made me weird, especially because plenty of people tell me things like, “Oh, once you have kids, you’ll love them!” That MAY be true, but it kind of presupposes that I’ll have them. If I don’t like kids, why would I ever want to take the chance? Glad to see that I’m not alone.
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