The Male Brain

A Breakthrough Understanding of How Men and Boys Think

By: Louann Brizendine M.D.

Narrated by: Kimberly Farr

Length: 4 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Dr. Louann Brizendine, the founder of the first clinic in the country to study gender differences in brain, behavior, and hormones, turns her attention to the male brain, showing how, through every phase of life, the "male reality" is fundamentally different from the female one. Exploring the latest breakthroughs in male psychology and neurology with her trademark accessibility and candor, she reveals that the male brain:

• is a lean, mean, problem-solving machine. Faced with a personal problem, a man will use his analytical brain structures, not his emotional ones, to find a solution.
• thrives under competition, instinctively plays rough and is obsessed with rank and hierarchy.
• has an area for sexual pursuit that is 2.5 times larger than the female brain, consuming him with sexual fantasies about female body parts.
• experiences such a massive increase in testosterone at puberty that he perceive others' faces to be more aggressive.

The Male Brain finally overturns the stereotypes. Impeccably researched and at the cutting edge of scientific knowledge, this is a book that every man, and especially every woman bedeviled by a man, will need to own.

©2010 Louann Brizendine (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

"Louann Brizendine has done a great favor for every man who wants to understand the puzzling women in his life. A breezy and enlightening guide to women and a must-read for men." (Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence)

Insightful

I just became a mother to my son, this book is very insightful to explain a lot of his behaviors and his father’s. I also learned a lot about what I should be expecting as he is growing. Interesting read.

Hard truths

Any additional comments?

This book is full of science which may make it a hard slog for some people. But if you want the full understanding of the male brain then this is one of the best books on the topic. Becasue the author explains the changes to the male brain and biology over the course of life this book is also helpful to parents.

This is a well presented educational book. There is no 'interpretation' of science by the author, nor does it rely in 'questionable reseach'. Unfortunately for some people the facts presented in this book will be hard for them to confront. Particularly those who believe in such things as the blank slate, or that gender is only a social construct. It's also agenda free which is another refreshing thing about it.

Use this book to understand man’s mind!

Highly recommend book to those who want to understand men’s behavior and mind. I liked it a lot, both the content itself and the way how the author explains it. Easy to understand, I found a lot of insights.. a lot to discover.. As a mother of three boys :)) I wish I read it much earlier. As a divorced woman I wish I had those hints before. Must read!

simply AWESOME!

A lot of facts that really help me understand men better. There's some information that don't apply to homeschooling parents with their kids but in overall, simple AWESOME audiobook.

I learned a lot!

Would you listen to The Male Brain again? Why?

I learned a lot and gained the insight I was looking for, but I don't think I'll listen to it all over again.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Male Brain?

Gaining a greater understanding of what drives men's anger and sex drive. Especially how she contrasted it against the female brain.

What about Kimberly Farr’s performance did you like?

Her voice was appropriate to the text. A very straight forward delivery.

Any additional comments?

I bought the book because I have 2 sons, one of whom has started puberty. As their mother I wanted some more insight into what makes them tick. But this book gave me a lot of useful information on my husband as well. As the sole female in the house I often feel like they all look to me as the leader/doer, yet I have no idea how or why their brains work the way they do. It can feel very isolating. This book really helped me understand how their chemistry works and why I react the way I do in my own mind. Truly eye opening.

Insightful

This really helped me understand why us men behave/act the way we are. It helped me see what I can do to be a better partner.

Incredibly Informative

I devoured this book. It sheds so much light on why boys and men typically think and act the way they do. Any woman who wants to have a greater understanding of their sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, etc should read this book - especially if you are raising boys! You’ll gain wisdom and have much more appreciation for our men.

Absolutely amazing

loved every minute of it. Can't say so about the female brain. This one has a lot more scientific info and a lot less gossip and anecdotal scenarios than the female brain.

Men & Women are Different

This book so lovely spells out the simple and yet significant differences between men and women. As a female, reading this book it was such an eye opening lesson. I bought this book for my sister just before she had her son.

Refreshingly does not put men down

Unlike the current trend, this book does not put men down or equate them with neanderthals. It matter-of-factly describes how the male brain works and why. The only disappointment is the editor did not allow Dr. Brizendine to include the chapter on the gay male brain which she wanted to include. This information is in the appendix in the paper form of the book, but is not available in the audio format. If you are interested in that information, search youtube for a lecture by Dr. Brizendine to discover the differences.