The Female Brain

Since Dr. Brizendine wrote The Female Brain ten years ago, the response has been overwhelming. This New York Times bestseller has been translated into more than thirty languages, has sold nearly a million copies between editions, and has most recently inspired a romantic comedy starring Whitney Cummings and Sofia Vergara. And its profound scientific understanding of the nature and experience of the female brain continues to guide women as they pass through life stages, to help men better understand the girls and women in their lives, and to illuminate the delicate emotional machinery of a love relationship.



Every brain begins as a female brain. It only becomes male eight weeks after conception, when excess testosterone shrinks the communications center, reduces the hearing cortex, and makes the part of the brain that processes sex twice as large.

Louann Brizendine, M.D. is a pioneering neuropsychiatrist who brings together the latest findings to show how the unique structure of the female brain determines how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and whom they’ll love. Brizendine reveals the neurological explanations behind why

• A woman remembers fights that a man insists never happened

• A teen girl is so obsessed with her looks and talking on the phone

• Thoughts about sex enter a woman’s brain once every couple of days but enter a man’s brain about once every minute

• A woman knows what people are feeling, while a man can’t spot an emotion unless somebody cries or threatens bodily harm

• A woman over 50 is more likely to initiate divorce than a man

Women will come away from this book knowing that they have a lean, mean communicating machine. Men will develop a serious case of brain envy.©2006 Louann Brizendine, M.D.; (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Finally, a satisfying answer to Freud’s question, ‘What does a woman want?’ 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 Social Intelligence

“The Female Brain is sassy, witty, reassuring, and great fun. All women—and the men who love them—should read this book.”
—Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of The Wisdom of Menopause

“Louann Brizendine has been a pioneer in using medical science to empower her women patients. Now she seeks to share her hard-won knowledge with a wider audience. The result is a timely, insightful, readable, and altogether magnificent book.”
—Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, author of Mother Nature

“An eye-opening account of the biological foundations of human behavior. Destined to become a classic in the field of gender studies.”
—Marilyn Yalom, author of A History of the Breast

“In a breezy, playful style, Brizendine follows the development of women’s brains from birth through the teen years, to courting, pregnancy, childbirth and child-rearing, and on to menopause and beyond.”
—Deborah Tannen, Washington Post

Great book, but narration needs work.

Great content. Narration had emphasis/inflection on certain words. It was distracting, but improved as the book went on.

Recommend for anyone who knows a woman.

Will help with my relationships from now on... Amazing insights. You must read or listen to see how simply the complex woman can be understood.

A must read for every woman

A must read for every woman who wants to understand how her biology impacts her emotions and behavior

Eye opening!

I've suspected for a while that there are things happening in my brain that are not entirely in my control, so it was fascinating to have someone else so clearly articulate many of my experiences! It's validating to know my brain chemistry and its behavioral impact. This book is a must read for anyone who truly wants to understand a woman; we are remarkable creatures! I do wish some of the variations of the female experience were explored a bit more, like the brain chemistry of homosexuality or what happens when the typical patterns of hormones and brain circuits are disrupted (like how do we get social outcasts and severe social anxiety if we're wired for relationship?), but I'm sure that would require several books!

Seemed out of date

Information seemed out of date with what we know today through research. I did not make it past the second or third chapter, because it frustrated me.