Gene Worship: Moving Beyond the Nature/Nurture Debate over Genes, Brain, and Gender

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In The Men They Will Become, well-known pediatrician Eli Newberger blends stories and suggestions aimed at empowering boys to make strong character-building choices. The author uses examples that range from simple playground incidents to complex moral decisions for teens to provide guidance for parents facing similar situations on the home front. Not meant to be a quick-reference guide, the author focuses on open communication lines and leading by example. Five separate "profiles" divided by developmental stages are presented through anecdotes told from perspectives of both parent and child. Dr. Newberger deftly interviews the boys to get their opinions on touchy subjects, in the process demonstrating valuable techniques for drawing them out without making them feel "interrogated." Each chapter is packed with information on topics like family teasing, teen depression, cheating, and rewarding honesty. If your family is experiencing similar issues, you'll find great behavioral suggestions. Though not a "how-to" guide or a detailed parenting program, a thorough reading will yield an excellent understanding of the gradual emotional development of boys and give parents greater wisdom to help boys grow in to men of character. --Jill Lightner

Book Description

What is character? When does it develop? Why do we see such extremes-from terrorism or schoolyard massacres to heroic peacekeeping missions-in men today?

Eli Newberger, M.D., one of this country's most distinguished pediatricians and experts on family development, brings decades of experience and insight to this vitally important subject. The Men They Will Become delves to the deepest roots of male character. A baby boy, says the author, has traits but no character. At each stage, particular characteristics-attachment, honesty, self-control, sportsmanship, generosity, courage-are either nurtured or thwarted. Along the way, intrinsic biological drives combine with parenting as well as gender-polarizing forces in the culture to create either the admirable qualities we all admire or those we deplore and fear.

Unlike recent writers on this subject, Newberger does not try to make boys more like girls. Instead he shows us how to nurture, encourage and celebrate the best in men. The need for leaders of bold but non-violent character makes this profoundly insightful book of urgent and timely importance.

Customer Reviews:

You have one shot with each son. Take aim, and hit the bullseye!.......2005-11-10

I met Eli in my home town at a seminar. It was titled something like "an exploration of what shapes the character of boys". Nature vs Nurture basically. It's an exploration. Each child is different. He signed his book and *gave* it to me. I was poverty stricken at the time and got into the presention from sheer will to be there. So having met him, and read his book I felt empowered to know that my choices were validated. I can see how some may imply that he is vauge but I assure you, (if you research concisely what those words mean) you will gain more understanding. Defining one's terms is something we don't often do; our language is generally vague. What Eli Newberger shares, if you will but learn what those 'big words' mean, will give you access to tools/insights. Use what works best to develope great relationships with your sons. This is your life and theirs. Make the best of it. You have one shot with each son. Take aim, and hit the bullseye!

Putty in his hands.......2004-05-20

A generation of primate behaviour and cognitive science research seems to have whoosed right past Newberger. Perhaps he was busy playing his tuba. Many years of his dealing with abused children generated this "guidebook for parenting". Like all such guidebooks, there are many pearls of wisdom and insightful conclusions. There is also a wealth of self-contradictions, a limited arena to apply his useful advice and some terribly misleading assertions. Underlying the entire presentation is the idea that children are putty in the hands of their parents. All parents need do is take the proper approach [Newberger's] in raising their offspring and all will be well with the world. Or, at least, those families living in North America.

Without clearly stipulating why he focusses on boys instead of children, he seems to feel that "character" is a mental/emotional state best expressed through the male half of society. From this basis, he moves through the various elements he designates as building "character" and explains how to promote them. There are many of them and Newberger is to be congratulated for taking on so formidable a task. He covers the topics well, but as you read it becomes clear that only a limited sector of society will read or understand his programme. A careful read will highlight the many contradictions he overlooked in developing his thesis.

After showing how many conflicts can arise between parents and offspring from an early age, he moves "self-identity" to adolescence. This will console parents who thought the "terrible twos" were an event rivalling the French Revolution. To further reassure parents, he condemns Judith Rich Harris' classic study "The Nurture Assumption" which transferred children's input from parents to peers. That Newberger does this suggests he might have left his clinic occasionally and visited some elementary schoolyards. Boys may appear malleable to parents, but in the schoolyard or street corner, they show a different set of talents. Although Newberger discusses the "hierarchical" social structures that appear among boys, he seems to have no notion of how they emerge.

Newberger's appeal is limited to those parents with the intellect, time, patience, affluence and desire to follow his suggestions. They must quell no end of natural responses in raising boys, and it would be enlightening to learn from the next generation how many of his readers will be in residence in a room with soft walls. It is fallacious to assume that male children come into life with no natural ambitions and capabilities of their own. Not many years ago, it was believed the concept of children, especially boys, coming into life with a "blank slate" had been permanently shelved. Yet, here is Newberger, not only raising the issue again, but compiling a parenting guidebook based on that premise. An infirm foundation for such an important structure. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

An insightful look at the little-understood world of boys........2001-10-18

Dr. Newberger's work is a kind and compassionate look at the nature-nurture of how our young men develop into men.

Drawing on a vast reservoir of experience and insight he takes the reader into the mysterious world of boys; a world frought with hope and exploration, as well as dangers. I was especially encouraged by his treatment of bullying in this book because of the prevalence of the "culture of cruelty," in adolescence.

Parents, counselors, teachers, mentors; anyone with an a vested interest in the well being of boys will find this book to be a valuable resource that will provide support.

This book, unlike many other "pop-psych" type books, is very well researched (without being pedantic), and very well reasoned. As a counseling student in graduate school I have used this book several times as a reference.

With the abuse of children reaching pandemic proportions, we need more men (as well as women) like Dr. Newberger using their insight of child development to advocate for better treatment of children. It is a tragedy of inexplicable proportions that we have the instances, and the severity of abuse that is rampant in this country. Dr. Newberger should be commended for such a fine book, as well as his dedication to the well being of children.

Informative, excellent book.......2001-10-11

Great book with practical ideas on raising good boys. Most of all, it made sense to me. I'm so happy I read it and will continue to refer to it as my now 8 month baby boy grows up. It's really important to have books like this out there so we can get good guidance on raising good boys!

An Affirming Book, Wonderfully Written.......2000-07-09

I read this book thinking it would be a rather standard tome on the endangerment of the male adolescent in society. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to find Newberger's approach to the subject of the male character both thorough and non-sensationalist. Beginning with infancy, the author does a wonderful job charting the development of character in boys (although much of the information can be applied to girls as well - the language is far from exclusionary). Newberger also possesses a supportive attitude toward parents and charts the familial and societal pressures faced by them while illustrating how this affects parenting ability and skill. Rather than definite stages, the book is divided into topics like "curiosity", "teasing and bullying", and "play and sports". The result is like a well-done essay series but without the repetition or wandering that often accompanies that type of volume. The best thing about this book is Newberger, though; his loving and supportive attitude toward children and their parents envelops you while not being cloying or patronizing. He is a wonderful resource and advocate for boys, and girls, of all ages.

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Great review on gender differences!

Gender, Nature, and Nurture
Richard A. Lippa
Manufacturer: Lawrence Erlbaum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0805853456

Book Description

This engaging text presents the latest scientific findings on gender differences, similarities, and variations--in sexuality, cognitive abilities, occupational preferences, personality, and social behaviors. The impact of nature and nurture on gender is examined from the perspectives of genetics, molecular biology, evolutionary theory, neuroanatomy, sociology, and psychology. The result is a balanced, fair-minded synthesis of diverse points of view. Dr. Lippa's text sympathetically summarizes each side of the nature-nurture debate, and in a witty imagined conversation between a personified "nature" and "nurture," he identifies weaknesses in the arguments offered by both sides. His review defines gender, summarizes research on gender differences, examines the nature of masculinity and femininity, describes theories of gender, and presents a "cascade model," which argues that nature and nurture weave together to form the complex tapestry known as gender.

Gender, Nature, and Nurture, Second Edition features:
*new research on sex differences in personality, moral thought, coping styles, sexual and antisocial behavior, and psychological adjustment;
*the results of a new meta-analysis of sex differences in real-life measures of aggression;
*new sections on non-hormonal direct genetic effects on sexual differentiation; hormones and maternal behavior; and on gender, work, and pay; and
*expanded accounts of sex differences in children's play and activity levels; social learning theories of gender, and social constructionist views of gender.

This lively "primer" is an ideal book for courses on gender studies, the psychology of women, or of men, and gender roles. Its wealth of updated information will stimulate the professional reader, and its accessible style will captivate the student and general reader.

Customer Reviews:

Great review on gender differences!.......2002-11-19

As someone who does research in this area (gender differences in consumer behavior), I found this to be a very helpful review of the literature. Well done! : )

Genes & Gender: On Hereditarianism & Women

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Genes & Gender: On Hereditarianism & Women

Manufacturer: Gordian Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0877522154

Genes and Gender: II Pitfalls in Research on Sex and Gender

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Genes and Gender: II Pitfalls in Research on Sex and Gender

Manufacturer: Gordian Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0877522197

Beyond politics: a candid evaluation of gender differences.(Gender, Nature, and Nurture, 2d ed.)(Book review): An article from: The Journal of Sex Research

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Beyond politics: a candid evaluation of gender differences.(Gender, Nature, and Nurture, 2d ed.)(Book review): An article from: The Journal of Sex Research
Tyson C. Kreiger
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Journal of Sex Research, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1352 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Beyond politics: a candid evaluation of gender differences.(Gender, Nature, and Nurture, 2d ed.)(Book review)
Author: Tyson C. Kreiger
Publication: The Journal of Sex Research (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Page: 105(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Human Spatial Abilities: Sources of Sex Difference

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Human Spatial Abilities: Sources of Sex Difference
Mark McGee
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tʻagonan sŏng mandŭrŏjin sŏng: Yŏja ro killŏjin namja iyagi = As nature made him

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TÊ»agonan soÌ†ng manduÌ†roÌ†jin soÌ†ng: YoÌ†ja ro killoÌ†jin namja iyagi = As nature made him
John Colapinto
Manufacturer: Pada ChÊ»ulpÊ»ansa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 8955611412

Customer Reviews:

Write from experience!.......2007-06-06

While Magellen writes a good description of the book, I found it useless because Magellen has never been to Australia and therefore has never used the book. Moreover, I can skim it myself to see if it will work for me. It would be much more helpful if reviewers actually have used a guidebook!

Fine guide.......2005-07-20

This is my first national Geographic travel guide, from an interesting author. He once biked 10,000 miles around Australia, getting into remote areas where he was all alone, 100 miles from the nearest habitation just on his bicycle. As he went, his travel commentaries were published in the Australian papers, and the story was even picked up by the international newspapers at the time, making him something of an international celebrity as a travel writer. He now lives in Victoria and freelances for various Australian magazines and publications. It's more topically oriented the say, the DK guide, with perhaps fewer subjects covered but with more coverage per article. This is just my subjective impression but I offer it for what it's worth. The DK guide's look busier per page and this one is less.

I learned some interesting things from this book. To mention just a few, Australia is the oldest continent, which is why the interior is so flat, and why it contains so many marsupial species, which died out elsewhere when the couldn't compete with the more advanced placental mammals. Culturally, it is a land of contrasts, with more modern looking cities with newer buildings than most American cities, which contrasts with the primitive aboriginal lifestyle which still exists to some extent in North Australia. And the rugged, macho image of Australian settlers, outbackers, and bushrangers contrasts with the fact that Sydney has an even higher gay and lesbian population than San Francisco, and their Gay and Lesbian parade is an international event.

Before getting into the regional sections, there is a 72 page introduction that covers history, culture, the land, food, and drink, the arts, and flora and fauna. There's a lot of good info here and this is a longer introduction compared to most travel guides that I've seen.The remaining 299 pages cover the 8 major provinces or regions of Australia, including the island of Tasmania, which I was especially interested in. Each section includes the most popular sites and things to do, with beautiful photos and well written text.

I am especially interested in Tasmania, and I learned that it is easy to see the sights there, as there is a 600-mile road that goes around the entire perimeter of the island, and most of the interesting sites can be accessed from it. As I am planning a trip to Australia sometime soon, I was interested to learn this, since most of Australia is difficult to get to since the distances are so vast. Just Western Australia, still one of the most remote and sparsely settled regions, is three times the size of Texas.

Sydney of course gets a special section by itself, and you could spend the rest of your life just seeing the sites there. I was most interested in Sydney, Tasmania, and also Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Kuranda Rainforest in the north as the three other main places to visit on my trip, and this guide was very helpful for researching that. Other helpful features of this guide include an Australia map on the inside front cover, a Sydney transit map, and many regional and town maps for you convenience. There is a quick table of contents on the inside front cover also. All in all a nice done and enjoyable guide to the fascinating land of Down Under.

National Geographic Traveler: Sydney (National Geographic Traveler)

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The best Sydney guidebook out there!

National Geographic Traveler: Sydney (National Geographic Traveler)
Evan Mchugh
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0792274350
Release Date: 1999-11-01

Book Description

Take a tour of Sydney guided by National Geographic -- for generations synonymous with the thrill of discovery and exploration. Featured sites include both famous and lesser known places, selected to help you experience the city in a fresh and exciting way.

* In-depth site descriptions and background information
* Insightful features on history, culture, and contemporary life
* More than 190 vivid color photographs
* 22 detailed, full-color maps
* Mapped walking and driving tours
* Specially commissioned artwork and floor plans
* Clear, easy-to-use design
* Complete visitor information plus hotels, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment

Customer Reviews:

The best Sydney guidebook out there!.......2000-04-06

I've perused them all--Lonely Planet, DK Eyewitness, Citypack, Fodor's, whatever--and I found this guide to be the best of the bunch. It combines all the best of each of those: great pictures, detailed color maps, historical tidbits, walking tours, and easy, color-coded organization. I imagine it would be appropriate for those planning both long or short visits to Sydney. It's packed with lots to see and do but well organized so that you're not overwhelmed by it if you're just taking a short trip and want just highlights. My second choice would be the Time Out Sydney, which as usual, offers tons of shopping & cool tips & out of the way info. As a frequent traveller and consequently, owner of a plethora of guidebooks, I found this one refreshingly awesome. Just wish that they had a bigger range of destinations in their offering....

The National Geographic Traveler: Australia (National Geographic Traveler)

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Great preparation guide
Great preparation guide
For anyone who enjoys Eyewitness Travel Guides

The National Geographic Traveler: Australia (National Geographic Traveler)
National Geographic Society
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0792274318
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Book Description

This wonderful book evokes all of Australia's many moods and dramatic vistas in engaging text by Roff Smith and stunning images by renowned photographer Sam Abell. Text and pictures explore the colorful history and distinctive cultures that make the land down under so irresistible and unforgettable.

At once a young and vibrant nation of immigrants and a place inhabited for 60,000 years by Aboriginal tribes whose haunting art and ancient traditions are among the oldest on Earth, Australia boasts the world's biggest cattle ranch, some of its richest mineral deposits, and a wild, wondrous landscape of lush rain forest and forbidding desert, snowy mountains and tropical oceans bejeweled with the colorful corals of the Great Barrier Reef. Australia is truly a world unto itself.

Join National Geographic for a once-in-a-lifetime visit to the exotic, extraordinary land its inhabitants affectionately call Oz.

Customer Reviews:

Great preparation guide.......2002-11-26

The nat'l geo series is a fantastic trip preparation guide. The photos, stories, insights into culture - this helped us choose which regions of OZ that we wanted to visit. For this I give 4 out of 5. The last star I reserve because some of the smaller places are not listed that are real gems! It is understandable though that no guide will have every dot on the map, this is why you travel and explore!! Note: for this sort of preparation and planning activity we have found no better guidebook series!

However, what we've found is that these guides are not good for hotels, restaurants, etc - there are a few (expensive!!) listed. Nor are they good for navigating/driving (we drove Melbourne to Cairns). I recommend using this guide to prepare and a Lonely Planet to find places to stay/for for more budget conscious traveler needs. Get a good road map.

Great preparation guide.......2002-11-26

However, what we've found is that these guides are not good for hotels, restaurants, etc - there are a few (expensive!!) listed. Nor are the driving (we drove Melbourne to Cairns) listed. I recommend using this guide to prepare and a Lonely Planet to find places to stay/for for more budget conscious traveler needs. Get a good road map.

For anyone who enjoys Eyewitness Travel Guides.......2000-03-31

I have always been a big fan of the Eye Witness travel guides because of the abundance of pictures and the wealth of information they contain. After purchasing Australia: National Geographic Traveler, I may have found another favorite.

Not only does this travel guide contain beautiful, brilliantly colored photos of Australia's countryside, people and attractions on nearly every page, it is also filled with page after page of interesting and helpful information about each of the country's regions, and provides regional maps for each of the areas it describes, as well as walking and driving tour maps. Along with historical information, the book is brimming with practical advice for travelers; from such obvious warnings as wearing a high SPF sunblock due to the country's strong sunlight, to less obvious tidbits; for instance, that the monitor-type lizards that inhabit the area, when startled, will climb the tallest object around, which may happens to be you, so stay alert!

This guide offers insightful comments about, and a glimpse of, all the popular attractions, and includes contact information, etc., and the various means of transportation to get to those destinations. It also provides suggestions and information about interesting sights not on the beaten track. The only shortcoming of this guide is that it contains a limited listing of hotels and restaurants, and that list is located at the very back of the book. But because this is a travel guide for the entire country of Australia, I can forgive this shortcoming. However, it would be more convenient to place the hotel and restaurant information for specific cities in the section of the book that talks about the region to which that city belongs. I found this book entertaining, fun to look at, and easy to read (although the print is rather small). Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a complete guide to Australia.

Customer Reviews:

A fun book for Lizzie fans!.......2004-07-24

This is a good book. It has two Lizzie McGuire episodes ("Rumors" and "Jack of All Trades") in a comic book/manga format!!! Which makes it very fun and easy to read.
In the first story, Lizzie tries out for cheerleading but doesn't make it. Then she starts a bad rumor about Kate by accident and Miranda takes the blame!
In the second story Lizzie, Miranda, and Gordo take a test to see what job they'll have. Also, Gordo never gets "A"s in science, because he thinks his science teacher hates him. So he decides to switch projects with Lizzie to see if she'll get an "A" for his project. (He thinks he'd only get a "B" if he turns it in with his name.)
This is a must have book if you like Lizzie McGuire! Also recommended is the other books in the Lizzie McGuire Cine-Manga seiries.

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