Boys adrift: the five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men PDF
Preview Boys adrift: the five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men
Praise forBoys Adrift and Dr. Leonard Sax “Excellent and informative references and information are provided. . . . Powerfully and persuasively presented.” —Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA) “Until recently, there have been two groups of people: those who argue sex differences are innate and should be embraced and those who insist that they are learned and should be eliminated by changing the envi- ronment. Sax is one of the few in the middle—convinced that boys and girls are innately different and that we must change the environment so differences don’t become limitations.” —Time “A must-read for any parent of boys. This is real science, and Dr. Sax thoroughly uncovers the important health issues that parents of boys need to be tuned into.” —Dr. Mehmet Oz, Professor and Vice Chairman, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University “Startling . . . like a brick thrown through your window.” —Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) “Sax, in his pointed, conversational new book, Boys Adrift, reports seeing something new in his medical practice, and hearing something disturbing in the comments after his talks around the nation. . . . Boys Adriftis an important entry into the conversation. This call to recon- sider how the boy becomes the man is worth heeding.” —Cleveland Plain Dealer “Sax’s documentation is thorough and impressive. This is an important book, especially for parents and educators, but for anyone who is con- cerned with the well-being of our society and its young people.” —Daily Herald “Dr. Sax has performed an outstanding service in identifying and ex- ploring a disturbing and overlooked trend: the vast number of boys who seem to be disengaging from school and from their own potential. His analysis of this problem, as well as his engaging insights and advice for parents, make this a must-read for anyone who is frustrated with what is happening to boys in our culture—or to anyone who is struggling to raise a healthy, happy, and successful son.” —Ron Henry, Men’s Health Network, sponsor of the Boys and Schools Project “If you’re the parent of a boy, Dr. Sax’s book Boys Adrift is required reading. . . . Fortunately, Dr. Sax offers a program for change. His impor- tant book gives a wholly original perspective on American boys in decline, and thankfully offers information to help reverse this trend.” —Book Page “Boys Adriftis one of the most important books of the twenty-first cen- tury. It’s a life-transforming book which should be required reading for educators and parents, as well as teenage boys. Spreading the message in Boys Adriftis both a moral and a community imperative.” —Richard A. Rowe, President, African American Male Leadership Institute “Leonard Sax brings good science and gifted writing to his analysis of our biggest social problem in Boys Adrift. I know something of the liter- ature on unmotivated boys and was surprised by how much I learned. Expect to be newly interested in plastic bottles and much else besides.” —Steven E. Rhoads, author of Taking Sex Differences Seriously, Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia “Dr. Sax has the amazing talent of pulling together complicated scientific and cultural data from multiple sources to provide a stunning and com- pelling argument regarding this growing problem familiar to parents as well as to professionals who work with underachieving boys and young men. Thankfully, he also presents concrete solutions and resources for helping our young men avoid these pitfalls.” —Flo Hilliard, Gender Studies Project, University of Wisconsin–Madison “Boys Adriftis a compelling and thought-provoking examination of the male crisis in contemporary American society. True to form, Dr. Sax bal- ances research with narrative to produce a readable text that explores social, environmental, and cultural factors contributing to this crisis and offers us sensible suggestions that will help right the course for our boys and men. A must read for all of us!” —Doug MacIsaac, Department of Teacher Education, Stetson University “Boys Adrift is . . . a cry to all of us to notice what’s happening to our sons. . . . Sax doesn’t just sound the alarm bell; he offers solutions. . . . [He is] a modern Paul Revere.” —Psychotherapy Networker “Interesting, helpful and very insightful. An important book.” —Dr. Bill Bennett, former U.S. Secretary of Education, former Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities “Boys Adriftpresents a straightforward argument that incorporates solid research and, thankfully, does not blame feminism. . . . Sax also makes sure to remind us that he doesn’t think girls have it easier. But at a time when it is almost unusual to find a young man with drive and direction, Sax’s work is an important part of a growing public discussion.” —The Stranger “This book is insightful, engaging, and easy to read. It is essential reading for parents of girls and boys, and for those who expect to become parents. I have passed my copy of the book to my daughter. The epidemic of un- motivated boys and underachieving men is real and demands action; this book provides a carefully researched analysis of the problem and offers useful advice on how to deal with it.” —Professor Craig Anderson, Iowa State University This page intentionally left blank BOYS ADRIFT This page intentionally left blank BOYS AD R I F T The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men LEONARD SAX, M.D., Ph.D. A Member of the Perseus Books Group New York Copyright © 2007 by Leonard Sax Hardcover first published in 2007 by Basic Books, A Member of the Perseus Books Group Paperback first published in 2009 by Basic Books All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, address Basic Books, 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810. Basic Books are available at special discounts for bulk purchases in the United States by corporations, institutions, and other organizations. For more information, please contact the Special Markets Department at the Perseus Books Group, 2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103, or call (800) 810-4145, ext. 5000, or e-mail [email protected]. Designed by Timm Bryson “(What A) Wonderful World” written by Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert and Lou Adler ©1959 Renewed ABKO Music, Inc., www.abko.com All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. The Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover as follows: Sax, Leonard. Boys adrift : five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men / Leonard Sax. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN-13: 978-0-465-07209-5 ISBN-10: 0-465-07209-7 1. Boys—Education. 2. Young men—Education. 3. Motivation in education. 4. Sex differences in education. I. Title. LC1390.S29 2007 371.823—dc22 2007012761 Paperback ISBN-13: 978-0-465-07210-1 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For my daughter, Sarah Emma
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