Customer Reviews

Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This book was the best textbook that I have used during my college experience. The vivid examples that Julia Wood uses, really makes the facts come to life. The book is easy to follow and it is very interesting. I highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to see and learn about the real facts about gender,communication and culture.

I took Gender Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Dr. Wood was my professor. Not only did I find the class stimulating, but I felt the book was incredible. It helps to explain the ways in which men and women communicate-how they are socialized to communicate in specific ways, which ultimately leads to miscommunication between the sexes. It also covers a number of areas, including non-verbal communication, violence between intimates, the different women's and men's movements, and various communication theories. I would recommend this book to everyone. I believe that if everyone understood how and why the sexes communicate the way they do, there would be fewer social problems. You can't read this book and NOT be changed by what you learn. Overall, a great aid in education and a great read outside of a formal classroom atmosphere.

Perhaps this was one of the best texts books I have ever used in graduate school. Although the subject was of interest to me I feel that Julia Wood writes in a way that captivates the interest and curiosity of any reader. Her book is much more enjoyable than the usual textbook. Although this book might be viewed as feminist literature-I disagree. Although the content of her book is based on generalizations of our society I feel that her arguments are justified and for the most part accurate. While Wood mostly addresses feminine issues she also includes issues facing men as well. Even if men are not seen as the "ultimate" oppressed gender in some areas of life they are oppressed. I would have like to have seen more attention given to this issue. I did not agree with all of Woods' points, but I do feel that Wood presents provoking realities of the struggles for both men and women. However, I would have liked to see information on how religion influences these matters. Overall, I thought this was an exceptional book that raises interesting issues that are pressing matters in society today.

Having used this textbook in Prof. Wood's course at UNC, I must recommend it not only for students but also for those who are naturally inquisitive as well. Wood has a remarkable ability to distill issues into root cause and extract significant implications. At the same time, this book reads more like a work of literature than a collegiate text, making it engaging, insightful and thought provoking. Kudos to Prof. Wood.

This book makes one think about their own standards, virues, and biases about gender, masculinity, femininity, sexual orientation, and moral values. Wood's book is thought provoking. The reader should proceed through this book with a knowledge that Wood is providing the information that is available and that not all perspectives of the gender issues are presented. This book should not be used as the authority of gender studies. There is lack of information about masculinity issues and also a lack of information about religion and gender. Social class has a very brief reference and can not stand alone in relation to gender issues in Wood's discussion.

Ok, so I was totally not even the slight bit interested in reading a book like this one, but alas, for one of my classes this semester I was required to partake. I must admit that I initially had a difficult time relating to the rhetoric and struggled throught the first chapters ... only because of my poor attitude. However, there are a couple of chapters on communication between the sexes that were incredibly intriguing, so much that I would recommend them to anyone and everyone. I disagreed often with some of Wood's assertions, however, I found that the reason for my differing viewpoint was based on the fact that I could not empathise with her statements. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in gender relations and the real story behind feminist theory/history, not to mention someone interested in communication discrepancies between the mars and venus.

Wood does a superb job presenting the research on gender as it stands, while striving to keep her own personal bias out. She presents arguments from both left and right, fortifying them with excerpts from student journals. While some of the chapters were difficult to plow through because of subject matter-such as the section on gendered violence-the book itself was a surprisingly easy read.
In presenting the arguments as they stand in the research, Wood chooses not to involve less critical ethical or moral viewpoints. Though this enhances her unbiased approach, it would be interesting to view the varying facets of gender through the lens of the world's most predominant religions or widely accepted ethical viewpoints. However, Wood does do us the great favor of including a section devoted to men's movements-a topic often overlooked in the study of gender.
The text sparks a great many thoughts about the way we, as a society, accept the inequalities of gender (both male and female biases), and is a significant addition to the field that would enhance any study of the topic.

Having read way too many textbooks in my academic career, I feel pretty confident saying that this is one of the best. The author presented the material (some of it difficult to swallow) in a straight-forward way, interjecting much-needed humor here and there. Many different viewpoints are addressed, and comments from other students, from a wide variety of walks of life are included, giving the reader exposure to a wide variety of thoughts and opinions.
The text reads quickly, and a lot of territory is covered. The author addresses everything from the various 'waves' of feminism to media coverage and violence. There is a lot of material in the book, and if it is read with an open mind, I don't see how the reader can help but be moved and possibly changed. There is no one that this book won't relate to - everyone has a gender.

I was assigned this book for my Gender, Race and Class class but I enjoyed it so much that I am not selling it back! I found standpoint theory helpful as I try to figure out where I stand in the world of feminism. As a minority, I liked reading about different cultures. So many textbooks are White. But this one wasn't. It was refreshing.

Wood definitely had some interesting arguments that she brought forth in this book. Generally, I do not agree with much of what Wood had to say in her book, but I respect her thoughts because it gave me a new perspective on so many circumstances that I have considered irrelevant in the past. Reading the book gave me the opportunity and ability to acknowledge differences that I have been blind to. I think Wood is right about the idea that gender expectations are largely influenced by culture. It seems to me that the book spends much of the book focusing on harsh injustices that inflicted upon women and some minority groups because of differences. She recognizes that there are differences in gender communication, thinking patterns, and feelings, but does not use the differences to explore possibilities as to why men and women are different and what advantages can be gained from the differences in terms of home and family life. It also believe that the theories shared could be applied to explanations for the differences in men and women and the benefits of the distinct differences rather than accommodations that can be made to create equality.