Customer Reviews

It's a Jungle Out There, Jane: Understanding the Male Animal in Your Life

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This book takes the confusion out of drastic differences in behavior between males and females. She explains the differences simply and very logically as a result of genes and social pressures....and she doesn't do it with cutesy gimmicks like different planets. This book can simplify the problems in a relationship by removing the blame-placing and substituting negotiation to solve differences. Such a great book!!!!!!

concerning the Massachusets woman and Key Largo man, below: try not to take yourselves so seriously. Dr. Browne's book is a humorous and insightful look into why many men act so "male", and draws on experience and evidence from many scientific disciplines.

There is a big difference between being a man and merely being "male", and this is what Dr. Browne is illustrating. She is not condemning men, nor is she endorsing the female perspective over the male. It would benefit all to examine their own behaviors and rationally determine which are productive and which are reactionary.

Just like anything else, truth is usually found between the two extremes, and men and women will coexist much more peacefully when both try to understand themselves as well as each other. Just because the bible says that women should "sit down and shut up" only means that a man wrote it. As a man who strives to not be pigeonholed, I welcome the refreshing veiw of an intelligent woman like Dr. Browne to show us all another perspective.

I've read 'em all...Mars, Venus,Women Who Love Too Much, Men Who Can't Commit, but this book addresses real life, real men and women and why they REALLY behave they way they do. It's not only interesting, it's incredibly funny. I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud while I recognized myself, my husband, my brothers, my dad, my boss. The best part of this book, however, is that it's not judgemental. Dr. Browne doesn't point the finger, she just shines the flashlight and lets you see for yourself why nature has created men to be so, so....MALE!

"Understanding men at work means understanding dominance, aggression, and status. For most men, working is not just about making a living, it's about gaining and maintaining status." ~ pg. 3

If you really look at the world and see how human beings treat each other you might consider being compared to animals to be a compliment. Dr. Joy Browne compares men to various animals (penguins, bears, elks, lions, wolves) in a way that is complimentary not derogatory and she does so with a sense of humor that makes this book fun to read.

While she believes in evolution she doesn't talk about it obsessively. What she does focus on is how women can gain a much deeper understanding of male behavior that is also seen in the wild. She encourages women to work and men to help in raising the kids. She believes in an equal partnership but gives helpful advice like hiring a nanny or housekeeper to do the work you don't have time for. She encourages single moms to at least have a few men in her life that can be role models for her children.

Dr. Joy Browne's advice on how to raise nonviolent boys makes sense. For the most part this book is an intelligent discussion of how men are hardwired and how to live with reality. Since most women are threatened by men viewing pornography I thought her advice about using it to your advantage was unrealistic. I also thought it was strange that she was encouraging women to go to a strip show. Besides those two issues I thought the book was filled with good practical advice.

"Modern males in modern civilized society deal with their aggressive impulses in three major ways: silence, violence, and revenge." ~ pg. 114

For the most part I think this book was written for women although Dr. Joy Browne speaks both to "Tarzan" and "Jane." I'd recommend this book to women who are frustrated with their man's behavior and who want to have more peace and love in their life.

Tonight I saw and heard a couple having a major fight on their balcony near where I live and I thought this book would really help the woman who seemed completely out of control. She was provoking her man so much that he hit her right while we were walking by. He wasn't talking or yelling just being violent. She obviously didn't realize that her words and threats were causing his reaction. That is a really dangerous place to be. Unfortunately a lot of women are abused because they don't realize how they are inspiring violence on such a primal level. Obviously you should get out of a relationship if you are physically threatened but this book could stop it from happening in the first place.

~The Rebecca Review

I picked up this book at a bookstore during my lunch hour and started reading it - it's terrific! Interesting, informative, relevant for all women. I read a couple of chapters and decided I wanted to buy it for my library - but, before doing so, checked with Amazon.com to see if I could get a better price. (Amazon.com was nearly $7 cheaper!) If you are a woman, order this book - you'll love it. If you are a man, order it for your love to read - and read it yourself, too. Joy will provide you with many insights on why you act the way you do.

I have to agree with the reviewer from Key Largo. How long must we be subject to books that claim to be scientific and accurate only to be handed a bigot's view point? If the book equated women, Afro-americans or jews to animals it would be recognized as sexist, racist or anti-semantic. Males are the last group to be denied the common decency called respect.

Once again the "jungle" is populated by soft, gentle, sensitive beings (human females); "Winning can be fun or confusing or even important for women ... Losing doesn't feel life-threatening to a woman, just disappointing." The "jungle" is also crawling with packs of wild animals such as gorillas, bears, and baboons (human males); "A day in the life of a male baboon is one long struggle for status. A day in the life of a human male is one long struggle for status ... guys are constantly looking for ways to brandish their fangs." This book has been described as "an evolutionary interpretation of male behavior most likely to be appreciated by Janes (and Tarzans) with a sense of humor." A sense of humor?? Another book that demeans, degrades, and devalues our men? That's humorous? I don't think so. My father is not an animal, and neither is my husband or our son. This book isn't humorous ... this book is sick! Here's a radical thought; how about a book that praises men ... OOP's, bad idea; we might lose everything we've "gained" as feminists if we treat our men with respect. Remember, all you male animals out there reading this book, IF SHE DOESN'T RESPECT YOU, SHE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!! Oh, by the way. I find losing a bit more than "just disappointing."