Masculinity Reconstructed: Changing the Rules of Manhood-- At Work, in Relationships, and in Family Li [Mass Market Paperback]

Ronald F. Levant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1996

Basing his work on a study of 120 American men and drawing on years of experience in dealing with men's issues, Dr. Levant shows men how to change facets of traditional behavior patterns that limit their effectiveness as lovers, husbands, fathers, and friends, while enhancing those parts of the male code which are meaningful and empowering.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

While Harvard Medical School faculty member Levant (Between Father and Child) covers a lot of familiar territory in this examination of American manhood, which he considers to be in crisis, he adds significant new insights as well. The principal reason he cites for many men's failure to establish good relationships, especially with women, lies in their lack of emotional empathy: they tend to act rather than feel. And the socialization that has caused them to repress much emotion results in their expressing feelings in one of the few outlets available to them, anger. But "traditional man" has many valuable qualities that should not be disparaged, he notes in this study written with freelancer Kopecky. In his own clinical work, Levant has evolved a therapy for men who feel emotionally stunted and reports that he has had considerable success with those who wanted to effect a change. His clearheaded approach could prove helpful for men ready to reconstruct.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Like the spate of men's psychology books published last year, this book challenges emotionally disconnected male readers to get in touch with their feelings. Clinical psychologist Levant presents much paraphrased dialog with his clients-average guys who want to stop acting like jerks when they are with their wives or girlfriends. In hopes of reaching these people outside the masculinity cults, the author does not suggest running around in the woods and beating drums a la Robert Bly. But his advice is simply not all that different from that found in Marvin Allen's In the Company of Men (LJ 5/1/93), William Betcher's In a Time of Fallen Heroes (Atheneum, 1993), or Kathleen Gerson's No Man's Land (Basic Bks, 1993). Only libraries where those books are circulating well need consider this addition to their collections.
A. Arro Smith, San Marcos P.L., Tex.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Plume (February 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452275415
• ISBN-13: 978-0452275416
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,490,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A scholarly and yet highly readable guide to today's manhood, January 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Masculinity Reconstructed: Changing the Rules of Manhood-- At Work, in Relationships, and in Family Li (Mass Market Paperback)

This book contains accurate analyses, solidly based in research and professional experience, of the main emotional and interpersonal difficulties faced by male members of our species, in a world in which traditional roles and coping strategies are changing rapidly. It presents a fair, unbiased view, empathetic toward men and women alike. Written in a highly readable, lively style by a skilled psychotehrapist and his associate, it leads the reader to the way out of seeminly unsolvable emotional entanglements

Shlomo Ariel, Ph.D, Director, Integrative Psychotherapy Center, Ramat Gan , Israel

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book, April 29, 2010

By 

Cory Cummings - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Masculinity Reconstructed: 2 (Hardcover)

This book isn't full of psycho-babble, which I liked. I'm not a psychologist, just a guy who wants to understand himself a little better. The author presents summarized case study information, followed with personal experience from his own counseling practice that supports the study. The book also tries to tell us men what our hang ups are, without telling us how horrible we are - a welcome change. It was readable and understandable, and I felt like I learned a bit about myself.

The material is probably outdated, as the book is over 10 years old. But try finding a book on masculinity that is written for the layman that doesn't include religious overtones!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scolastic and readable deconstruction of moder men, August 16, 2009

By 

D. Murray "Entertainment Consieur" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Masculinity Reconstructed: Changing the Rules of Manhood-- At Work, in Relationships, and in Family Li (Mass Market Paperback)

I loved this book. Dr Levant is a professor at the University I attend so this held special interest for me. He really does the reader justice by tying in case studies to illustrate his points. This is a bit dated but still highly relevant within the male dominated society of the U.S. I hope his book will be the first of many that will challenge the traditional male roles.