A rebuttal of feminist charges against men discusses such issues as child sexual abuse, the sexual harassment of males, and husband battering and the presupposition of men's guilt. 35,000 first printing. $15,000 ad/promo.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Thomas tries to promote equality and set the record straight for the now much-maligned male. Many of his comments and topics may not be politically correct, but he uses facts, figures, and logic to make his points. Some of the topics Thomas considers are battered husbands, date rape, aggression, the female abuser, the nonassertive male, inequalities in death rates and divorce laws, and male stereotypes. He questions the duplicity in considering the discussion of the positive qualities of males and masculinity sexist when the discussion of the positive qualities of females and femininity is not. He concludes that neither sex has a monopoly on aggression, brains, harmful behavior, or any other attribute. Appropriate for libraries with men's movement collections, but only after having acquired Robert Bly's Iron John ( LJ 11/15/90), Michael Gurian's The Prince and the King ( LJ 7/92), Sam Keen's Fire in the Belly ( LJ 2/15/91), and Warren Farrell's The Myth of Male Power ( LJ 7/93).
- Scott Johnson, Meridian Community Coll. Lib., Miss.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Scott Johnson, Meridian Community Coll. Lib., Miss.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
If Warren Farrell's The Myth of Male Power (p. 763) was a broadside barrage against perceived political excesses of feminism, then Thomas's first book--urbane, witty (as befits the work of a former Punch editor), low-key--continues the battle on the diplomatic front. Where Farrell aimed to demonstrate that men, not women, are the less powerful sex, Thomas, who's British, wants to redress what he sees as society's ``double standard'' toward men--a double standard he exemplifies in numerous ways, e.g., by repeating the words of the female administrator of a counseling service for violent men who ironically told him that when ``I argue with my fianc‚, I've slapped him round the face...But I'm five foot five and he's six foot three''; or by declaring that ``when a woman wants an abortion, reproduction is entirely her own affair. When she wants child support, it suddenly becomes the man's responsibility.'' Thomas begins his gentle polemic on a biological note, pointing out neurological differences between the sexes but comparing the male and female brains to ``two different types of computers--an IBM and a MacIntosh, for example'' that perform the same functions but with different strengths and weaknesses (``nor can they read one another's software''). He touches upon the concerns of the mythopoetic men's movement by looking at the price men pay for their particular societal powers (a man ``lacks one vital freedom. He cannot be himself''), and, like Farrell, he rebuts--though more persuasively and with fewer statistics--what he sees as imbalanced treatment toward men regarding issues of sexual harassment, domestic violence, and parenting. Finally, Thomas calls on men to organize, lobby, and, above all, to ``stand up'' for themselves. Less sensational than the Farrell and unlikely to equal its readership; still, Thomas's reasonable voice adds weight and credibility to what looks to be a growing political awareness in the men's movement--with similar books probably not far behind. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Finally, somebody else has opened their eyes!,
By Mike (UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Not Guilty: The Case in Defense of Men (Hardcover)
I challenge anybody to read this book, which is entertaining, carefully argued and original, and believe the established orthodoxy in Western society (really feminist propaganda) that there exists a "patriachy". Hypocrisy in social,legal, economic and sexual matters is so deep-rooted in us and socialized at such an early stage that even recognizing that hypocrisy deserves an award. Ought to be essential reading in all college courses and for anybody interested in hearing someone finally tell it like it is and still retain his humour (take a lesson from this feminists!). But it won't for reasons Thomas knows only to well; nobody will have heard of it due to the feminist orthodoxy's unwarranted self-righteousness and old male fools outdated chivalrous beliefs (described expertly). Can't say it changed my life as I've never swallowed the established British/American orthodoxy but if most people read it with an open mind it would change their understanding of fundamental issues immensely and for the better.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must have for anyone truly interested in EQUAL rights.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Not Guilty: The Case in Defense of Men (Hardcover)
Unfortunately, I don't have time to write the in depth review that this book deserves, but I do want anyone who is contemplating the purchase of this book to BUY IT. This book is a must have for anyone truly interested in EQUAL rights. If you enjoy Warren Farrell, you will love David Thomas. If you see TRUE EQUALITY in the same light that I do, you will never put this book out of arm's reach...and you will read it again...and again...and again.Jeff
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful book!,
By Martian Bachelor (Feminacentric America) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Not Guilty: The Case in Defense of Men (Hardcover)
Being a long-time fan of Warren Farrell's (and other's) work in this area, I've known of this book for quite awhile. It took me several years to get around to scaring up a copy, but it was well worth it. This is one really great book! My only regret was that it was nearly a decade old by the time I got to it, not that things have changed that much. For me, it's one of the three best men's books of the 90's ("Myth of Male Power" and "A Man's World" being the other two).The Kirkus review above is pretty much right on the money with its description of the book. I'd add that there's a quite interesting chapter on images of masculinity in the media (John Wayne to Clint Eastwood to WWF), in which Thomas even works in some very interesting ideas on the real meaning cross-dressing. The book is that wide-ranging and philosophical at times -- the powerful insights snuck up on me all the way through the book. I really liked Thomas's writing style: very understated, and all the more convincing because of that. I might also add that even though Thomas is a Brit, the book is balanced fairly evenly between this side of the Atlantic and the other. So other American readers shouldn't fear irrelevancy. This is a gem of a book. Highly recommended for those interested in the topic.
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