Customer Reviews

Size Matters: How Height Affects the Health, Happiness, and Success of Boys - and the Men They Become

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Does physical size ultimately matter? Well, it matters to Stephen S. Hall, author of this book, a "former shrimp" and from his research, we can conclude that it matters to others as well, particularly men. With quotes ranging from Cicero to "Revenge of the Nerds", Hall takes a fresh look at how height affects the mental health of boys and men. Using research and interviews from assorted medical experts, Hall explores such topics as how size affects aggression and bullying, how environment cues shape growth and maturity, the controversy surrounding hormone therapy for youths; and the impact an adult's size has on his professional and personal life. The author also draws on his boyhood memories of growing up shorter than average, and he even contacts several of his former classmates (bullies, victims and those who had been both) to see how they turned out. He also provides a parent's perspective on the subject of size, as a father of two children, a son and daughter. While sometimes a bit haphazard in its approach, "Size Matters" is a thoughtful and compassionate look at a topic that touches all of us at some point, regardless of gender.

Just tell the story. What is wrong with using superscript notation that correlates to a bibliographical citation? The incessant namedropping of research studies, the names of the anthropologists, sociologists, etc. who conducted the studies described in the book and what university or foundation the research workers are associated with is disruptive to telling the story and bogs down the reader with too much information. Sure, give credit where credit is due but it's not necessary to do so repeatedly over and over and over and over again. If a reader wants to know the who's who of the information the book offers, he or she can look that up themselves in the bibliography. That's what it's for. Instead, the author shoves namedropping down the reader's throat so much, the reader can easily lose sight of the main point trying to be made. The book reads as if the author is more concerned with making an impression on the researchers' whose work he studied than getting his point across as to why size matters.

This book was a gift. I heard the author discuss it on THE LEONARD LOPATE SHOW on WNYC and ordered it for a friend who might find useful information in it.