Why Women Live Longer Than Men : And What Men Can Do about It [Hardcover]

Royda Crose (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 18, 1997

Learn to have not only a longer life but a better life.

In this provocative book, Dr. Royda Crose?an expert in the field of gerontology?answers the mystifying question: Are women biologically predisposed to live longer? Revealed here is how a woman's capacity for flexibility, connection, and resilience allows her to sustain and survive life's inevitable disappointments and crises. Also explained is how boys and men can develop these attitudes and behaviors which may add years to their lives.

This book guides you through a holistic model for wellness that embraces seven life dimensions (physical, emotional, intellectual, social, occupational, spiritual, and environmental), and shows how adaptability, change, and creativity are necessary ingredients to enjoy a successful and productive old age.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Crose, who teaches counseling psychology at Ball State University, coordinates its Center for Gerontology, and serves as associate director of the Fisher Institute for Wellness, explores biological, psychological, and social sources of the increasing tendency for American women to outlive their male age-mates. Using the multidimensional systems model, a holistic approach to wellness that transcends conventional nature/nurture debates, Crose examines gender differences in the ways men and women deal with various life dimensions--physical, emotional, intellectual, social, occupational, and spiritual--concluding that the key characteristics of people who live long and well are flexibility, resilience, connectedness, and engagement with life. Although Crose's prescriptions for significant changes in the ways most men approach life's vicissitudes will not surprise most readers, her pseudonymous case studies and thoughtful analysis of the need to rescue men, as well as women, from the destructive gender attitudes and behaviors of earlier eras make her case effectively. Mary Carroll

Review

?Dr. Royda Crose tackles one of biology's greatest and most important mysteries. Everyone wants to live longer and this book has answers that won't sAnd you to health food stores to buy some magic potion. Dr. Crose shows us what we can learn from women about this crucial subject.? —Dean S. Edell, M.D., medical journalist

?Royda Crose has succeeded remarkably well in writing a book that had to be written. Although her narrowest message is about survival, her more important message is about physical, social, psychological, and spiritual.? —Gary R. Brooks, Ph.D., president, Division 51 (Men and Masculinity) of the American Psychological Association and author of The Centerfold Syndrome

"At last! One of the most needed books of our time. . .a beautifully written, clear analysis of the relationship between gAnder and aging." —Dr. Carole Campana, professor of psychology, School of Social Science and Human Service, Ramapo College of New Jersey

"This very readable book will be useful to those who teach adult development and aging, those who work with older adults and their families, and those who hope to live longer, especially men! —Michael A. Smyer, Ph.D. past president, Adult Development and Aging Division of the American Psychological Association and past president, Section on Clinical Geropsychology of the American Psychological Association

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 174 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (April 18, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 078790340X
• ISBN-13: 978-0787903404
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,145 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Her point rings wrong to me, as a male., August 25, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Women Live Longer Than Men : And What Men Can Do about It (Hardcover)

Crose's point was that women live longer because of women's "capacity for flexibility, connection and resilience". For men to gain the extra "seven years" they should try to emulate women, and women's emotions. Garbage. It is only in the last generation that women have gained in life expectancy over men. Throughout history, the life expectancy of males and females has been close in age. Neither females nor males have changed. So, just by examining the differences between men and women in the current generation can not explain this late difference in life expectancy. As a Ph.D., Crose should have the education to understand such statistics. Judging from her book, she does not. Men have behaviors which skew the statistics, such as dying in war, suicide, addiction, auto and other accidents and so on. If she would bother to adjust the statistics for these behaviors, she will find that males and females have similar life expectancies. Men who would read her book, are the types who would not display the above negative behaviours, and thus, not have much to profit from her book, in terms of life expectancy gain. Crose does a fine job of reviewing some differences between men and women, and how some men have problems and difficulties with coping as age advances. (John Grey does a better job.) But the thesis that these men should act more like women is wrong. When I was a boy, about to attend my first junior high dance, I was nervous. Even though I attended class with these girls and boys all day, I was unsure how to act this a social setting. I asked my Dad for advice. He said, "just be yourself". This was the best advice that I ever heard. I have carried it through life, and of course, it worked at the dance, because I had a good time and danced with all of the girls. To "be yourself" is to let one's own soul shine through to the other person. The "real you" shines. For men, attempting to adopt some foreign, womanly characteristics is just as destructive, as is adopting the destructive behaviors mentioned above. Agreed, that for men, it is destructive (or not constructive) to play a "manly, macho" role, if that is not the real self. And contrary to what Crose says, adopting feminine traits will not lengthen anyone's life, if those traits are not innate. "Be true to yourself" and "Be yourself" is the best advice. As for longevity, see Dr. Roy Walford's "The anti-aging diet".

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes me feel better, September 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Why Women Live Longer Than Men : And What Men Can Do about It (Hardcover)

I liked this book because it gave me a sense of what things I could do to make my later years better. The author categorizes the qualities that make life good in an easy-to-read style. They're such things as connectedness and spirituality. With the case studies, she shows the reader how these qualities make a difference. It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman, we need to be reminded of what really counts. The only thing I don't like about the book is the title. It doesn't do the book justice. It should have been called something like "Aging Well." Men who need the advice probably won't read it anyway. Those who do will gain from its insights.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Store-Bought Feminism, June 13, 2006

By 

Chris Peterson (Owego, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Why Women Live Longer Than Men : And What Men Can Do about It (Hardcover)

In forty years of extensive reading, I have never read anything worth reading by an author who puts "Ph.D." after his or her name, on the title page.This book is no exception. It is shallow and virtually thoughtless. The insularity of the author is almost beyond belief. A pure product of a group mentality (to which the author has contributed nothing, and taken everything), this book is entirely off-the-shelf----that is, ready-made, Wal-Mart feminism.
I have lived long enough to see some wild and abandoned music from my youth turned into elevator music. Soon, very soon, this music will be piped into nursing homes, to render the elderly more docile and placid. With the publication of this book, American feminism has reached its dotage.
Won't someone please mop up this drool?