Real Boys

After more than two decades of research at Harvard Medical School, clinical psychologist William Pollack concludes that our sons are in trouble. In this provocative study, as he examines the causes of this crisis, Dr. Pollack offers ways we can help boys grow up into healthy adults. Just as Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia (RB# 94714) offers hope for troubled adolescent girls, Real Boys is an invaluable work. An unwritten 'Boy Code' perpetuates the myths that boys are driven by testosterone and other uncontrollable forces and that boys are inherently dangerous. As a result of these beliefs, boys are taught to conceal their emotions from others, keep their distance in relationships, and be tough. Dr. Pollack's book offers healthier attitudes to replace this damaging Code. As Dr. Pollack discusses each of the myths of boyhood, he uses case studies to show how we can help boys understand and deal with such issues as anger, sexuality, peer pressure, and self-image.