Rating: 
Summary: Sex, Time and Power
Review: As a white, middle aged, working class male, I found Dr. Shlain's book "Sex, Time and Power" deeply moving, inciteful and inspiring. His profound analysis backed up by thorough research, well referenced and footnoted to other scientists, scholars and authorities of our time gives one pause to contemplate some of the most powerful and important issues of our age. Dr. Shlain tells us how women have made essential contributions to the evolution of our sapien species and how they have been denied the acknowledgement of these accomplishments and their basic human rights. I have bought 4 copies of this book to pass around to my friends and donate to libraries. Great read, I couldn't put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting to Read but Difficult to Love
Review: Dr. Shlain has undoubtedly done us all a favor in giving this matter so much thought. And he has much to bring to the topic. This is an in depth examination, looking at both fact and theory, into the physical and behavioral differences in the genders of humans, and how those differences in turn differ from those of animals.
He reaches some fascinating conclusions. His treatise alone on the relationship between women and the nutritional mineral iron should give us all, as women, reason to pause and look closely at our chronic disadvantage in this matter. In a modern era when women of childbearing age seem at times to have little in common but our exhaustian, we should pay close attention to such clues as to why it can be literally more difficult for us than for men to do something as basic as bring oxygen to our brain. And furthermore, from menarche to menopause, we are united in this challenge.
I'm afraid though, that Dr. Shlain position on science and spirituallity is so tenuous and unpredictable that he will in turn alienate every member of his audience. He actually seems to grow less scientific as the book progresses. Early on he is emphatically thinking in terms of pure, Darwinian natural selction, in which all traits both physical and behavioral are presumed to have evolved based solely on the ability of the possessors to survive and reproduce.
But as the book progresses, he begins to introduce, with little explanation, an alternative source of evolutionary influence that he personifies repeatedly as a sentient force of nature. This "Mother Nature" is concluded to be a deal-maker who trades with humans who must relinquish an advantage to gain a weakness (and with no explanation of how this deal could come about through natural selection). Later on she is a schemer, cleverly and deliberately aligning women's menses with the lunar calendar -- apparently through sheer magic -- for the sole purpose of teaching humans about time. With these implications, Dr. Shlain essentially introduces a nature deity into what he previously was calculating as coldly mathematical evolutionary equation. This Nature Godess seems to come and go from the treatise as is convenient for Dr. Shlain's conclusions.
At no time however does he allow for the presence of a third force -- that of human spirituality. All human behavior is presumed to be hormonal and anatomical in nature, based enitrely on ancestral patterns. While Dr. Shlain calls a great many anthropological conclusions into question, he appears to accept all psychological theory unquestioning.
Add to this a highly imperfect and unpredictable sense of logic and the book becomes difficult to take as seriously as I would like. A clever extrapolation on the survival value of color blindness and left-handedness is stunted by an attempt to extend the theory to homosexuality with a logic so faulty it can not stand when the existence of asexuality and bisexuality are also considered. And a futher attempt to extend his logic to male-pattern baldness is entirely comical.
People who are either deeply spiritual or cooly scientific may have trouble with this book. So may bisexuals or vegetarians. So may anyone who appreciates consistency of logic.
If you can tolerate these foibles and if you are interested in the physioligcal differences between men and women, the book is at least worth skimming -- or perhaps read the first half, which is much more solid. Enjoy the beautiful art work and its clever juxtipositioning, particularly several works by Munch, an artist who, had he been contemporary, no doubt could have easily illustrated the full text. Enjoy the doctors theories, some of which are quite clever and may be qutie valid.
Finally, for the more devoted residents of what everyone in Oregon knows is properly called "The Gorge" you may wish to brace yourselves for the epilogue in which Dr. Shlain describes his ephinany while driving on Highway 84 through "The Columbia River Canyon". He said it, not I.
Rating:
Summary: Best book on why the sexes behave the way they do
Review: Dr. Shlain has written one of the most thought-provoking and riveting books I have ever read. While most books on male/female bahavior merely catalogue our characteristics, Dr. Shlain postulates convincing theories on the species survival motivations for our behavior--largely driven by the female's sexuality and the pressures of birth and rearing children. His theories on our development of perception of time and mortality, and our consequent inventions of art and ritual make me wonder why women aren't the center of our world in every way--or, maybe they are! This wonderful book answers many of my long-standing questions about (in my case as a male) why women are the way they are. For a truly profound examination of the bahavior of the sexes, you can do no better than to read this book, discuss it with your friends and significant others, and wonder about its implications for understanding your own humanity. It has been a life-changing book for me.
Rating: 
Summary: Innovative ideas
Review: I heard Dr. Shlain on NPR discussing this book. Over the next month, I kept wondering about his theories and eventually bought the book. I wasn't disappointed.
The heavy hitting ideas come early and then, like some have noted, it fizzles into random speculation. For example, Chapter 17's Theory of Eights was interesting but not as powerful as the earlier theories. It was frustrating because I felt he could have expanded his later material into more interesting chapters if he had talked with more anthropologists. For example, Chapter 20 briefly mentions Neanderthals "large, big-boned homid cousins" ... "vanished. No one knows with certainty why." and then plunges into a "this child looks like me" theory. Given his theories from Chapter 2, I expected some mention of the Neaderthal's brain size -- equal or greater tban the modern average human. I would have been more interested in his thoughts about the differences between moderns and Neaderthals and speculations about their extinction/interbreeding than I was in the thoughts of his fictitious Cro-Magnon man. Also troubling was the lack of discussion of Polygamy when he mentioned age differences in Chapter 7. In polygamous cultures in Africa many first marriages have exactly that same age difference, with young men's first marriages being to older widowed woman. That would be a good reason for the age difference of libidos to exist, yet he seems unaware of it and shows a monogamy bias throughout. Regardless, his main theories seem rooted in cultural materialism logic, the book's real strength. (What were the material needs that evolving women had and still have?) Also, there are many interesting facts from his medical training and ample research to support all facts presented. His weaknesses, however, were lack of anthropological training, bias towards his own lifestyle and cultural norms, and a willingness to explain EVERYTHING in one book. Overall more of a fun book than a serious evolution text but worth buying because he offers a different perspective to the evolution puzzle.
Rating:
Summary: Innovative ideas
Review: I heard Dr. Shlain on NPR discussing this book. Over the next month, I kept wondering about his theories and eventually bought the book. I wasn't disappointed.
The heavy hitting ideas come early and then, like some have noted, it fizzles into random speculation. For example, Chapter 17's Theory of Eights was interesting but not as powerful as the earlier theories. It was frustrating because I felt he could have expanded his later material into more interesting chapters if he had talked with more anthropologists. For example, Chapter 20 briefly mentions Neanderthals "large, big-boned homid cousins" ... "vanished. No one knows with certainty why." and then plunges into a "this child looks like me" theory. Given his theories from Chapter 2, I expected some mention of the Neaderthal's brain size -- equal or greater tban the modern average human. I would have been more interested in his thoughts about the differences between moderns and Neaderthals and speculations about their extinction/interbreeding than I was in the thoughts of his fictitious Cro-Magnon man. Also troubling was the lack of discussion of Polygamy when he mentioned age differences in Chapter 7. In polygamous cultures in Africa many first marriages have exactly that same age difference, with young men's first marriages being to older widowed woman. That would be a good reason for the age difference of libidos to exist, yet he seems unaware of it and shows a monogamy bias throughout. Regardless, his main theories seem rooted in cultural materialism logic, the book's real strength. (What were the material needs that evolving women had and still have?) Also, there are many interesting facts from his medical training and ample research to support all facts presented. His weaknesses, however, were lack of anthropological training, bias towards his own lifestyle and cultural norms, and a willingness to explain EVERYTHING in one book. Overall more of a fun book than a serious evolution text but worth buying because he offers a different perspective to the evolution puzzle.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting and Thought Provoking
Review: I just finished this book and I was quite impressed. Sure, some of Mr. Shlain's theories are pure speculation, but since none of us were actually there, that's all we can really go on. Either way, it still makes you think and provides for something to talk about amongst friends, family, and collegues.
One theory that I found particularly interesting was the difference between the timing of male and female orgasms. One part is women developed an orgasm for the simple reason of incentive. Think about it...if there was no incentive for women to have sex outside of bearing children there would be a lot less people in this world. The other reason is something you'll need to read the book for. ;-)
Also, the conversation between Adam and the other men as well as Eve and the other women was the only thing that I didn't like as much as the rest of the book, but that was purely the writing style of that section, which I know Mr. Shlain took poetic license with. Aside from that I believe there were a lot of things that changed when men discovered that they were genetically linked to their children (some good, some not so good). No matter what connection a man has to his children it is only the female, barring a DNA test, who knows for a fact that she is the mother of that child. Only a woman can trace her lineage straight down the line (a woman comes from a woman comes from a woman, etc); a man doesn't have that luxury. This is not saying that men aren't important, but the roles of men and women are in a transition and hopefully everything will work out in the end for both sexes.
Other books: In The Red Queen even the author, in the Epilogue, acknowledges that half the ideas in the book are probably wrong, and the author of The Moral Animal relied heavily on Darwin for his ideas (which is not necessarily wrong, but I don't think Darwin is the be-all-end-all of scientific thought). Of course, if you already think that way and want to back up your ideas then those are books you want to pick up.
Rating:
Summary: I believe much of what he says is true. Makes sense.
Review: I took my time with this book. Pondered and reflected. Much of what he says seems to make so much sense. Our life in the modern world has so much to do with the progression of events happening 150,000 years ago. This book is a good one to help with male/female relationships. I found the book extremely interesting. The only portion I didn't enjoy as much was the Adam/Eve suggested portrayal. It went on a bit too long. But, because of this author, I seek to know more. Ordered The Red Queen and fully intend to find out all I can. To you Mr. Shlain I extend my thanks. You are a good teacher and I appreciated your book.
Rating: 
Summary: not the best book on evolution
Review: If you are looking for intriguing (but sometimes downright comical)
ideas about the evolution of human external characteristics and
internal traits -- this is a book for you. You will find answers to
the questions we all want to ask -- how has the male-female
relationship evolved, why females have hidden ovulation and
menstruate, how did male circumcision come about, etc. The best parts
of the book contain thoughtful descriptions of the homo sapiens'
anatomy and body functions. Unfortunately, the book is much more
successful in asking interesting questions than answering them. It
will take increasing perseverance to stick to the book as it unfolds,
since the author manages to frustrate both the rationalizing,
logic-and-consistency-loving-readers, and (I imagine) the more
soul/creator-searching, open-minded ones. Shlain is too busy writing
amusing theatrical scenes involving Pleistocene men, to have much time
to bother about details like -- what does natural selection act upon
-- the genes, the kin, the larger group, or the species (see
R. Dawkins and the plethora of socio-biological answers to his
"Selfish Gene" book). Shlain's Pleistocene man (usually called Adam)
is involved in strange conflict-with/adaptation-to something/someone
called "Mother Nature", which to the frustration of creationists, is
not an intelligent designer (aka God), and to the chagrin of the
proponents of evolution, is not a legitimate (logical, consistent,
supported by facts/theories) natural selector either.
In a comical chapter of the book, Pleistocene Adam, having learned
from African Eve about the flow of time and realizing his own
mortality (which makes him depressed) conceives the idea that his
children are his saviors, the carriers of his "essence" who will
render him immortal. Hence he decides to be more or less monogamous,
help his mate to take care of his sons and daughters, avoid sleeping
with his daughters, and in general happily continue to procreate. If
only evolution was so easily directed by homo sapiens' conscious
(self-aware) thoughts and emotions... And don't even ask about the
"evolutionary" explanation of male pattern baldness, which involves
confusing animals into believing you are not a human (the fiercest
hunter of all) when trying to spy on them (bald head-top emerging
first) behind a boulder while hunting.
My harshest criticism against this book is its lack of objectivity and
its unbridled imagination. Humans have evolved to find patterns in
nature even where there are none and infer causality from every
correlation (be it a true one or one caused by the mutual dependence
of two variables on a third and forth one) and this could easily lead
to wrong inferences.
If you are new to evolution and genes I would recommend Richard
Dawkins (especially "The Selfish Gene" and "The Blind Watchmaker"), or
Matt Ridley's "Genome" and "The Agile Gene" or anything from Stephen
Jay Gould.
Rating:
Summary: Ferrous Female
Review: Many books have been written regarding relationships between men and women. Some even suggest that we are of different species and it is part of a cosmic joke that we are attracted to and must rely upon one another. If this is the kind of book you are attracted to, you will be quite disappointed in this work by talented author Leonard Shlain. As in his previous two books "Art and Physics" and "The Alphabet Vs The Goddess" Shlain presents an observation that has troubled him. After a thorough search of the literature fails to satisfy his curiosity, some kind of internal dialectic occurs and a well reasoned "what if" process is presented. The stimulus for this story started when Shlain, as a young medical student, could not accept the casual dismissal of his question "Why is the normal hemoglobin for women less than for men?" All humans rely on oxygen dependent metabolic processes. Women require just as much oxygen carrying, iron based, hemoglobin as men. Why would nature create women to lose this essential product every month in her menses, while pregnant and also in childbirth? That question is the basis for a well reasoned work that presents possible answers that should stimulate much further discussion and interest. Shlain, also being an exceptional educator, presents pertinent human physiology, anatomy and psychology in an understandable and yet non-patronizing manner. While this book reads like an entertaining 'who done it' novel: the reward is not only a provocative explanation but a worth while educational process.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining
Review: The author is a genius. He is a medical doctor with excellent imagination and reasonining ability. I was almost stunned by his ability to intuitively and logically link disparate aspects of human society (grandmothers, early menopause, and circumcision for one). I think his conclusion SEEMS unscientific because the author relies heavily on footnotes at the end of the book to validate his claims. If you are curious as to why: 1)Marriages exist
2)Male\Female sexual peak differs considerably
3)Menstration is so evident and regular (29.5 days)
4)We became meat eating hunters
5)Boys are circumsized
6)Menopause occurs
7)Homosexuals exist
8)Human courtship is so complex then read this book. It provides valuable insights which will refreshen your perspective.
|
