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An occasional feature, "Law Library Staff Recommend..." highlights books that Law Library staff members have read for enjoyment and now recommend that others consider for inclusion on their own reading lists. If you have any comments or questions about any of the titles presented in this feature, feel free to email lawlib@umn.edu or stop by the library.
Today we highlight Susan Pinker's The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women, and the Real Gender Gap (Scribner: London; New York: 2008)
This book takes a hard look at gender differences between men and women, using the most recent research in biological, medical, and social sciences. The author (sister of Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker) notes that she had to revise the book to account for new findings during the two years she spent writing it.
Pinker tackles the uncomfortable subject of occupational preferences and choices among men and women. As a jumping-off point, she looks at two classes-- high-achieving women and troubled boys. While Pinker frequently reminds the reader that individual humans may not fit her generalizations, she marshals convincing cross-cultural and biological evidence that male and female brains are wired differently. Women who have the qualifications and skills to accomplish great things in science, engineering, business, and law may find that they derive little satisfaction from those accomplishments. Meanwhile, boys whose early troubles stem from risk-taking, impulsiveness, inattention, and dyslexia may overcome those problems and earn success.
This fascinating book is well-written, well-documented, and compelling. Pinker’s goal is for readers to understand the evolutionary biology that underlies gender differences—not because it determines what men and women must do, but because it can help us make personal and societal choices to help every person find a satisfying life.
For more information, visit the author's website at: http://www.susanpinker.com/book.html
