ebooks The End of Men: And the Rise of Women by Hanna Rosin in History

Review

297 of 311 people found the following review helpful. A Believable Premise; an Overhyped BookBy Nancy FinnThe End of Men boils down to a handful of really significant statistics. Young women hold a 3 to 2 advantage in bachelor's degrees; are outearning men in their twenties; and are beginning to crowd men out of nearly all the major professions. Exactly what this might portend is appropriate to an Atlantic magazine article; which served as the basis for this book; but does not suffice in Rosin's hands to make a thoroughly engaging book. Instead; she creates a dichotomous narrative structure emphasizing Plastic Woman; who is flexible and adaptable to the new economy; and Cardboard Man who manifestly is neither. The examples and interview subjects that she selects never stray outside this arc. The men are universally either sniveling Greenberg-like characters; when not represented as merely stupid and lazy; while the women are described in the most gushing diction as literally; "Katniss-like." The book is riven with pop culture and literary references apparently meant to support the thesis; but Rosin makes only the most half-hearted attempt to get behind what accounts for this role reversal. She simply appears to believe women are by nature innately suited to the service economy; while troglodytic men are not. Furthermore; despite taking a few jabs at class inequality; she positively swoons over the rich and powerful. Her portrayal of most working class people; male and female; smacks of smug condescencion. Her forecasting models for what this dangerous economic imbalance might entail do not seem in any way systematic. Rather; they are derived from anecdotes; which of course she selects. She claims to be apoltical; merely a faithful chronicler of the "the world as it is;" producing a work to transcend the gender wars; a conceit into which many reviewers seem have invested. In its language choice; illustrative examples; and chosen quotations; however; it is a work of considerable misandry. The End of Men looks forward not just to an age in which male supremacy will end; it glories in their approaching humiliation as incompetent; unbending males founder in the new economy while infinitely adaptable women flourish. She never sees fit to examine why boys might be failing; except when; in a remarkably distasteful vignette; she holds up her own son's shortcomings relative to her daughter; she never tires; however; of explaining how women's supposed inherent qualities are bolstering their success. She may well have accurately identified an important social trend; but rather than produce thoughtful social analysis; she has contented herself with a venomous jibe.7 of 9 people found the following review helpful. A StretchBy CustomerRosin presents a metaphor early in the book: "Throughout my reporting; a certain imaginary comic book duo kept presenting themselves to me: Plastic Woman and Cardboard Man. Plastic Woman has during the last century performed superhuman feats of flexibility ... Cardboard Man; meanwhile; hardly changes at all. A century can go by and his lifestyle and ambitions remain largely the same."Rosin then uses her own feats of authoring flexibility and twists herself into contortions worthy of Elastagirl trying to prove her metaphor. She still comes up short in my opinion.It's not a terrible book though; and while she's yet another arrogant and condescending feminist; at least she's not mean and nasty. If you want to read a book on this particular topic (the failings of men); it may not be a bad choice.2 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Very EducationalBy D. WiseI found the book informative about the cultural changes that are occuring as women are leaving men educationally and monetarily behind. I can't decide if it is good or bad but at lease I have a better understanding of the forces behind the changes. The South Korean chapter didn't really fit but was interesting.