Men: Evolutionary and Life History

By Richard G. Bribiescas

Book Overview

Males account for roughly 50 percent of the global population, but in America and other places, they account for over 85 percent of violent crime. A graph of relative risk of death in human males shows that mortality is high immediately following birth, falls during childhood, then exhibits a distinct rise between the ages of 15 and 35--primarily the result of accidents, violence, and risky behaviors. Why? What compels males to drive fast, act violently, and behave stupidly? Why are men's lives so different from those of women?

Men presents a new approach to understanding the human male by drawing upon life history and evolutionary theory. Because life history theory focuses on the timing of, and energetic investment in, particular aspects of physiology, such as growth and reproduction, Richard Bribiescas and his fellow anthropologists are now using it in the study of humans. This has led to an increased understanding of human female physiology--especially growth and reproduction--from an evolutionary and life history perspective. However, little attention has been directed toward these characteristics in males. Men provides a new understanding of human male physiology and applies it to contemporary health issues such as prostate cancer, testosterone replacement therapy, and the development of a male contraceptive.

Men proves that understanding human physiology requires global research in traditionally overlooked areas and that evolutionary and life history theory have much to offer toward this endeavor.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674030346
• ISBN13: 9780674030343
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.4" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Lettered Masculinity

"Why are human males the way that they are?" is the general question that //Men: Evolutionary and Life History// by Richard Bribiescas discusses and provides insight upon. From our genetic history and how that affects our behavior to ingrained social and psychological triggers, Bribiescas's work tackles the question from multiple angles and with both fresh and time-tested ideas. Naturally written in an erudite fashion, it is not the easiest read, and thus demands your complete attention. That is not to say that it is boring, however, because it is quite engaging, you simply have to be in the right mood and state of mind (one of education). Definitely not the book to read in a drowsy state, it is a voluminous serious and scientific work dealing with the psychology, sociology, and genealogy of men, and how all of those fields affect the everyday and long-term behaviors of the sex. Reviewed by Jordan Dacayanan

Think you understand men?

You might think you do, but until you read this book you're probably missing more than you realize. Bribiescas deftly and delightfully brings the powerful lens of evolutionary theory to bear on his half of the human race, producing a cradle-to-the-grave analysis of what it means to be "a man." The fact that reproductive strategies and sexual selection have had a powerful hand in shaping our species will not be a surprise to anyone who has been interested in the lively literature on evolution and human nature that has been coming from the pens of a host of capable authors in the past couple of decades. But few if any of these previous writers have been able to blend the logic of evolutionary theory with the staggering wealth of physiological and ecological detail that Bribiescas commands. Nearly every page elicits a drawn out, "Oooh! So that's why!" and an eager turn to follow the trail further. The reader is hardly aware, though, of how much heavy-duty biology is being ingested because the writing style is so easy and peppered with wit and charm. I would recommend this book to the serious scientist and the clinician as heartily as to the popular science enthusiast. Indeed, I have already assigned it as required reading for my undergraduate course at Harvard where I expect it to be enthusiastically received. Kudos to Bribiescas! Give yourself a treat and read this book!

Engaging, thoughtful, and full of fascinating science

Richard Bribiescas's "Men: Evolutionary and Life History" combines thought-provoking science with anecdotes and examples in biology to explain how natural selection has shaped male physiology and behavior. His writing is clear and easily understandable to the layman/general public, yet never dumbed-down, and he effectively illustrates abstract ideas with examples from a variety of human populations (the !Kung, Ache, and Huli, to name a few) and other animal species (everything from scorpion flies to alligators to baboons). This book is appropriate for a wide audience-the layperson interested in learning about what makes males behave the way they do, the student learning both fundamental and cutting-edge principles in reproductive ecology, and the specialist involved in teaching these ideas in a university environment. In addition, because many of the ideas in Bribiescas' book are related to male biology, anyone interested in understanding the ways in which testosterone and our modern environment are related to cancer, reproductive function, and aging will find "Men: Evolutionary and Life History" to be both fascinating and relevant.