OBSERVATION

by Virginia

In TVia #42 Sheila reviewed and I commented on the book "The American Male". Recently I ran across a regular newspaper book review of it. It was SO succinct and to the point I thought I would reprint it here as a further urging to get it and read it.

MASCULINITY CODE IS OUTMODED SAYS AUTHOR OF 'AMERICAN MALE'

Myron Brenton's "The American Male" is said to pave the way for American men to liberate themselves from the masculinity trap that "has been undermining true manliness and restricting the inner core of men for too long."

Brenton says men in America are saddled with an outmoded code of masculinity that cripples their per- sonalities and restricts their enjoyment of life at every significant level of experience. This explos- ive theme is based on two years' research among men of all classes as well as extensive interviews with psychiatrists and other members of the psycho-socio- logical communities.

According to the American idea of maleness, a man is supposed to be a strong silent type who keeps his problems to himself and rules his women with an iron hand. He shuns any attitude or activity that lacks a distinctly masculine label. This means that he almost never experiences a deep human contact, because he has learned to suppress the requisite feelings of tenderness and warmth, These are "fem- inine" feelings, and the American male bears a cert- ain hostility toward anything feminine, including,

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