Real Boys' Voices - Softcover
What real boys have to say:
"A lot of people use words like 'psycho' or 'wacko' to refer to people who are feeling glum or think they might want to take their own life. I think these sorts of slang terms create further isolation in a teen, and that's not what you want to do to a teen who already feels alone" —Alexander, 18, from a small town in the South
"A guy is supposed to be strong, tall, and fast and have the qualities of an ideal athlete. At the same time he's supposed to be smart. He's expected to be nearly perfect." —Chandler, 14, from a suburb in the Northwest
"What I hate about this school is that I am being picked on in the halls and just about everywhere else." —Cody, 14, from a suburb in New England
In Real Boys, Dr. William Pollack explored the issues that most boys in our nation face today. In this fascinating follow-up bestseller, Pollack goes right to the source: boys ages 10 to 20-evoking the secret struggles and passions of America's adolescent males in their own words. Their voices are searingly honest and eager to be heard, revealing how society's outdated expectations force them to mask their feelings of isolation, depression, longing, love, and hope. We hear from boys and young men in big cities and small towns-including survivors of the Columbine High School massacre-who share compelling, extrordinarily candid stories about bullying, drugs, sports, school, parents, sex, love, and much more. Pollack also offers ways to start a dialog and illustrates through templates what to do in many situations. This is an eye-opening book for teenage boys and girls, but-with its insights and strategies for dealing with their issues-especially invaluable for all the people in their lives.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
Praise for the New York Times bestseller Real Boys
" Just as Reviving Ophelia opened our eyes to the challenges faced by adolescent girls, Real Boys helps us hear and respond to the needs of growing boys. Illuminating, exciting, and courageous, this book should be read by everyone concerned about boys. It is a beacon of hope and a gift to all of us."
--Judith V. Jordan, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
" I wish I had read Real Boys when my son was a boy."
In his groundbreaking bestseller, Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood, Dr. William Pollack delved into the issues that today's boys face, from violence to the limiting notion that boys don't cry. In his follow-up book, Real Boys' Voices, Pollack, a clinical psychologist and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, lets readers get close to his source--the boys themselves, ages 10 to 20, from all around the country. The voices he presents are searingly authentic and eager to be heard. Pollack's basic premise is simple: Despite what society might tell us, boys want to talk. Furthermore, they have a lot to say on a wide variety of topics, including gender issues, friendship, sex, fear of violence, and relationships with their mothers and fathers.
From the Back Cover:
The first and longest section of the book, "The Secret Emotional Lives of Boys," is the most powerful. Boys talk about homophobia--their secret terror that they might be called gay--and of the double life many say they lead: strong and brave on the outside, yet full of worries and angst on the inside. With violence all around them, many boys fear becoming violent themselves. They also describe the intense pressure they feel to lose their virginity and the conflicting feelings they have about sex. "Your virginity is what determines whether you're a man or a boy in the eyes of every teenage male," muses one thoughtful boy, who adds, "It is almost inconceivable to think that your virginity, your one and only innocence, could be your worst enemy." Throughout his book, Pollack offers helpful and concrete suggestions for parents to help their boys lead better lives, including tips on how to deal with bullying behavior and how to recognize signs of depression. While this advice is useful, the true power of this book lies in those very real voices. This is a must-read for parents and for anyone who wants insight into the minds of today's boys. --Virginia Smyth
Praise for the New York Times bestseller Real Boys
" Just as Reviving Ophelia opened our eyes to the challenges faced by adolescent girls, Real Boys helps us hear and respond to the needs of growing boys. Illuminating, exciting, and courageous, this book should be read by everyone concerned about boys. It is a beacon of hope and a gift to all of us."
--Judith V. Jordan, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
" I wish I had read Real Boys when my son was a boy."
--Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia
"Anyone who lives or works with boys should read Real Boys."
--Gail Sheehy
" A thoughtful and sensitive discussion of contemporary American boyhood."
--Dr. Robert Coles
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherDiane Pub Co
- Publication date2000
- ISBN 10 0756759064
- ISBN 13 9780756759063
- BindingPaperback
- Edition number1
- Number of pages392
(No Available Copies)
Search Books: Create a WantIf you know the book but cannot find it on AbeBooks, we can automatically search for it on your behalf as new inventory is added. If it is added to AbeBooks by one of our member booksellers, we will notify you!
Create a Want