Are Men Necessary?: When Sexes
Collide by Maureen Dowd
Brilliant Sleeper
She may be smart, incisive, witty, and keenly observant but with the
release of Are Men Necessary?--a series of pithy (some might say piqued)
ruminations on the sexes--Maureen Dowd will never, ever be championed
by guys. Not that she cares. Even those who seek to avoid her columns in
the august pages of The New York Times are certain to stumble over her
invective in syndication. Dowd, it often seems, is everywhere. So those
seeking even more via this book should be warned: Are Men Necessary?
not only asks the eponymous question; it seeks to answer it with myriad
examples (some convincing, some not) drawn from the Toronto Star to
Kenneth Starr, from Cosmopolitan to Condoleezza Rice. You can bet a lot
of folks arent going to relish the answer. With hands on hips and eyes
wide open, Dowd surveys gender relations in contemporary settings such
as the workplace, the White House, the mall, and the media, comparing
and contrasting as she goes. And while her secondary sources are
endless--and, lets face it, the subject of gender inequality is not exactly
new--Dowd manages to produce a fair share of bons mots. To wit, this
pearl on the subject of plastic surgery and men: I have yet to see a man
come out of cosmetic surgery without looking transformed into some
permanently astonished lesbian version of himself, Dowd quotes a source
as saying. Its terrifying. My friends father had just his eyes done by the
best, most highly sought-after cosmetic surgeon in New York City. And he
doesnt look refreshed or well rested. He looks like hes being stabbed to
death by invisible people. Dowds generously dispersed anecdotes, though
seldom as funny, are equally readable. In the end, though, one wishes Are
Men Necessary? went beyond simply grocery listing examples of sexual
disparity to offer concrete suggestions for change. Then again, maybe
thats too great a task even for a woman like Dowd. --Kim Hughes
Ms. Dowd shares some very thought provoking insights with just enough
humor to make them more palatable. I'm afraid the title may be a put-off
for most men but recommend the book to both men and women. She
takes aim at both genders' roles in the complex dances we attempt.
Maureen has a sharply focused perspective on the high and mighty as well
as common folk. Ponder and laugh.
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