Real Boys: Rescuing Our Sons from the Myths of Boyhood – William Pollack

Condition: Good.

Henry Holt, 1999, Medium-Format paperback – Masculinity – 447pp.

Why are so many boys sad, lonely and confused although they appear tough, cheerful and confident? Based on the results of more than two decades of groundbreaking research at Harvard Medical School, Dr Pollack argues that boys are not little men, and that parents and teachers should stop raising them through a toughening process that drives their true emotions underground. Only when we understand what boys are really experiencing, says Pollack, can we help them develop more self-confidence and the emotional savvy they need to deal with issues such as depression and violence, drugs and alcohol, sexuality and love.