Guyland - by Michael Kimmel (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

One of the most eminent scholars and writers on men and masculinity and the author of the critically acclaimed Manhood in America turns his attention to the culture of guys, aged 16 to 26: their attitudes, their relationships, their rules, and their rituals.

"Kimmel is our seasoned guide into a world that, unless we are guys, we barely know exists. As he walks with us through dark territories, he points out the significant and reflects on its meaning."--Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia

The passage from adolescence to adulthood was once clear. Today, growing up has become more complex and confusing, as young men drift casually through college and beyond--hanging out, partying, playing with tech toys, watching sports. But beneath the appearance of a simple extended boyhood, a more dangerous social world has developed, far away from the traditional signposts and cultural signals that once helped boys navigate their way to manhood--a territory Michael Kimmel has identified as "Guyland."

In mapping the troubling social world where men are now made, Kimmel offers a view into the minds and times of America's sons, brothers, and boyfriends, and he works toward redefining what it means to be a man today--and tomorrow. Only by understanding this world and this life stage can we enable young men to chart their own paths, stay true to themselves, and emerge safely from Guyland as responsible and fully formed male adults.

From the Back Cover

The passage from adolescence to adulthood was once clear. Today, growing up has become more complex and confusing, as young men drift casually through college and beyond--hanging out, partying, playing with tech toys, watching sports. But beneath the appearance of a simple extended boyhood, a more dangerous social world has developed, far away from the traditional signposts and cultural signals that once helped boys navigate their way to manhood--a territory Michael Kimmel has identified as "Guyland."

In mapping the troubling social world where men are now made, Kimmel offers a view into the minds and times of America's sons, brothers, and boyfriends, and he works toward redefining what it means to be a man today--and tomorrow. Only by understanding this world and this life stage can we enable young men to chart their own paths, stay true to themselves, and emerge safely from Guyland as responsible and fully formed male adults.

Review Quotes

"Just as Reviving Ophelia introduced readers to the culture of teenage girls, Guyland takes us to the land of young men." - Mary Pipher, Ph.D., author of Reviving Ophelia

"An absolute bombshell of a book. A disturbing, but mandatory wake-up call for all of us who are boys, love boys or raise boys." - Madeline Levine, Ph.D., author of The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids

Kimmel calls on us all to see the boy in the pseudo-man, to break the silence with which we surround them, and do what it takes to help them grow into real men." - Arlie Hochschild, author of The Second Shift, The Time Bind, and The Commercialization of Intimate Life

"[Guyland] offers a fascinating look at contemporary culture, the coming-of-age challenges both sexes face, and the risks for society when young men disengage from their own lives." - Booklist

"A bleak and urgent yet compassionate analysis of young manhood in the United States." - Salon

"Superb...thorough, impressive and fascinating." - Chicago Tribune

"Engaging...provocative....The book raises important questions....A useful, highly readable overview of an important social phenomenon." - Kirkus Reviews

"[A] deft exploration grounded in research....Kimmel offers a highly practical guide to male youth." - Publishers Weekly

"For anyone who has ever longed to know what's really going on in a young man's life, rejoice: Guyland is a compassionate, unflinching dispatch from deep in the heart of young masculinity. Required reading for people who raise, teach, and love guys." - Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls

"Every parent who is about to write a check for college tuition should read this book first and discuss it with his or her son...and daughter." - Michael G. Thompson, Ph.D., co-author of Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys

"Michael Kimmel's Guyland could save the humanity of many young men--and the sanity of their friends and parents--by explaining the forces behind a newly extended adolesence. With accuracy and empathy, he names the problem and offers compassionate bridges to adulthood." - Gloria Steinem

"Guyland takes up where Real Boys left off...a must-read for parents, teachers, coaches, young women who are so confused by the guys in their midst-and for guys themselves who yearn to break free of unwritten rules that leave them half a man, rather than a whole person." - William Pollack, author of Real Boys