Analysis of Louann Brizendine's Book "The Female Brain"

Dr. Louann Brizendine’s book “The Female Brain” is an elaborate look at how women tick. This book has proven, thus far, to be a nice addition to our class work. It is contemporary piece of literature that combines both neuroscience and real life anecdotes that give insight into the minds of women. In the introduction, “What makes this woman”, Brizendine takes a difference perspective by stating some basic differences of women and men. I really appreciate her curious nature toward the topic. “While enrolled at each of these institutions, I learned little or nothing about female biological or neurological difference outside of pregnancy.” (pg. 2, Brizendine) I remember being in biology classes and I never had that thought cross my mind. I was so inundated with information, that I never thought how male centric my courses were. And when we did cadaver work, it was always a male specimen. Even in the beginning of this book, I am brought back to my own personal experience; inspiring questions that I wished I had asked myself back when. More switches in my brain began to turn on as I progressed into the first chapter. It starts off with an innocent scene involving a young girl by the name of Leila. I like the Brizendine’s writing style. The introduction lays some function groundwork and then audience has to switch gears in their mind when Brizendine paints this sweet picture before us, only to bring us right back by saying “Common sense tells us that boys and girls behave differently. We see it every day at home, on the playground, and in classrooms. But what culture hasn’t told us is that the brain dictates these divergent behaviors.” (Pg. 12, Brizendine) I think because we are so influenced by social inference that we overlook the science of it all. And how truly magnificent the human brain is. It is not to say the sociological aspect isn’t important, but it got me thinking. As I read further, I kept finding myself going back to my childhood and hearing my

Bibliography: Brizendine, Louann. The Female Brain. New York: Morgan Road, 2006.