Boys Adrift, Leonard Sax
Boys Adrift, Leonard Sax
2 Rating(s)
List: $24.98 | Sale: $17.49
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Boys Adrift
The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men

Author: Leonard Sax

Narrator: Allan Robertson

Unabridged: 8 hr 18 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Basic Books

Published: 06/27/2017


Synopsis

Why America's sons are underachieving, and what we can do about it.

Something is happening to boys today. From kindergarten to college, American boys are, on average, less resilient and less ambitious than they were a mere twenty years ago. The gender gap in college attendance and graduation rates has widened dramatically. While Emily is working hard at school and getting A's, her brother Justin is goofing off. He's more concerned about getting to the next level in his videogame than about finishing his homework.
In Boys Adrift, Dr. Leonard Sax delves into the scientific literature and draws on more than twenty years of clinical experience to explain why boys and young men are failing in school and disengaged at home. He shows how social, cultural, and biological factors have created an environment that is literally toxic to boys. He also presents practical solutions, sharing strategies which educators have found effective in re-engaging these boys at school, as well as handy tips for parents about everything from homework, to videogames, to medication.

About Leonard Sax

Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D., is a practicing family physician, a PhD psychologist, and a speaker for community groups, schools, and professional organizations. His scholarly work has been published in a wide variety of journals including American Psychologist, Annals of Family Medicine, Behavioral Neuroscience, Environmental Health Perspectives, and the Journal of the American Medical Association. He has been a featured guest on CNN, PBS, The TODAY Show, Fox News, NPR’s “Talk of the Nation,” and many other national programs. He lives with his wife and daughter in suburban Philadelphia.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Elevate Difference on August 11, 2009

Most of the attention Dr. Leonard Sax gets is for his advocacy of single sex education for boys. In his first book, Why Gender Matters: What Parents and Teachers Need to Know about the Emerging Science of Sex Differences, Sax described the developmental and biological differences between the sexes a......more

Goodreads review by Leslie on June 03, 2015

For the first couple of chapters I was planning on giving this book one lonely star. I kept reading, it got a bit better and I ended up giving it two stars. Two stars still isn't a great recommendation but ultimately I decided it was worth reading. The middle section contained some information I'm a......more

Goodreads review by Anna on April 13, 2019

3.5 stars. The premise that boys today are struggling, especially in school, seems to be accepted more widely among conservatives than progressives. That’s why it’s so interesting to read a book about boys that’s clearly designed to appeal to mainstream audiences. Dr. Sax is quick to explain that gir......more

Goodreads review by Eileen on November 15, 2013

Seriously a MUST read for anyone with sons. This book was very thought provoking. I felt the author was a reliable source based on both his research and personal experience. My husband and I even purchased this book to use as a reference. Boys Adrift isn't "how-to" parenting book. It brings up many is......more

Goodreads review by sophia the first on October 16, 2024

I read the girl edition of this book (Girls on the edge) and it scared me because it’s so true. As a teenage girl, I’m telling you he’s onto something. Anyways then I read the boy book because why not, might as well learn how to parent adolescent males. You can’t blindly believe everything he says b......more


Quotes

"Boys Adrift is a must-read for any parent of boys. This is real science, and Dr. Sax thoroughly uncovers the important health issues that parents of boys need to be tuned into."—Dr. Mehmet Oz

"Excellent and informative references and information are provided . . . Powerfully and persuasively presented."—The Journal of the American Medical Association

"Fascinating...terrifying...Sax identifies an epidemic of lost boys. Luckily, he offers solutions."—Glob and Mail (Canada)

"Sax, in his pointed, conversational new book, Boys Adrift, reports seeing something new in his medical practice, and hearing something disturbing in the comments after his talks around the nation. Parents and girlfriends describe boys and young men plastered to the controls of their video games, hostile to school, disconnected from adult men and listless on "academic steroids" prescribed to them for attention deficit disorders. Sax zeroes in on these maladies . . .Boys Adrift is an important entry into the conversation. This call to reconsider how the boy becomes the man is worth heeding."—The Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Boys Adrift presents a straightforward argument that incorporates solid research and, thankfully, does not blame feminism. . . Sax also makes sure to remind us that he doesn't think girls have it easier. But at a time when it is almost unusual to find a young man with drive and direction, Sax's work is an important part of a growing public discussion. "—The Stranger

"Sax's discussion of a "failure to launch" will ring true for many parents and other concerned adults, and his final chapter on detoxing the modern environment for boys and girls should provoke both thought and action. Though Sax's book is written in a conversational tone, his documentation is thorough and impressive. This is an important book, especially for parents and educators, but for anyone who is concerned with the well-being of our society and its young people. "—The Daily Herald

"Startling...like a brick thrown through your window."—CBC