The Male Paradox--

Men are complex, unpredictable, and ultimately mysterious. What makes them act the way they do? John Munder Ross has spent twenty years studying men, and in The Male Paradox he presents a groundbreaking new theory that explores the meaning of masculinity, going far beyond the insights of the current "men's movement". Drawing on case studies from his own practice, Ross vividly depicts the conflicting forces inside the male psyche. Men are constantly at war with themselves, fighting their own aggression and resisting their need to be with, and be like, women. Bombarded from an early age by images as disparate as The Lone Ranger and Mr. Mom, men find that their impulses pull them in different directions - and often lead them to actions that seem destructive, deviant, or simply contradictory. Ross shows us men of all ages dealing with familiar and unfamiliar problems: work, illness, divorce, infidelity, child-rearing, homosexuality, violence, and incest. We see them with their parents, children, friends, and co-workers - and most of all, with the women in their lives. We learn why they love, why they fight, and what they feel about it all. These vivid portraits illuminate the problems men have in dealing with their various selves - with "the male paradox" inside. It is only by embracing rather than fleeing the contradictions of masculinity that a man can become whole. The Male Paradox is a beautifully written account of the forces within men and how they can make peace with themselves.