I knew that I HAD to read this book by Louann Brizendine, M.D. (a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California) when I saw an interview with Whitney Cummings on Live With Kelly & Ryan (confession: I watch that sometimes), where she talked about how this book blew her mind and inspired her to co-write and direct a movie by the same name.
The trailer is hilarious:
The Female Brain had me from the first page where it explains that for most of history, the majority of scientists have assumed that women are basically "small men".
The reality is that there are some MAJOR differences between the male and female brain that affect how we react to different situations, how we see the world, how we make decisions, etc. But, because of the "men and women are the same" assumption, there was (has been) very little research conducted into the female brain and how things like hormone changes actually affect the way that women think and react in different situations.
The book begins by tackling the daunting question: What makes us women?
It then goes through the different phases of a woman's life from birth to death and everything in-between tackling how the brain reacts to love, sex, emotions, sexual orientation, and more.
The text is witty, smart, and fascinating to read. It's like taking a deep dive into your head and coming out with an understanding of what makes you who you are, why you act the way you do, and what you should expect to happen in the next phase of your life.
To quote Christiane Northrup, who's review sits on the front cover of the book, "All women — and the men who love them — should read this book."
