“The Stone Boys dives deep into the trauma of bullying and abuse and comes out just as our culture is taking the lid off the pain too many have buried for too long. Compelling and profound.”
"The Stone Boys makes it safe for boys to deal with experiences and topics not usually verbalized. This book will be part of their shaping journey to becoming good men.”
"The Stone Boys is a uniquely powerful novel by one of America's leading experts on the subject of boys. Protagonist Ben Brickman's journey to deal with his deepest emotions is relentlessly and authentically written . . . unforgettable."
"(Michael Gurian) convincingly illustrates . . . the peculiar pain and potential loneliness of being a boy in America today."
“Michael Gurian’s work in the field of gender is at the leading edge of our profession and can significantly affect the field of psychology.”
Department of Psychology, Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University
“The Minds of Girls is a very important book. In powerful prose and filled with practical strategies, it takes a fresh look at raising and educating our daughters in a new and complex world. Brain science is key to this book and Gurian's ability to match science with real life is a blessing. I recommend this book to anyone living or working with girls and women."
New York Times Bestselling Author of Memory Rescue and Unleash the Power of the Female Brain
Michael Gurian is a leading-edge teacher with the rare ability to combine the personal, the practical, and the political in very accessible and powerful form. In Saving Our Sons, he has written a real page-turner. This is a very important book
Author of Unleashing the Power of the Female Brain and The Brain Warrior's Way
Michael Gurian's SAVING OUR SONS is an immensely powerful mirror on the state of boyhood in America. Dr. Gurian's depiction of the problems and issues facing our sons is remarkable in its thoroughness. The book's tone is forceful but not strident, warm and engaging without sentimentality or hyperbole. Gurian provides practical solutions for each issue he explores--economic, social, emotional, political, and personal. This is a must read for every one in America and indeed the world who cares about and is caring for our boys
Executive Director of The National Center for the Development of Boys
Michael Gurian is America's most passionate advocate for boys.
Ph.D., author of It's a Boy! and coauthor of Raising Cain
There is no one who understands the development of boys better than Michael Gurian.
professor of Education, Stanford University, and author of The Moral Child
Michael Gurian's work in gender is at the leading edge of our profession and can significantly affect the field of psychology.
Department of Psychology, Center for Collaborative Neuro-science, Rutgers University
"This powerful book helps both women and men age gracefully. Michael's book is encouraging, well-researched and beautifully written. It is a practical guide to designing and living the second half of life with courage and fresh meaning. Read this book, and you will experience aging in a whole new way."
Ph.D., Founder, the Center for Counseling and Health Resources, and Author of Overcoming Anxiety, Worry, and Fear
"The Wonder of Aging is amazing in its scope and depth. It reflects an enormous amount of work and insight. The practical parts of the book help us do what we need to do to live well. The prayerful parts of the book elicit a sense of gratefulness as we move through the stages of age. I highly recommend this book!"
author of I Thank Therefore I Am
"Every time you open a Michael Gurian book, you know you are in for an adventure. Michael's powerful new book, The Wonder of Aging, is no exception. As he has done in all of his books, Michael uses his expertise, practical experience, and heart to open us up to the wonder of who we are becoming. The Wonder of Aging provides a practical, spiritual, and inspirational primer for high impact living, geared to those of us speeding past 50 and beyond."
Pastor, Community of Grace Church, and author of Searching for Tom Sawyer
"The Wonder of Aging is both a practical and spiritual journey. For those of us working to enhance men's health, the book is very welcome--it has specific sections applicable to both women and men. I highly recommend this book to anyone fifty or older, and even those of you getting close!"
President, The Men's Health Network
"Michael Gurian explores new territory in The Wonder of Aging by combining patient stories and experiences from his rich professional and personal lives to create an authentic and insightful work. In his terrific new book, Michael does what he does best....exploring the depth of the human spirit."
M.D., NBC News Chief Medical Editor
"Engaging...taking 50 as his starting point, Gurian offers concrete examples of ways to deal with the problems of aging."
The Wonder of Aging has been called a Best Book for People Over 50 by the Huffington Post.
"The Wonder of Aging is an impressive achievement and a must read for anyone who is over fifty, caring for or caring about someone over fifty---and the rest of us who hope to reach our fifties and beyond both enlightened by modern science and touched by the magnificent grace of empathy."
Ph.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Senior Consultant, McLean Hospital and Cambridge Health Alliance
“The Wonder of Aging is a very important book. It is filled with practical tips, solid science and stories that will inspire and motivate you. With 11,000 people turning 60 every day, we can no longer avoid talking about aging…so we might as well embrace it with wonder.”
M.D., New York Times bestselling author of Use Your Brain to Change Your Age
In our ageist culture, you've got to love a book with the title The Wonder of Aging. Because here's the big secret that almost no one appreciates. Life really can get richer and better with age. You just have to approach it in the right frame of mind. And that is exactly what Gurian provides for all of us in this brilliant book.
M.D., author of The Wisdom of Menopause
"This book opens much-needed discussion on aging and dying…and will give readers the means to approach these topics with their families and friends. Gurian has an optimistic, energizing, and sympathetic voice that will inspire readers as they seek guidance on their journeys through life."
June 2013
Provocative… His Wonder of Boys became the impetus for a growing ‘boys movement.
Convincingly illustrates . . . the peculiar pain and potential loneliness of being a boy in America today.
Filled with stories and practical advice for parents and teachers of adolescent boys… I recommend it to those who want to raise fine young men.
Reviving Ophelia
From juvenile crime and drug use to learning problems and mental disorders, boys far outrepresent girls. Why? Gurian thinks it's because we've neglected the emotional needs of boys. Thanks to testosterone, boys are "wired" for aggression, but this behavior tends to push people away, lessening chances for emotional connections. Arguing that many boys also have low self-esteem, Gurian offers dozens of sensible ways for adults to nurture boys. For instance, Gurian suggests that boys need a "clan," a group of five or more boys; a clan offers emotional support, plus important opportunities for boys to test themselves. He also discusses when it's time to explain the reasons for ethical behavior, the discipline tactics to foster responsibility, and the expectations parents and teachers should have for boys and their psyches during different stages of their lives. Reasonable and balanced, this should be a fine addition to parenting collections.
From Booklist
Beausay and Gurian are both clinical psychotherapists, previously published authors, and the fathers of boys. In their new works, they focus on the development of adolescent boys, sharing a concern for boys' complete growth?physical, spiritual, emotional, and religious?to adulthood. The books have different tones, however, and are directed at different audiences. Beausay addresses the parents of teenagers, assuring them that they will survive. Teenage Boys! is very upbeat with a flexible, not prescriptive, approach; suggestions are practical ideas for parents to try. Gurian's book is less a parenting book, although it will interest parents of adolescent boys, and more a work on adolescent male psychology. A Fine Young Man draws from biology, psychology, and sociology to paint a detailed picture of the tasks an adolescent boy needs to undertake to become a mature adult. Although the volume is somewhat scholarly in tone, no detailed bibliography is provided. Gurian helps his readers understand the teenager in depth, but his ideas are sometimes subject to challenge. Teenage Boys! is highly recommended for all parenting collections. A Fine Young Man is recommended for collections in adolescent psychology and larger parenting collections.?
Chesapeake Coll., Wye Mills, MD
Carrying forward some of the themes first introduced in his book The Wonder of Boys (1996), Gurian focuses on male adolescence, a crucial stage of development that, he argues, is in crisis today, being both misunderstood and diminished in importance. Drawing on his own research and experience as a psychotherapist, he lays out a picture of male adolescence that is often bleak: adolescent males are four times as likely as females to commit suicide; only one out of six adolescents diagnosed with ADHD is female, and that 90% of adolescent discipline problems in schools are about males. The thrust of his approach, however, is proactive and ultimately imbued with hope. Gurian emphasizes the importance of family in the three distinct stages (transformation, determination and consolidation) of male adolescent development, which can begin as early as nine and extends through the early 20s. In the nurture/nature debate, Gurian falls somewhere in the middle, explaining and validating the importance of both male "hardwiring" (the genetic component) as well as emotional and cultural "softwiring." With persuasive eloquence, Gurian outlines thoughtful and practical steps parents and other caregivers can take to create the kind of positive role-models and nurturing support systems that will help boys successfully negotiate the passage to manhood.
Psychotherapist and father Gurian is the author of several previous books on parenting sons (A Fine Young Man and The Wonder of Boys). Here, he focuses on the role stories and movies play in shaping boys' character and in teaching moral lessons. After an introductory chapter about the need for stories and movies, Gurian identifies and summarizes 100 movies and 100 books and suggests questions for parents to ask when discussing these books and movies with their sons. The listings are arranged according to the age at which Gurian believes they are appropriate: preschool, lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school. The list, of course, is not inclusive, and most of the selections would also suit daughters. Parents and others who work with children can use this as a selection tool and as a model for choosing other titles not included. Recommended for public and college libraries.
Chesapeake Coll., Wye Mills, MD
A wise, beautifully written, and very useful book about the human quest for intimacy.
coauthors of Conscious Loving
This passionate book serves as a roadmap for intimate partners over the journey of an entire lifetime and as an important tool for moving past power struggle and on into joyous, fulfilling life partnership.
Ph.D., author of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
Leadership & The Sexes is one of the most comprehensive and powerful books ever written about how to harness the strengths, insights and wisdom of women and men at work. A delightful, energetic, and important read not only for this year - for this decade.
CEO Benchmark Communications, Inc. and author of The DNA of Leadership.
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES offers powerful insights into the daunting and often complex task of building Gender Intelligence inside an organization. I am sure it will be required reading for any business striving for a competitive advantage
Chief Executive Officer, HR.Com
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is extremely valuable in two ways. Not only can everyone recognize something of themselves in it, but its numerous engaging examples of communication between women and men will help people interpret communication in the workplace more effectively.
Ph.D., Albert Einstein/Irving Zucker Chair in Neuroscience, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is an important work and Michael Gurian and Barbara Annis are perfect to write it. Filled with practical, accessible information, this is a book that all of us need to read, whether we deal with men and women at work or leading in our communities or families.
M.D., Neuropsychiatrist, the Amen Clinics, and bestselling author of SEX ON THE BRAIN
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is a great book!!! Michael Gurian and Barbara Annis have captured the insights and science that explain so much about our gender differences. Their book is a priceless contribution to the business world, as we learn how best to capitalize on the strengths of both sexes. It offers compelling scientific reasons for bringing us all to the table in equal, unique and shared roles. I thank the authors for making sense out of a topic that others often cloud with political correctness. This book is right on target.
President of the Flippen Group, and bestselling author of THE FLIP SIDE
In LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES, corporate moguls Michael Gurian and Barbara Annis illustrate how brain chemistry influences gender and how gender in turn powerfully affects every aspect of workplace behavior. The authors are at their best when at their most practical, using step-by-step instructions, exercises and simply worded "GenderTools" to teach men and women to understand each other in meetings and on the golf course....Readers with a desire to improve workplace gender relations will do well with this pragmatic and well-intentioned guide.
August 2008
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is a practical, science-based, and engaging book that will be referred to time and again by our HR department. At the same time, this book is NOT just for the corporate world. It features an astonishing story about the $190 million annual savings in reduced turnover realized (at least in part) by a corporation working to recognize, understand, and take advantage of the brain differences between genders. Imagine the bottom line benefit of this same training for peace negotiators, national leaders of pivotal social movements, philanthropists, academicians, and policy-makers - all seeking to make a difference in our world!
President of Hunt Alternatives Fund Founding Director, Harvard Kennedy School's Women and Public Policy Program
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is research-based and very reader friendly, a Gender Development Kit that can be used by corporations to improve gender dynamics. Michael Gurian and Barbara Annis provide a scientific approach that breaks down traditional barriers and enables management to implement gender based leadership rationally. This is an exciting book!
ormer Vice President of Engineering, Packet Engines and Vivato Systems
Much of what we have learned thus far about marketing to and leading men and women is based on observing cultural influences. LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES brings a scientific basis that simply takes everyone's understanding to a whole new level. The opportunity this understanding brings to be more effective is a competitive advantage both in and outside our company.
President and CEO, Brooks Sports
This powerful and timely book unlocks gender truths for the workplace.
Every business--man or woman--needs to read this book!
M.D., Neuropsychiatrist and Clinical Professor University of California-San Francisco, and author of The Female Brain
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is a marvel. I urge you to read the book—there is a lot at stake, and an opportunity to achieve lasting competitive advantage. From an increasingly robust body of research, we know for sure (as sure as sure can ever be) that diverse teams—diversity on any and all dimensions—outperform homogenous teams. We equally have to know how to maximize the diversity advantage—the reward can be performance leaps, not just modest improvements.
President/CEO, the Tom Peters Company, and author of THE BRAND YOU 50
LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is an exciting new book by gender team Michael Gurian and Barbara Annis. It offers critical insight into the minefield of gender relationships in the workplace, and is a tool I have been missing. Corporate America needs the knowledge this new book gives us. I can't wait to start implementing the authors' ideas.
President of IKEA North America
Finally, a scientific explanation of why men and women behave differently in the workplace, and practical advice for leveraging these differences to improve business performance. LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES makes a sound case for redefining our notions of what it takes to be a successful executive – companies seeking to retain top talent would be wise to pay close attention to this book.
Managing Partner, Deloitte & Touche
Finally a book that provides guidance on leveraging 'gender differences' in the workplace to a manager's advantage. LEADERSHIP AND THE SEXES is a must-read for leaders who feel that their efforts to bring out the best in teams can get bogged-down by miscommunications that have less to do with words than with gender and perception.
Psychotherapist and parental-advice author Gurian (The Good Son) ventures into fiction with a novel that traces a young American's journey to enlightenment and that is likened by the publisher to Siddhartha and The Celestine Prophecy. Ben Brickman, a 30-year-old psychology student in Paris, has the first of a series of intensely symbolic--and as it turns out, prophetic--dreams, and soon embarks, with teacher/guide Josef Kader, on a quest to discover his life's mission, the purpose of humanity and the divine truths of the universe. These pursuits take Ben and Josef to Turkey, and to the mystical figure known as "The Magician," an enlightened person able to span the dimensions and bring forth cosmic knowledge. Ben's adventures are presented as a series of "found" diary entries, and his notes reveal both his epiphanies and the testing of his faith. Saddled with heavy-handed foreshadowing, Ben's discoveries--about his dreams, his ability to travel outside his body, his strange sicknesses and his worst experiences--unfold with few surprises and little dramatic tension. It turns out he is destined to play the role of "messenger," sent to explain to the world the Magician's 10 steps toward spiritual revelation. These steps are simply those precepts espoused by each major religious faith embracing the common concept of love and universality; while the tenets contribute a spiritual, educational core to the novel, Gurian provides no justification for rejecting the differences between the major religions. His prose style is best when it's down-to-earth, as in describing the atmosphere of Turkish locales, but he repeatedly sacrifices full characterizations and plot consistency for less compelling, albeit dramatic, passages of mystical truth telling. 6-city author tour.
Michael Gurian, whose previous books gave voice to his impressive gifts as a psychotherapist, father, and social commentator, now ventures into the realm of spiritual fiction in American Mystic. Ben Brickman is an American living in Paris who is crippled by writer's block. Eventually he meets a Turkish mystic named Josef who consents to become his teacher--but only if he agrees to travel with Josef to Istanbul. Whenever Ben turns a chance encounter into an opportunity for spiritual growth, Gurian inserts a boxed one-page narrative, showing how Ben has just taken one of the "ten steps to enlightenment." For example, when Ben commits to going to Istanbul and then has a dream in which his arms turn into white wings, Gurian frames a box titled "The Threshold," explaining that "The third task of the mystic lies in becoming one with the senses. This is called sensory immersion.... This is not hedonism. Rather, it is sensory action that breaks down ego defense." Unfortunately, this overriding lesson plan makes the story seem stilted and overly contrived, à la The Celestine Prophecy. Even so, as a vehicle for exploring stages of spiritual growth, this is a time-honored device--take an adventure story and make it an archetypal quest. As a result, readers who appreciate storytelling as a means to enlightenment will find themselves happily at home in this genre.
Amazon.com Review
THE MIRACLE is that rarest of novels, as wise as it is suspenseful. It not only takes us into the world it creates, but under the skin of that world, where the true importance of our lives lies hidden.
Author of Stuck In Neutral
Michael Gurian's The Miracle is itself a miracle. The first shot at a new genre Gurian calls "Visionary Fiction," opens up new worlds not only for the characters in the story, but for the reader as well. Blending some of the best qualities of science fiction with the best qualities of the psychological thriller, The Miracle will take the reader on a ride that is sometimes as serene as an evening scene beside a lake, ands sometimes as wild as the voice of God in the desert.
author of SILENT FIRE
"The Miracle" - Psychotherapist Gurian, the bestselling author of numerous parenting and psychology books (The Wonder of Girls; The Soul of the Child), has written a riveting supernatural suspense novel that tracks the efforts of a psychic to find a serial killer in Spokane, Washington. The novel begins when a clairvoyant, cancer-stricken boy is run down by a car. At the accident scene where he dies, an other-worldly light hovers over his body and suffuses the neighborhood. Soon afterward, his nurse, Beth Carey, has visions of children being murdered. Her hallucinations turn out to be premonitions; a serial murderer who calls himself the Light Killer begins to terrorize Spokane, killing several children and sending letters to the local paper explaining his garbled philosophy ("The Creator inhales darkness and exhales light. This is how I feel when I hold the [dying] child in my arms, that I can breathe again, breathe Light again"). Beth, suspecting that the killer was influenced by the same mysterious light that gave her psychic powers, searches for him, hoping to forge a connection with this doppelganger and keep him from killing again. Gurian infuses the story with his own ideas about the divine and the dawning of a new kind of human being with spiritual intuition....Even skeptics will find the murder mystery gripping. Gurian delicately ups the tension with each successive murder, and the climax is stunning.
May 5, 2003
"
The Gurian Institute provides us with powerful research put in practical form that will do amazing things in our classrooms and in our students' lives."
assistant principal (9th and 10th grades), Hope High School, Hope, Arkansas
"[A] wealth of practical ideas on how to change classrooms from places where mostly girls 'sit and git' to places where both boys and girls 'engage and range' in authentic education."
director, Boys Project, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
"The natural question when teachers become aware of the brain research on gender differences is: 'What can I do in my classroom?' This book provides the answers."
Certified Gurian Trainer and Classroom Teacher
"Combines theory and practical suggestions in an effective, readable text. Recommended."
"Provides guidelines for brain-based innovations that will motivate and inspire everyone— teachers, parents, policymakers, and caretakers— interested in educating kids."
"Calls for many changes if we are to make schools the best that they can be."
"Guidance on how to create 'ultimate classrooms' at all grade levels."
"Combines theory and practical suggestions in an effective, readable text. Recommended."
"Provides guidelines for brain-based innovations that will motivate and inspire everyone— teachers, parents, policymakers, and caretakers— interested in educating kids."
"Calls for many changes if we are to make schools the best that they can be."
"Guidance on how to create 'ultimate classrooms' at all grade levels."
"From the beginning of time, parents and sensitive teachers have observed differences in the behavior, learning styles, and focused interests of girls and boys. Defying the political correctness that is today's common wisdom, Gurian and the contributing authors draw on emerging neuroscientific data to justify these perceptions. While never allowing us to lose sight of the reality of individual differences, they suggest creative ways to modify the learning environment to encourage a broader spectrum of achievement in both gender groups."
Sterling Professor of Psychology, Yale University, and one of the original planners of the national Head Start program.
"THE MINDS OF BOYS provides invaluable information for parents and educators to help them improve boys' academic and social success."
Colorado House of Representatives, Chair of the Education Committee
"Wonderfully readable, The Minds Of Boys fills a great void for parents and educators by offering practical ways to change the developmental course for boys at risk.
Gurian and Stevens show us that we don't have to surrender our boys to depression or school failure: an essential piece of school reform!"
Author of Ghosts From The Nursery
"THE MINDS OF BOYS is a great act of love you can do for your son."
M.D., Psychiatrist, Rhode Island
"THE MINDS OF BOYS is a must read for educators from preschool through young adulthood, and any parent or grandparent who is raising a boy. This book is well researched, offering concrete ways to help our boys develop and flourish in and out of school."
Author of Hear Our Cry: Boys in Crisis
"THE MINDS OF BOYS is a compassionate and well-considered exploration of the educational crisis many of our boys face. It provides a giant leap in our empathy for what it means to be a boy in our culture. For parents and teachers especially, this book helps them provide boys support through their developmental stages. I regret that I did not have this book in hand while raising my son."
Director/Co-Founder of the Family Nurturing Center of Michigan.
"In The Minds of Boys,
Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens provide a very readable description of the current academic dilemma affecting a large number of boys."
Albert Einstein/Irving Zucker Chair in Neuroscience, McMaster University
"THE MINDS OF BOYS is a wonderfully practical and enjoyable book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed its insights, data and practical strategies. It will help empower parents to demand social justice for boys in school."
Ph.D., Founder, The Nurturing Parenting Program
n The Minds of Boys, a follow-up to his best-selling The Wonder of Boys, social philosopher and therapist Michael Gurian, along with Kathy Stevens, a specialist in education and child development, makes a strong case for an educational crisis involving boys. (The Minds of Boys) is logically organized, readable, and meticulously documented.
August 2005
"Michael Gurian had the courage to talk about boys before it was popular. His new book, THE MINDS OF BOYS, written with educator Kathy Stevens, takes this work further. It articulates the issues from a brain-based approach, with supporting research. It then gives very practical examples for interventions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who works with boys professionally or personally. I found the book to be extraordinarily helpful.
Author of A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING POVERTY
"THE MINDS OF BOYS is a gift to parents, teachers and anyone else involved in raising or nurturing boys. It is filled with cutting edge neuroscience, yet has the warmth of a wise professional."
MD, Author of Making A Good Brain Great
The "Mind of Boys" is an excellent read. I found it enlightening not only as a neuroscientist but also as the mother of a young boy. It has absolutely changed the way that I think about boys (and men) and the ways in which they express their enthusiasm for life.
Ph.D. Department of Psychology; Center for Collaborative Neuroscience Rutgers University
"The Minds of Boys provides a valuable service not only to parents and teachers but also policy makers. Boys today are languishing academically.Gurian and Stevens provide important analysis and practical solutions."
Author of THE WAR AGAINST BOYS
"Parents perplexed by their bright sons who constantly struggle in school will find hope in The Minds of Boys."
USA Weekend and CNN
"THE MINDS OF BOYS...a call for a reassessment of how we educate our sons (that) is long overdue."
"Parents of boys have always known it in their hearts. Boys learn differently from girls. Michael Gurian not only knows it and can prove it, but has ideas about how to help boys succeed. His THE MINDS OF BOYS, written with Kathy Stevens, shows how to help boys in the classroom and at home."
Dallas Morning News
"In The Minds of Boys, Gurian and Stevens use biological research and more than 20 years of classroom experience to present a detailed plan of how to most effectively teach boys."
November 2005 (National Education Association)
"In THE MINDS OF BOYS, Michael Gurian and Kathy Stevens target their advice to both parents and teachers, and stress practical information, from nutritional guidelines to recommended classroom layouts."
September 7, 2005
"The ideas in THE MINDS OF BOYS seem to be catching on. The Gurian Institute has trained more than 15,000 teachers."
September 19, 2005
“Enlivened by examples and easy to read, this book makes a contribution to the literature on male personal development.”
“Sensitive, thoughtful, readable, and practical. Michael Gurian’s work has the potential to transform men and women from adversaries into respected partners and friends.”
author of The Hero Within
“A caring and compassionate journey. Michael Gurian teaches us to separate the threads of our mothers’ influence in our lives—the parts we love, as well as the parts we hate—and to claim all the power contained in the mother–son bond.”
author of The Myth of Male Power
“This absorbing book explores, with great feeling, the positive and negative features of the mother-son bond and how they show up in adult relationships. Michael Gurian uses mythic stories and examples that help us understand how we men got to be the way we are. He also offers practices that empower us to become what we can be, fearless lovers. Women will also benefit from this book since it helps them see into our wounds and our potential to grow from them.”
PhD, author of How to Be an Adult in Relationships
"What Could He Be Thinking? is a well-written, down-to-earth guide to men in an era of concern for women, and a guide to biology in an era focused on psychology.
Gurian gives us science's bottom line about how understanding the male brain can create better marriages and parenting. If you have a father, son or husband you want to love more fully, start with What Could He Be Thinking?"
Ph.D., author of Why Men Are The Way They Are and Women Can't Hear What Men Don't Say
"What Could He Be Thinking? is an insightful, often funny, and easy to read book. It offers many insights into the male mind, which can be very helpful to women and men alike."
M.D., author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
"Just when I thought a man's way of thinking could never be fully understood, Michael Gurian comes to the rescue and offers exciting, new insights into the minds of the men we love. Whether you are contemplating marriage, are already married, or just interested in figuring out men, What Could He Be Thinking? is the book for you."
Ed.D., author of Strong Mothers, Strong Sons
Finally! Figure out your husband! Men are such a puzzle. Are they serious when they say, "Don't worry so much, the kids are fine?" Actually, yes, says Michael Gurian, a noted author and therapist, in his new book, WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING? (St. Martins Press). Using research on male and female brains, he explains some perplexing behavior, like why men can remember last year's baseball stats but not yesterday's conversation, and more.
September 2003
Best known for several earlier books, including "The Wonder of Boys" and "The Wonder of Girls" — in which he explored ho biological differences between the male and female brains influence childhood behavior — Michael Gurian has turned his attention to grown-ups, saying that understanding the inner workings of the male mind can help couples live in harmony.
"In WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING?...Michael Gurian has completed some incredible and useful research. Gurian has answered questions of vital importance."
"Like a guide through a secret forest, WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING? leads the nonscientist through the complex world of brain science and relates it to some of the most frustrating sources of conflict between men and women in relationships."
While plenty of books offer to help us understand the opposite sex from a psychological perspective, this one tackles the topic from a neurological one. Family therapist Gurian (The Wonder of Boys) takes readers on a voyage through the male brain, offering "nature-based" explanations-that is, well-established biological tenets-for how men think and act differently from women (e.g., why they love to tinker with gadgets and why they remember fewer details about an event). In the process, readers discover almost as much about women and how their brains function...(WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING?) is recommended for all public libraries.
WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING? explains how the brain, conjunction with psychological and sociological factors, drives a man's behavior. Gurian's research is both fascinating and eye opening.
WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING? is filled with illuminating specific examples.
There is now scientific proof (about men) in a new book titled WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING?, which I cannot recommend highly enough.
Columnist
Gurian's book {WHAT COULD HE BE THINKING?} explores the fascinating science of the difference in male and female brains and how differences dictate behavior. His hope is that, by illuminating the construction of each gender's amygdala, cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, et al., not to mention the action of our hormones, we can better negotiate the battle of the sexes.
The Washington Pos
"For years I have heard new parents lament that their babies don't come with a manual. Now they do!
It’s a Baby Girl! is a must-have addition to the parenting library!"
Director and co-Founder of the Family Nurturing Center of Michigan.
"
IT’S A BABY GIRL! is thoughtfully research-based, yet perceptively practical for any parent who has just been blessed by the gift of a girl. Parents will close the book truly understanding why girls and boys are different in so many ways, and how to nurture the nature of their daughter."
Ph.D. Director of Child and Adolescent Development School Development Program, Yale University
"Reading "
It's a Baby Girl!" is akin to reading a good guidebook before and during a trip: your experience is richer as you deepen your understanding of what you are seeing, doing, and experiencing. If you are preparing for a new baby girl or have a friend or relative with a daughter, this book will be a delight."
MD, Co-Author, The Too Precious Child
"
It's a Baby Girl! explains the development and functioning of the female brain. If you are raising a girl, this is a book you really need to read"
Ph.D., author Nurturing Parenting Programs, Executive Director, Family Nurturing Centers, International
"Told with gentle humor and with stories and wisdom gleaned from personal and professional experience, It’s a Baby Girl! is not only the best "how to" on raising your little girl, but also captures the magic and challenge of parenting."
MD, FACOG obstetrician - gynecologist and founder of WomanHealth
"It’s a Baby Boy! is a must-have addition to the parenting library, with fascinating information about how and why baby boys and girls develop the differences that often baffle adults."
Director and co-Founder of the Family Nurturing Center of Michigan
"IT’S A BABY BOY! is thoughtfully research-based, yet perceptively practical for any parent who has just been blessed by the gift of a boy. Parents will close the book truly understanding why boys and girls are different in so many ways, and how to nurture the nature of their son."
Ph.D. Director of Child and Adolescent Development School Development Program, Yale University
"It's a Baby Boy!" is a very readable, model-specific manual that provides gems of research and insight from experienced parents and medical professionals. If you are preparing for a new baby boy or have a friend or relative with a son, this book will be a delight."
MD, Co-Author, The Too Precious Child
"It's a Baby Boy! is a comprehensive, easy to read book for parents that explains the basic structure, functioning and uniquenesses of the male brain. If you are raising a baby boy, you need to read this book!"
Ph.D., author Nurturing Parenting Programs, Executive Director, Family Nurturing Centers, International
Told with gentle humor and with stories and wisdom gleaned from personal and professional experience, It’s a Baby Boy! is not only the best "how to" on raising your little boy, but also captures the magic and challenge of parenting."
MD, FACOG obstetrician-gynecologist and founder of WomanHealth
Here are two solid books with practical advice on how to raise well-adjusted, ethical young boys. The Good Son is the culminating third volume of
Gurian's best-selling series (
The Wonder of Boys,
A Fine Young Man) about raising young males to become responsible men. Like many recent scholars, such as Gad Cudner (Small Criminal Among Us),
Gurian offers ethical explanations of youth violence: his "good son parenting plan" revolves around morality and discipline. Astutely synthesizing Jean Piaget's cognitive and Lawrence Kohlberg's moral stages of development, he gives detailed guidelines for instilling "good virtues" during each of three stages of moral development: obedience (birth to six), convention (seven to 12), and moral intuition (13 to 18). On the other hand, and in contrast to Donald Black (Bad Boys, Mad Men: Confronting Antisocial Personality Disorder, LJ 3/1/99), who emphasizes genetic attribution, Newberger (pediatrics, Harvard Medical School) thinks that the best explanation for boys' misbehavior is the interplay of biological drives and "character" development. He claims that boys are born with malleable "innate temperaments" that can be transformed into positive "male characteristics" such as self-control, courage, honesty, and sportsmanship. In short, boys can become leaders without resorting to violence. Both
Gurian and Newberger use anecdotes to show that raising good sons need not be difficult, and their books are timely, insightful additions to the current debate on youth violence and school shootings. Recommended for public and academic libraries. Chogollah Maroufi, California State Univ., Los Angeles, CA.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc
"What Mary Pipher has done to raise our national consciousness in her book REVIVING OPHELIA, Michael Gurian has done in THE WONDER OF BOYS."
author of HOW TO DEVELOP SELF ESTEEM IN YOUR CHILD
"THE WONDER OF BOYS will help future generations open the lines of communication between men and women by giving us what we need to raise strong, responsible and sensitive men.
author of MEN ARE FROM MARS, WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS.
"THE WONDER OF BOYS is a provocative book that electrifies the debate over how this nation raises sons."
"The WONDER OF GIRLS is...an excellent choice."
(THE WONDER OF GIRLS) is explosive, bound to be controversial, a powder keg...Gurian raises interesting questions."
"In THE WONDER OF GIRLS, Michael Gurian has written an eminently sensible book."
"I was grateful to get to the advice section of The Wonder of Girls, which categorizes girls by age...wonderfully useful advice....Gurian is at his best when it comes to the nuts and bolts of rearing a daughter."
Gurian's attention to the physiology of how girls develop is tapping into a growing field among researchers...The Wonder of Girls has won universal praise for
Gurian's focus on the importance of maintaining personal connections with girls.
"In THE WONDER OF GIRLS, therapist
Gurian probes the unique aspects of girls' emotional, social and physical development in a follow-up to his bestselling THE WONDER OF BOYS. He urges parents to use a new model in raising girls (he calls it "Womanism") in which girls establish a three-family system (the nuclear family, the extended family and institutions such as church and school) that will meet their need for intimate relationships.
Gurian's arguments (will ) stir controversy and inspire thought."
"I found the THE WONDER OF GIRLS a wonderful addition to the literature already available on raising girls. What I liked best was its constant correlation of developing biology in women to their psychological struggles, giving the authenticity that is sorely needed. Not only that, it gives parents and professionals alike a new framework to understand girls’ development from a multi-perspective. I also especially liked how it provided concrete ways that fathers and mothers could understand their daughters’ progress through different stages, and to understand that their lives are a progression along with brain development capacities. I heartily endorse this new balanced way to understand how wonderful the capacities of girls and women are, and so vital to the nurturing of their infants, families and society. Bravo!"
M.D., author of Women's Moods: What Every Woman Must Know About Hormones, the Brain, and Emotional Health
"In THE WONDER OF GIRLS,
Michael Gurian has given us a gift, an exciting book that parents of daughters will consult over and over again. Gurian leads us in a new direction as he challenges parents to understand and value our daughters' desire for attachment. Women will recognize themselves as well as their daughters in this thought-provoking book. Bravo, Michael!"
author of Don't Stop Loving Men
"Finally, a sensitive and scientifically knowledgeable writer has given us a book on girls. Gurian's engrossing book, THE WONDER OF GIRLS, is important not only for parents, but for anyone who cares for, educates, or makes policy affecting the lives of girls and women."
author of Who Stole Feminism?
"A wealth of practical advice on how to escape the competitive pressure of social trends parenting and instead nurture the core nature of your child."
Ed.D., author, 12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know and Building Moral Intelligence
"As a parent myself, I believe one of the greatest challenges to parenting well is to see who your individual child really is. Nurture the Nature gives parents the ability to do just that--and to understand the complex issues that shape our children today."
author of QUEEN BEES AND WANNABES
"Nurture the Nature is up-to-the-minute, filled with wisdom, and an intensely moral book, concerned with helping a child develop a sense of purpose in life, and promoting self-reliance and self-discipline in children. Both as a mother and a psychologist, I could not put this book down!"
professor of psychology, University of Alaska, and national director of The Boys Project
"Michael Gurian has once again produced a magnificent book on children, this one showing us how to appreciate and indeed capitalize on the unique nature within each child. Nurture the Nature should be mandatory reading for parents who want their children to mature into happy healthy human beings which is of course all of us!"
department of psychology, Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University
"Nurture the Nature is thorough, thoughtful, accurate, and brilliant. The science is sound and well researched."
M.D., author, Making a Good Brain Great
"Nurture the Nature is as scientifically sound as it is humane.."
M.D., Chairman, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University
"(Nurture the Nature is) important and liberating...knowing your child is the best parenting advice of all."
May 2007
"In NURTURE THE NATURE, Michael Gurian presents an in-depth, chapter-by-chapter analysis of child development, beginning at infancy and ending in early adulthood. Gurian's presentation is comprehensive and peppered with fascinating facts. The author's new text will help parents begin, in the tradition of Maria Montessori, to "follow the child," rather than adapt their kids to a contemporary one-size-fits-all mold."
May 2007
“I wish I’d had this book when my three boys were young. Chapter 2 is worth the cost of the whole book. A must-read for every parent, this even has great material for raising girls!”
PhD, author and psychologist
“ I can’t think of better people to tackle one of the most compelling issues of the twenty-first century: how to raise our sons. Backed by brain-science research, the Bible, personal experience, and a passion to impact boys, Gregg and Michael have created a playbook for Christian parents. If you have a son, a grandson, or a significant boy in your life, you will want to have this book by your side as you guide him on his journey to manhood.”
pastor of Community of Grace in Peoria, Arizona, and author of Searching for Tom Sawyer: How Parents and Congregations Can Stop the Exodus of Boys from Church
“Raising Boys by Design is a clearly written and helpful book that integrates biblical truth and findings from brain science to enable sons to thrive as they grow up into adulthood.”
PhD, professor of psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary and author of Counseling and Psychotherapy: A Christian Perspective
“We live in a society where it’s dangerous to be a normal, rambunctious, healthy boy. High energy is labeled hyperactive, competitiveness to excel is deemed selfish, and single-mindedness in completion of a task is considered insensitive. Society’s constant attack on normal maleness instills a destructive insecurity and sense of inferiority into countless thousands of otherwise normal healthy men. Raising Boys by Design brilliantly exposes this destructive trend while providing meaningful insights and applicable solutions. If you want to protect your sons from the corrosive effects of today’s world and empower them to become men after God’s own heart, then this book is for you.”
MD, author of The God-Shaped Brain, president-elect of the Tennessee Psychiatric Association, and chairman, board of regents, of the Southern Psychiatric Association
“Raising boys in today’s world is no easy task. We need to understand how boys process their emotions and deal with bullying, peer pressure, technology and other important issues—all of which are covered here. This must-read resource helps equip families to raise sons who will be well adjusted and heroes for life.”
PhD, author of Raising Healthy Kids in an Unhealthy World
“Blending biblical truth with brain science, Raising Boys by Design is truly a ground-breaking resource that offers much-needed insights for guiding boys toward health and success in every area of life.”
PhD, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors and executive director of the Center for Counseling and Family Studies at Liberty University
“Raising Boys by Design is a fascinating and thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s marvelously inspiring, well thought out, and academically supported, but it’s also an intuitive guide to raising boys. Every parent, teacher, and grandparent could benefit from this work.”
author of Sacred Marriage and Sacred Parenting
"The Purpose of Boys is a wakeup call for parents, teachers, counselors, and mentors. This book assembles invaluable insights and resources, especially mentoring resources that will assist in the transition of boys to men and eventually propel them to a purpose driven life."
former President, 100 Black Men of Atlanta
"The Purpose of Boys offers insightful solutions to the problems of so many millennial boys who are 'failing to launch' into productive adulthood."
Ph.D., Director of the Boys Project, and Professor of Psychology, University of Alaska
"The Purpose of Boys provides a clear, research-based view on the significance of fully committing ourselves to the important task of raising our sons. It gives us a useful, applicable set of tools and strategies to do so."
M.D., Founder and Director, NYU Child Study Center
"Upon reading Michael Gurian's new book, The Purpose of Boys, I asked my 8 year old, Evan, what he most anticipated about the future. He said, "Being awesome." I then asked him what he most feared about the future. He said, "Not being awesome." This book changed the way I think about my son and his future, and even more importantly -- how he thinks about his future. This is a great book."
Ph.D. Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University
"Family therapist, author and boy advocate Gurian (The Wonder of Boys; The Minds of Boys) observes that many boys are struggling to find a sense of purpose, and society has not sufficiently stepped up to the plate to help. Gurian paints a grim picture of boys who have lost their footing; many are failing in school; turning to drugs, alcohol or gangs; and engaging in violent behavior. Gurian attributes this disturbing trend to a lack of purpose and urges parents to help their male offspring channel their energies into productive lives. By employing a three-family system, Gurian argues, parents can join together with other adults—leaders, mentors, coaches—and such institutions as schools and churches, to help boys refocus and get back on track. The author offers practical suggestions for helping parents address boys' needs, tackling such issues as sexuality, work and overuse of electronic media. Particularly useful are Gurian's boxed questions for discussion, which will help parents and educators communicate directly with boys themselves. He also includes suggestions to help boys succeed in academic settings, for example, using movement, project-driven curricula and debate. Gurian's team approach to raising a son gives parents the tools and encouragement they need to help boys find direction and fulfillment."
3/2/2009
"Michael Gurian is America's most passionate advocate for boys. In The Purpose of Boys, Gurian creates a rich reading experience and a clear recipe for helping boys to find purpose in their lives."
Ph.D., author of It’s a Boy! and coauthor of Raising Cain
"There is no one who understands the development of boys better than Michael Gurian. In this insightful new book, Gurian offers useful advice about how to help boys succeed in the key challenge of today's world, finding purpose in life."
Ph.D. Professor of Education, Stanford University; Author, The Path to Purpose: Helping our Children find their Calling in Life
“HOW DO I HELP HIM? is a must have and use now book that gives professionals fresh direction, insights, and strategies for working with boys and men. Written by Michael Gurian, one of the world’s foremost experts on male development, this book empowers and equips us to alter counseling environments and theories to work well with males. As Founder of a Counseling and Treatment Center 27 years ago, I only wish this groundbreaking book had been available earlier. “
Ph.D., Founder, the Center for Counseling and Health Resources, and Author of HEALING THE SCARS OF EMOTIONAL ABUSE.
HOW DO I HELP HIM? is a powerful and practical book. It provides a great weaving of stories, statistics and research. While the book was written with therapists and social workers in mind, it actually helps anyone who wants a richer understanding of gender. This book energizes me! I hope everyone in the psychology, law, criminal justice, and mental health fields will read it.
National Director, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).
“In HOW DO I HELP HIM?, Michael Gurian combines brain science, counseling theory, and case study into a readable and informative synthesis that is valuable for those seeking to address the needs of men and boys in therapeutic settings. Amidst all the rhetoric surrounding the “boys’ crisis” today, Gurian provides a clear voice of reason that clarifies the problems and offers plausible solutions. His writing style, as always, is crisp and compelling. This book makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing discourse surrounding the issues that he presents.”
Ph.D., Director, Center for Adolescent Research and Development, Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, New York.
In HOW DO I HELP HIM?, Michael Gurian captures eloquently why talk therapy is so often ineffective for males. Gurian's understanding of boys and men and his wisdom regarding how to alter our approaches can, and hopefully will, change the therapy landscape exponentially in the direction of being meaningful and effective. I highly recommend this book to everyone in the helping professions.
Ph.D., Author of GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS and HOW GIRLS THRIVE.
“In his insightful and practical new guide, HOW DO I HELP HIM?, Michael Gurian, explains why so many men and boys dislike traditional counseling. He argues persuasively that males may resist open-ended discussions of their “feelings,” but they are hungry for mentoring and eager to talk about their core issues of manhood and motivation. This guide is filled with many helpful examples for engaging the male brain. I recommend this book for any therapist who has ever been frustrated in their attempts to reach a men and boys---and that’s all of us!
Ph.D., author of “IT’S A BOY!: YOUR SON”S DEVELOPMENT FROM BIRTH TO EIGHTEEN, and writer/producer of the PBS special RAISING CAIN: PROTECTING THE EMOTIONAL LIVES OF BOYS.
“Gurian explains his theory of “intimate separateness” as the key to healthy long term relationships… Quizzes allow readers to assess the current state of their relationship. (Gurian) almost certainly has it right that most relationships would be bettered by partners cultivating space for their own lives.”
“Gurian culminates a quarter century of work with clients by elucidating the essential piece of marriage that is missing from so many self-help books: intimate separateness. This new paradigm for balanced marriage will change the way America thinks of love, marriage, and relationships.”
financial expert and author of When She Makes More: 10 Rules for Breadwinning Women
“The wise work of Michael Gurian has consistently helped and influenced me professionally and personally. These lessons give new insights and tools for the journey, and a powerful sense of hope that may just breathe new life into your marriage.”
PhD, founder of The Center • A Place of HOPE and author of Healing the Scars of Emotional Abuse
"Lessons of Lifelong Intimacy is a fresh approach...Gurian's material is thoroughly considered and will appeal to most lay readers. Professional, academic, and research psychologists will (also) find this book a solid supplemental resource in their practice."
May 2015
“Lessons of Lifelong Intimacy offers practical steps to turn around a failing or stressful marriage. Dr. Gurian untangles the science of love so that you can understand power struggles and navigate a new and deeper intimacy. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to fan the flames of a love they have begun to take for granted.”
PhD, author of Slippery When Wet: One Woman’s Journey Through the Mystery of Sex
“Can a marriage survive emotional turmoil? Yes! Gurian looks at marriage with a blend of scientific research and his vast clinical experience. Gurian deeply cares about his readers, and along the way, we learn groundbreaking insights into how happy marriages blend intimacy with separateness.”
MD, author of The Secrets of Happily Married Women and The Secrets of Surviving Infidelity
“Lessons of Lifelong Intimacy explores the hidden depths of marriage and relationships. Gurian utilizes cutting-edge neuroscience to help couples experience happy and balanced love. This is an important and powerful book.”
Amen, MD, author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life and coauthor of The Daniel Plan
Sir Cliffords whale has been articulated throughout; so that, like a great chest of drawers, you can open and shut him, in all his bony cavities out his ribs like a gigantic swing all day upon his lower jaw. Locks are to be put upon some of his trap-doors and shutters; and a footman will show round future visitors with a bunch of keys at his side.
Jane, the executive
Sir Clifford thinks of charging twopence for a peep at the whispering gallery in the spinal column; threepence to hear the echo in the hollow of his cerebellum; and sixpence for the unrivalled view from his forehead.
Jackie, the accountant
In both cases, the stranded whales to which these two skeletons belonged, were originally claimed by their proprietors upon similar grounds. King Tranquo seizing his because he wanted it; and Sir Clifford, because he was lord of the seignories of those parts.
John, the thinker