Publishers Weekly
02/21/2022
The differences between men and women are studied via humans’ primate relatives in this fascinating survey. Primatologist de Waal (Mama’s Last Hug) writes that “we have a bit of each ape inside us, while in addition we’ve had several million years to evolve our own unique traits,” and mines his extensive experience observing chimpanzees and bonobos. Some insights confirm stereotypes (male apes like playing with toy trucks, females are “besotted with infants”) while others undermine them (females can be as sexually avid as males). The bonobos, de Waal writes, are “peaceful, sex-loving and female-dominated,” and, he notes, some primates exhibit homosexual and gender-bending proclivities. De Waal connects these findings to human anthropology and psychology, staking a middle ground in gender controversies: he’s “not sure... raising children genderless does them much of a favor,” and asserts that “being transgender is intrinsic and constitutional... I mean the opposite of socially constructed.” De Waal shines in his empathetic, Tolstoyan portrait of animal life: “I found Luit sitting in a puddle of blood, leaning his head dejectedly against the bars of his night cage,” he writes of a mortally wounded chimp. “He heaved the deepest sigh when I stroked his head.” This surprising look at the nature of primates has a lot to say about what it means to be human. Photos. (Apr.)
Los Angeles Review of Books - Paul R. Abramson
"A game-changer.... De Waal’s prose is concise and straightforward. His sensitivity to the prevailing zeitgeist that surrounds sex and gender is evident.... There’s no end, in fact, to the fascinating details that emerge from this book, all carefully tied to supporting explanations, historical context, the prevalence of misinformation, the tendency to censor, the power of mindless biological determinism, and whatever else might be necessary for de Waal to make his point. Humor, and the curious anecdote, are never far behind.... Different is a towering achievement."
Carl Zimmer
"Different has many surprises in store for you, surprises that will leave you humble about complex primate evolution has been, surprises that will leave you humble about complex primate evolution has been, and how much we have yet to learn about how it shapes our lives."
Rutger Bregman
"Every new book by Frans de Waal is a cause for excitement, and this one is no different. A breath of fresh air in the cramped debate about the differences between men and women. Fascinating, nuanced and very timely."
Times Literary Supplement - Carol Tavris
"Dive into Frans de Waal’s magnum opus.... brilliant."
Science - Barbara J. King
"A smart interactionist framework, in which biological and socioenvironmental influences on human behavior are entwined."
Robert M. Sapolsky
"Women versus men. Sex versus gender. Biology versus social inculcation. Few domains more effectively tempt fools to rush in than the topic of sex differences. In this case, however, rather than being a fool, Frans de Waal is our wisest primatologist, turning his attention to this irresistible topic. With great clarity, insight, and wit, he examines human sex differences, never once letting us forget that, at the end of the day, we are just another kind of primate. This is a superb, intensely stimulating read."
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy
"It is a brave man these days who ventures into the minefield of gender differences. But Frans de Waal relies on a gift for storytelling, a sincere respect for culture, along with intimate knowledge of longtime bonobo and chimpanzee associates to deftly negotiate this treacherous terrain. Wise and humane."
The Guardian - Laura Spinney
"Entrancing.... de Waal brings to life the complexity of sex and social behaviour in other apes.... Whether or not you agree with him, Different is worth reading for its anecdotes alone."
Desmond Morris
"The current debate on the subject of gender differences is in need of a calm biological assessment which Frans de Waal’s thoughtful book Different gives us."
Andrew Solomon
"Moving with fluidity and grace between animal and human models, Frans de Waal demonstrates how many common social prejudices that we deem ‘natural’ are in fact anything but. His crisp writing, his skillful deployment of anecdote, and his deep knowledge of animal science inform this nuanced and profound consideration not only of difference but also of sameness."
Yuval Noah Harari
"A brilliant and fascinating book that brings a scientific, compassionate and balanced approach to some of the hottest controversies about sex and gender."
Tamra Mendelson
"Adds an important evolutionary dimension to one of the most complex issues of our time.... The beauty of a book by Frans de Waal is that once you read it, you’ll never look at your own species the same way again."
Sy Montgomery
"This book is superb! Frans de Waal is not only one of the world’s most respected primatologists—he’s also a ballsy feminist who, in these riveting pages, ventures into territory where most writers in academia and letters fear to tread.… These pages are packed with great stories, fascinating data, and thought-provoking ideas. They are sure to spark the important conversations we all—male and female, queer and straight, trans and nonbinary—need to have to create a more just and equitable human society."
Barbara J. King - Science
"A smart interactionist framework, in which biological and socioenvironmental influences on human behavior are entwined."
Library Journal
02/01/2022
Primatologist de Waal (Emory Univ.; Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us About Ourselves) applies his decades of observation of apes to examine human behavior and its relation to gender and biological sex. He contends that biological sex, for all its implications, does not intrinsically support the gender roles that exist in human societies; rather, gendered behaviors, roles, and proclivities are evolutionary social adaptations with biological origin. De Waal looks to humans' nearest genetic relatives—chimpanzees and bonobos—for comparison. But "different" also applies to these three ape species, which have developed remarkably dissimilar social structures and ways of relating within and between the sexes, so while de Waal's observations are fascinating, the social lessons of this study can be elusive. His perspective is that gender arises from biological distinctions in human bodies and brains but is overlaid and complicated by socialization and culture, and he takes great pains to make clear that description is not endorsement of sexist or patriarchal behavior or sex- or gender-based oppression. The book's slippery conflation of the terms "gender" and "sex" muddies this point, as does its lack of engagement with transgender, nonbinary, or intersex experiences. VERDICT A biological view of human sex differences that could have more explicitly engaged sociology and gender studies but opens much room for discussion.—Wade Lee-Smith
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2022-01-04
What humans can learn from anthropoid apes.
World-renowned primatologist de Waal draws on a long career of investigating chimpanzees and bonobos—both equally close to humans genetically—to argue with wit and clarity against assumptions about sex and gender that generate inequality. With anthropoid apes his main focus, the author also looks to many other species (mice, tortoises, marmosets, and whales, among them) for evidence in responding to salient questions: Does the behavior of men and women differ naturally, or is it culturally determined? Are there only two genders? Does gender account for differences in intelligence, aggression, leadership, cooperation, and competition? Are females naturally more empathetic than males? The author demonstrates how chimpanzees and bonobos are studies in contrast. Chimpanzee society “is aggressive, territorial, and run by males. Bonobos are peaceful, sex-loving, and female dominated.” Yet de Waal highlights similarities between the sexes in both societies—in intelligence, cooperation, and competition, for example, and even in leadership. Although males are generally larger and the “overwhelming source” of physical violence, still, “violence is not their default condition,” nor is it the only way an ape can exert power. Debunking theorists who insist that all behavior is dictated by genetic inheritance, de Waal underscores the “dynamic interplay between genes and the environment.” As for sexual behavior and identity, the author asserts that being transgender “is intrinsic and constitutional”—i.e., “the opposite of socially constructed.” Same-sex behavior is found among penguins as well as 450 other species, including humans’ close relatives anthropoid apes, and de Waal notes the prevalence of “female sexual adventurism,” which contradicts the idea that males are sexually insatiable. “It’s time to abandon the myth that men have a stronger sex drive and are more promiscuous than women,” he writes. The author enlivens his pages with attentive, sometimes moving portraits of animals he has encountered as well as anecdotes about his own experiences as one of six brothers.
Engaging, enlightening, and deeply informative.
