Adult nonfiction; education/social issues. Peg Tyre builds on the work of Leonard Sax but fails to add much new apart from some perspective on why people have trouble acknowledging that boys are in fact at a disadvantage in today's educational institutions (it has a lot to do with not wanting to take attention or support away from the feminist movement). Her research is also somewhat spotty and not thoroughly convincing; however, teachers and parents of boys who struggle in school will be well advised to read this as well as Sax's Boys Adrift and Why Gender Matters. ( )

It's hard to give this book any stars because the thesis goes against most of what I believe is going on in our schools. I plan to unpack my thoughts on my blog once I have a chance to fully digest this monument to boys' weaknesses.

Peg Tyre provides a sobering look at how the modern school system is failing boys. Boys nationwide, across all lines of wealth and poverty are straggling behind girls. Boys are less motivated, less inclined to participate in school activities. This goes from homework to extracurriculars (not including sports). Since so much effort has been put into supporting and promoting female success at school, the success of the boys has fallen by the wayside.

More at http://thenovelworld.com/2014/08/11/the-trouble-with-boys-by-peg-tyre/ ( )

From the beginning, I was really annoyed by the tone of Tyre's writing. It seemed like she was really talking down to her readers, saying things like "stay with me while I give you some important facts", etc. as if I couldn't pay attention through anything remotely scientific. But I did think some of her info was pretty interesting. This book draws attention to the ways that current education trends are failing boys. I have a very young son (19 months) and I felt that it was good to have some of these thoughts on the radar. The statistics are really shocking - even middle class, white boys are far behind the girls in their classes and standardized tests in EVERY subject, even science and math, traditionally thought to be "boy" subjects. This starts in pre-school where boys are expelled (you can be expelled from preschool?!!!!) at 4 times the rate of girls and continues through college where now males only make up about 40% of students, even with some "affirmative action" in favor of boys.

This was an interesting, if poorly written book. ( )

This was a very interesting book about the disadvantages of boys in our society and educational system today. ( )