... clear-eyed, crisply written ... [Hooven] deftly threads the needle of social ferment with her own imperatives as a scientist ... T does what all superb popular science must do: It entertains as it educates ... Ms. Hooven plumbs the dimorphic nature of sex, but she’s also incisive in her exploration of atypical development ... a rich narrative ore, which Ms. Hooven mines with relish ... Ultimately, T is a vigorous defense of the scientific method itself ... She does not shy away from hot-button topics ... confronts ugly truths about male behavior, but also seeks to reintroduce nuance into our discourse by enlarging our grasp of the biological processes shaped by testosterone. T is a gorgeous culmination of an odyssey both professional and personal.
The impact that testosterone has on our bodies, from our sexual urges to our behaviour, is outlined so clearly and memorably in this book that nobody reading it could continue to dismiss nature’s influence ... Starting with an anecdote about a wife-beating chimp, Hooven pulls no punches. This wide-ranging book examines testosterone from every possible angle ... Hooven is, thankfully, a great writer and so manages to makes studies about testosterone levels in different animals such as rats, lizards and red deer compelling ... Hooven’s book is simply fascinating and filled with extraordinary facts ... This is a brave and significant book ... Driven by scientific enquiry, Hooven confronts the thorny issue of puberty blockers in a neutral and informed manner and is not swayed by any political or ideological position. Contentious issues such as medical transition, puberty blockers, detransition, gay male promiscuity, testosterone in men and women’s sports and the complex story of Caster Semenya are explored. Indeed, no issue in relation to testosterone remains uncovered ... After reading this book, I feel like I understand men better and I think I’ll also interact more positively with them. Now that the definitive book on testosterone has been written, I look forward to a similarly wide-ranging book on oestrogen.
Hooven, a biological anthropologist at Harvard, deftly details the tremendous impact of testosterone ('T') on 'our bodies, brains, and behavior in the service of reproduction' ... Skepticism and, at times, hostility regarding some significant effects of T have surfaced. But Hooven effectively counters erroneous or misleading assertions about testosterone, a hormone so culturally familiar to most of us that it’s frequently designated by a single letter.
... a thorough and interesting assessment of the science behind testosterone and human behavior ... In addition to the science, Hooven provides cultural context, including personal narratives from people who have transitioned, as well as one person who has detransitioned; she lets people tell their stories in their own words, allowing for a more complete picture. Hooven encourages readers to approach this information through an evidence-based lens and to question their own judgments. Her insight into evolutionary biology and human behavior will be valuable not only to scientists but to anyone interested in social change ... A provocative, academic, accessible look at the science behind human behavior, suitable for those interested in natural and social sciences.
... comprehensive ... Hooven also explores testosterone’s effects on aggression, and her consideration of its impact on athletic performance is provocative ... The scope of Hooven’s research is impressive and her writing is refreshingly free of jargon. The result is an approachable introduction to an often misunderstood aspect of human biology.
... timely and intriguing yet eminently debatable territory ... Much of this boils down to the ancient question of nature vs. nurture, and Hooven walks a fine line between the two ... The author privileges definitions of sex while not giving much breathing room for contending notions of gender ... Moderately interesting popular science likely to excite academic debate on sex and gender.
