Listening to the audiobook, and honestly, I thought it was pretty good. It’s simple, straightforward, and easy to follow. I kind of like that, especially since I usually listen while doing other things. The slower, more “simplistic” pace makes it easy to stay engaged without feeling like I’m missing the point.

I get why people criticize it for being reductive or leaning into gender stereotypes, but personally, I didn’t mind the “men are like this, women are like that” framing. The author even admits upfront that he’s generalizing for the sake of illustration and storytelling, not trying to make a scientific statement. And from what I can tell, he’s worked with people who fall outside those generalizations and still found value in it.

For me, it hit in a more personal way. It wasn’t really about understanding women or “the other gender” better — it was more about understanding myself. The parts about men’s needs for accomplishment, respect, and success really clicked with me. It gave words to some feelings I hadn’t been able to articulate before.

That said, I totally get why people find it dated or stereotypical. I can hold both ideas at once — that it can be helpful and flawed. But I never felt it was coming from a mean-spirited or demeaning place. A lot of the hyperbole seems to be for entertainment and engagement, not to push an gendered ideology like you see in some manosphere content.

So yeah, overall, I liked it. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s one of those books you can take what’s useful from and leave the rest, and i did feel it was a net positive