Man Down

Title: Man Down
Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt That Women Are Better Cops, Drivers, Gamblers, Spies, World Leaders, Beer Tasters, Hedge Fund Managers, and Just About EVERYTHING ELSE

Author: Dan Abrams
Non-Fiction
Pages: 144

In the age-old battle of the sexes, who reigns supreme? Abrams makes the case for female superiority claiming on the back cover, “Women are smarter, healthier, and unequivocally better than men.” And with his legal background, make a case he does. Abrams references studies and statistics backing up his thesis in an easy-to-read five part, thirty-six chapter case for womankind. That’s not to say it reads like a bland legal brief. Abrams’s conversational writing style keeps it light. This paired with the book’s brief length and contentious claim place it squarely in the coffee-table book category.

While Abrams does make a compelling case, there is some room left for debate. Abrams himself admits doubt regarding the claim in chapter ten—“Women Get Ready Faster Than Men:”

“I am not going to question the findings, and more comprehensive studies in this book have shown that women tend to be more efficient and goal oriented, but I’ll admit that I wonder whether maybe, just maybe, this could be a rogue survey” (46).

Abrams maintains a strong voice throughout the book as he interjects opinions and questions while tackling well known clichés and seldom-considered comparisons such as “Women Are Better at Giving and Following Directions” (Chapter 20) and “Women Are Better Hedge Fund Managers” (Chapter 31).

As you’ve probably worked out from the abovementioned chapters, the title of each chapter presents the claim to be proven. A loosely related oft-humorous quote follows. Only a few pages are allotted to each chapter. Again, this reads like a coffee table book not a treatise on the fairer sex. Abrams makes a pretty straightforward case for each claim of female superiority, but there is the occasional concession to lingering male primacy: “The same Swiss study that proved the message or report read by a woman was deemed more credible also showed that male newscasters were still considered ‘more credible’ overall” (130).

I checked a copy out from the library and read it over the course of three days. As a female member of our species, I wasn’t too surprised by Abrams’s assertions and found myself nodding in agreement with his well-supported conclusions. I imagine it’s much more fun for stoking conversation. Place it on your coffee table, invite over male and female friends, and see what conversation (debate?) ensues.