3 out of 4 stars
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Once the masters of the universe, men find themselves at a disadvantage when civilization tips the scales in favor of the weaker sex. Girls run the world now, and men are bound to follow the rules, also known as social etiquette and moral codes. No longer able to have their ways with women whenever they want, men are not much better than eunuchs (the author’s words, not mine). Fear not, though, for Morris Rollins is here to help them adapt to the new world order and master the chauvinist’s ways to dating.
In his book, The Chauvinist's Guide to Modern Romance, Rollins offers his (overly simplified and stereotypical) understanding of men and women, starting from the very beginning in Eden to modern times. Men are shown how to recognize their personal styles and increase their appeal, whether they are the tough guys, sharp guys, smooth guys, or cavemen. Rollins also provides a detailed breakdown of different types of women, such as nice girls, bad girls, older women, blondes, and femme nazis, completed with tips and advice on how to interact with them. (Satisfaction not guaranteed.)
When I saw this comic dating guide for men, I had to read it out of pure curiosity. The book has a satirical tone and quite a few bold statements that could be offensive when taken in a more serious context. Take this one, for example, “In a way, most women want to be ruled by the right man.” It’s no wonder that the author chose to publish this book under a pen name to avoid the wrath of femme nazis and cavemen.
While I was a little taken aback at the gender stereotypes and generalizations, I did manage to enjoy this book to some extent. It is smartly written and professionally edited. All sections are organized in a logical order and illustrated with eye-catching pictures and graphs. The ones depicting the differences between male and female priorities in life cracked me up. For some reason, however, these images would occasionally shift around when I went back to a previous page on my Kindle app, making it difficult to return to my latest reading position.
This short dating guide, written from the male chauvinist point of view, is meant to be a funny take on romance. Unfortunately, I couldn’t fully enjoy it because I felt it was pushing the limits with some statements. Therefore, I give it 3 out of 4 stars. I’d only recommend The Chauvinist's Guide to Modern Romance to mature readers who enjoy satire due to the sensitive nature of the topic. Potential readers should check out the sample before committing to purchase the book because their enjoyment of it depends on where they draw the line between fun and offensive. I definitely wouldn’t recommend it to someone who won’t tolerate any misogyny even if it’s for humor.
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The Chauvinist's Guide to Modern Romance
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