Emily Senay contributes her medical expertise and journalistic voice to provide information for which most women have long been clamoring. Certainly, we’ve all felt that frustration or confusion when our father, son, or significant other encounters a health problem and ignores it. It is the male epidemic of proving their manliness that has created an average shorter lifespan for males. Interestingly, men who are married live longer and stay healthier. When a man has a dedicated woman in his life, she unknowingly or unwittingly takes on the role as Dr. Mom. It’s this phenomenon that is at the center of Dr. Senay’s book.

As a daughter, wife and mother to a son, she gives the reader a very personal breakdown of each medical issue that the men in your life could face. The areas that were the most informative were the ones on cancer, depression, anger, circumcision, infections of the penis, obesity, sports and heart disease. The first chunk of the book makes the point that men rely on the women in their life to take care of their health. Statistics pointing to the responsible nature of women’s habits will have the female reader feeling pretty smug.

The section dedicated to young sons isn’t very comprehensive, but becomes more involved when discussing the teenage years. It’s really the information geared towards dealing with adult males that is the most exhaustive and valuable. Any woman will be able to get a better grasp on typical male issues and how to approach the possibly fragile male ego that avoids attention and treatment. This book is a great reference book to have in the house; although it is just slightly outdated because gender research moves so quickly.

For a mainstream guide to dealing with various male issues, this book is probably all you would need to get started. Reading it cover to cover is only for the truly ambitious, but it is valuable for a woman looking for a well-rounded understanding of men’s health. Pick up a copy here.