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Surviving Men: The Smart Woman's Guide to Staying on Top
Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here
What every woman (and most men) should know about Indian men... Best-selling novelist and columnist Shobha De gives us a provocative, no-holds-barred guide to the Indian man. Among the questions she asks and answers are the following: Are men worth the time women spend on them? Is it possible to actually love a man? Are men any good in bed? Do men have real feelings? What are men most anxious about? What do men like about women? What do women like about men? How does a woman train a man? What are the most hateful things about men? Can men and women ever be friends? Candid and controversial, witty and wise, Surviving Men is the first and last word on the Indian male.
What every woman (and most men) should know about Indian men... Best-selling novelist and columnist Shobha De gives us a provocative, no-holds-barred guide to the Indian man. Among the questions she asks and answers are the following: Are men worth the time women spend on them? Is it possible to actually love a man? Are men any good in bed? Do men have real feelings? What are men most anxious about? What do men like about women? What do women like about men? How does a woman train a man? What are the most hateful things about men? Can men and women ever be friends? Candid and controversial, witty and wise, Surviving Men is the first and last word on the Indian male.
300 pages, Paperback
First published November 13, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 30, 2017
I had read this book years back when I had all sorts of questions about the 'mysteries of men". I found every word to be true and fascinating, including the dollops of humour added in every sentence just to make it light hearted. She had it nailed with her sharp intelligence and quick-wittedness.
She has indeed studied men especially in an urban Indian background. I could not put the book down and it definitely became My Bible for a period of time and really helped me cope up with my newly unravelled disappointing discoveries about MEN and helped me feel better that I am not the only victim or anywhere close to insanity, but these species actually exist as portrayed and the only way to cope up with them is to accept with a humorous heart as demonstrated by Shobha De.
After reading this book I became a great fan of hers during those days and even happened to meet her and appreciate her work. In fact I developed a taste for reading books(non-fiction) and preferred them to fiction ones.... Hats off to her level of guts and audacity and surviving all the backlashes and criticism from many of the unsporting readers.
The language and tone used in "Surviving Men" is typical of Upper class English speaking Bombayites during the 90s.
She has indeed studied men especially in an urban Indian background. I could not put the book down and it definitely became My Bible for a period of time and really helped me cope up with my newly unravelled disappointing discoveries about MEN and helped me feel better that I am not the only victim or anywhere close to insanity, but these species actually exist as portrayed and the only way to cope up with them is to accept with a humorous heart as demonstrated by Shobha De.
After reading this book I became a great fan of hers during those days and even happened to meet her and appreciate her work. In fact I developed a taste for reading books(non-fiction) and preferred them to fiction ones.... Hats off to her level of guts and audacity and surviving all the backlashes and criticism from many of the unsporting readers.
The language and tone used in "Surviving Men" is typical of Upper class English speaking Bombayites during the 90s.
Read
August 7, 2011Male bashing book.. about penis-fixation of India women.. bottomline of India women- Khana, peena or dhena( quoted Ms. De). But lost this book to a lady friend who has disappeared from Kathmandu since 1998.
Read
August 27, 2012Kept chuckling all through the book XD Shobhaa excels at what she's best at yet again! ;-)
January 1, 2015
One of the best book to come out from the author.It is a must read for all women and men to.
February 2, 2016
It's a complete waste of time. I feel lucky My mind survived this one.
April 24, 2023
One word: Dehumanizing
Don't get me wrong; I can objectively see and appreciate the wit and humor that the book is trying to capture, and I can imagine that there will be a specific set of people who would enjoy this humor and be able to relate and laugh along with the author as she shares the anecdotes and opinions (not so subtly learned through experience I presume). But unfortunately i found out the hard way that I am very far away from that group of readers, and this objectively humorous piece is lost on me. I can't say I was very disappointed, since I clearly set myself up for just that when I decided to read it in spite of the obvious implications from the title. I guess I didn't know what I expected. But after 100 pages in, I didn't want to keep going anymore.
For anyone trying to go in, reading my review, try not to be too discouraged. Your opinion and taste may very well be different from mine. But in case that's not the case, just remember to take it in with a pinch of salt.
Don't get me wrong; I can objectively see and appreciate the wit and humor that the book is trying to capture, and I can imagine that there will be a specific set of people who would enjoy this humor and be able to relate and laugh along with the author as she shares the anecdotes and opinions (not so subtly learned through experience I presume). But unfortunately i found out the hard way that I am very far away from that group of readers, and this objectively humorous piece is lost on me. I can't say I was very disappointed, since I clearly set myself up for just that when I decided to read it in spite of the obvious implications from the title. I guess I didn't know what I expected. But after 100 pages in, I didn't want to keep going anymore.
For anyone trying to go in, reading my review, try not to be too discouraged. Your opinion and taste may very well be different from mine. But in case that's not the case, just remember to take it in with a pinch of salt.
February 7, 2022
Hilarious, insightful, much-needed research for a writer looking for insights on the subject.
This book was my doorway to the writings of Shobhaa De.
5/5
This book was my doorway to the writings of Shobhaa De.
5/5
February 9, 2015
This is one of the worst pieces of writing i have come across in years. The writer lacks any sense of balance, subtlety, depth or sophistication in her thoughts. This is pure misandry. A similar book on women would have been the cause of major uproar and rage. Alas, we live in the times when one can get away with writing anything about men. I didn't want to give a single star to this one. Consider my rating in the negative.
August 18, 2007
I'd first read this book a few years back and have just finished re-reading it. Absolutely amazing, the humor is the proverbial velvet glove to the iron fisted dissection of the male species. Only thing better would be some enterprising and articulate guy writing "surviving women"
June 20, 2015
Waste of time....
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews