Y: The Descent of Men

by Steve Jones

In his highly entertaining and enlightening book, the acclaimed geneticist and author Steve Jones offers a landmark exploration of maleness. With effervescent wit, Jones argues that men, biologically speaking, are the true second sex. Here he lays out the cases for and against masculinity -- exploring every biological aspect from the genesis of the Y chromosome onward -- based on the recent explosion of biological research. Along the way, he offers pithy commentary on topics such as male hormones, hair loss, and the hydraulics of man's most intimate organ. Fascinating and often surprising, Jones's evidence offers fresh fuel for the battle of the sexes.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biology, Evolution, Genetics, Popular Science, History

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

John Stephen Jones is a Welsh geneticist and from 1995 to 1999 and 2008 to June 2010 was Head of the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at University College London. His studies are conducted in the Galton Laboratory. He is also a television presenter and a prize-winning author on the subject of biology, especially evolution. He is one of the contemporary popular writers on evolution. In 1996 his writing won him the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize "for his numerous, wide ranging contributions to the public understanding of science in areas such as human evolution and variation, race, sex, inherited disease and genetic manipulation through his many broadcasts on radio and television, his lectures, popular science books, and his regular science column in The Daily Telegraph and contributions to other newspaper media".

Reviews

[Nicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is another of Steve Jones' updates/responses to/homages to Charles Darwin's work. It's probably remarkably different in many ways, in terms of the content, but it is an interesting read. I do think Jones goes a bit too much into gender essentialism -- I played rough with my sister and the local boys, which the female-bodied are allegedly hard-wired not to do -- and sometimes his constant reiteration that the Y chromosome is dying out seems a little hysterical, like maybe it might give fuel to the men's rights people.

And if he could maybe stop talking about promiscuous gay men causing the spread of AIDs in every book, that'd be great. (I don't care how true it may be, straight people get AIDs too, thank you very much.)

There is interesting stuff here in terms of genetics, foetal development, even the development of the human race as witnessed by the Y chromosome. Honestly, though, I'm not finding Jones' work that fun to read -- it seems to drag on forever -- so once I've finished the last one I have out of the library, that'll be it.

[Robert Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

In which the author wittles himself to death about the possibility that men are largely redundant.

I liked the science (biology mostly) and the picture on the front (someone swimming?) I disliked the writing (too many 'vague pronouns'*), the examples (men being vaguely useless, including the author) and the pessimistic tone of the whole book.

Don't bother reading this unless you are a real nut for ... ach, I don't know. My advice: just don't bother.

*Pronouns are frequently used in academic writing, but the use of ‘vague pronouns’ can be problematic. A pronoun is considered to be vague when it is difficult to determine what the pronoun refers to (the antecedent). Ambiguity or confusion can occur when demonstrative pronouns, such as ‘this’ or ‘it’ (which have no clear antecedents), are used to begin a sentence. (Leila Emery - https://www.aje.com/en/arc/editing-ti...)

[Rebecca_harley · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a long time to get into this book, and even longer to finish it. The order seems a bit random, and the author tends to jump back and forth between topics anyway. He only very briefly discusses matters such as sexism, homosexuality and transgenderism/sexuality which I think should have been given more coverage. I was expecting the book to be filled with purely genetics and scientific fact, however it became clear quite quickly that a lot was closer to sociology and there was a lot of what I would call speculation. In summary I feel as though this book was simply an example of self-indulgence on the writer's part and contributes very little to genetics or biology, but perhaps that's because I am female.

[Rahele Tavana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As typical of Steve Jones books, lots of jumping back and forth. You can't follow one story without being presented lots of different stories at the same time, but overall, an amazingly interesting book.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Sometimes the author can try to cram so much information in that the writing becomes unclear.

[Happy Wang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fascinating take on the origin of the male sex as well as its future involving topics from genetics to evolution.

[Damen Chan · Rating 2 out of 5]

社會對性別角色的期待，會隨著社會結構的變遷而轉變。在遠古的狩獵採集社會裡，男性負責狩獵，幾乎是高質蛋白的唯一來源；女性負責採集，同樣是支撐群族生存的穩定力量。這種明確分工，讓兩性平等，男女關係步入歷史上鮮見的蜜月期。

及後農業興起，體能成為最重要的生產力量。女性在體能上比男性遜色得多，勞動力的核心移到男性身上，於是歷史的機遇讓男性慢慢握有實權——我們的父權社會，就是這樣開始的。

但科技改變了歷史的走向。男性體能再好，也及不上農業機械；這些機械甚至可由女性來操作；城市的經濟核心，亦從農業遷到服務業。女性憑著天生柔韌、善於溝通與表達的天性，在服務業比男性吃開得多。今天的社會裡，男女平權的呼聲越來越高；部份女權主義者更視男性為父權制度下的既得利益者，誓要將父權制度掃進歷史的垃圾堆裡。

現實是：男性是不是真如部份女權主義者所言，日子過得那麼爽？那為何部份男性又有「多一根，苦一生」的感慨？

史蒂夫·瓊斯（Steve Jones）的大作《Y染色體：男子漢的本質》（Y：The Descent of Men）告訴我們，種種生理事實顯示，男性才是兩性中的弱者。

脆弱的Y
人類身上每個細胞所攜帶的23對染色體，有一對稱為「性染色體」，在兩性中並不一樣。女性擁有兩條相同的性染色體X和X，男性有的卻是相異的X和Y。就是這一字之別，將男女的生理發展分道揚鑣，亦是男性衰敗史的開始。

女性的XX是對互相力挺的好拍檔。在X身上，若存有某些負面的穩性基因，只要拍檔能正常發揮，對女性的健康就沒有影響。但男性的染色體是XY，它們是個貌合神離的結合，若X染色體上帶有負面的穩性基因，便會在男性身上顯現出來；男性患有遺傳病的比例比女性高得多，正正就是這個原因。

當年那些因氣候變化而踏上孤島的猛獁象，牠們滅絕的命運，從牠們踏上孤島的那一刻起，便已經注定了。Y染色體也是個演化孤島，在減數分裂的過程裡，它始終保留著男性特質的關鍵部份，只與X色體交換相當有限的基因——換句話說，Y沒有「備份」，它只能靠「迴文字」這樣的基因重複編碼，兩邊互抄作某種力挽狂瀾的掙扎，結果基因的複製錯誤會在它身上不斷累積，最終退化，讓Y染色體要比其他染色體要細小得多。

有一派科學家認為，Y染色體會持續縮小，一如某些雄性動物，Y染色體消失得無影無蹤；亦有另一派科學家，認為當下的Y染色體已達成「輕量化」的極致，只餘下最核心的機能，沒有再縮小的空間了。事實如何，只能待歲月告訴我們了。

睾丸酮的迷思
Y染色體大費周章，不惜犧牲男性的利益而保留的那些男性特質，到底是什麼？其中一個特質，就是生產睾丸酮的一雙睾丸。

睾丸酮是最常被流行文化神化的雄性化合物。鳥類的研究讓我們知道，睾丸酮越高的幼鳥，其發育越快，甚至對其他幼鳥表現出攻擊性；有證據顯示，睾丸酮較高的幼鳥，長大後亦有較高的生殖成就——牠們的子女更多，基因更有可能傳遞下去。

事實上，無論是雄鳥羽色亮麗的花俏外衣，巨鹿雄偉的大角，還是海象好勇鬥狠的臭脾氣，其秘密都在睾丸酮——它讓雄性意得志滿，喜強好勝，探索未知；說睾丸酮是建立帝國，世界大戰的歷史底因或許是太超過的說詞，但睾丸酮確是在關鍵時刻推男性一把的時代推手。沒有睾丸酮這劑天然春藥，吳三桂又豈會「衝冠一怒為紅顏」引青兵入關？雄性又豈會為求偶而干犯奇險，做盡蠢事？

在台灣，威而鋼（Viagra）索價差不多是五百元台幣一顆，絕對算不上是便宜。睾丸酮雖是天然春藥，卻以削弱我們的免疫系統為代價；亮麗羽色的背後，遮蓋著一個容易受傷的肉身：雄性其實外強中乾，比女性的免疫系統衰弱得多；另一方面，高濃度的睾丸酮意味著新陳代謝的加速，情形就像猛踏油門將引擎加速到儀錶板裡的紅線區——引擎的確轉得更快，損耗卻也更快。為什麼不論文化，男性的平均壽命都比女性短？睾丸酮讓男性干冒奇險故然是原因，但男性的生理機制讓他們的上半生都在「超頻加速」，又怎可能不早衰？

隨著男性年齡漸長，完成傳遞基因的歷史任務之後，他們的睾丸酮水平普遍都會下降，放大雌激素的影響力；與此相反的是女性會因停經而讓雌激素水平下降，而放大睾丸酮的影響力；於是男女在生理上開始靠攏，變得比較相似。但睾丸酮對男性投下的陰影，卻依舊長伴餘生：無論是男性禿頭，還是前列腺肥大，背後的成因都是睾丸酮受體因年齡而變得更敏感而失控暴走。

男性液壓學
世上從來沒有一個主題公園，會建在污水明渠上面。男性的性器官卻和排泄器官共用一條管道，精液尿液都從同一個小開口跑出來，只能理解成是天擇的黑色幽默。

但天擇對男性的戲謔，似乎還不止於此。大多數的哺乳類動物，都有陰莖骨來為交配助上一臂之力，偏偏男性的陰莖「柔弱無骨」。要完成交配的重責大任，唯有讓陰莖勃起；本書戲稱的「男性液壓學」（Hydraulics for Boys） ，說明的就是陰莖勃起的一套生理機制。

簡單而籠統地說，幫浦、閥門與液體，就是讓陰莖勃起的全套機械設備，它就是場始於化學，終於物理的儀式。男性的勃起關鍵在陰莖的血液進出量。多數時候，陰莖裡的動脈閥門處於關閉狀態；一旦開啟，血液便大量湧入陰莖的貯液囊，一方面讓陰莖勃起，另一方面卻又壓迫靜脈血管，阻礙血液流出，讓陰莖維持在挺立狀態。這套機械系統看似簡單，背後卻有套為女性篩選入幕之賓的邏輯：只有心臟強健，血壓正常的男性，才有勃起的能力；勃起是身體健康的一種明證。

科學家告訴我，這就是男性沒有陰莖骨的理由：讓女性篩選健康的男性。那我不禁要問：為何只有男性才要承受這種試練？為何其他雄性動物不用以此證明其身體健康？

談情說性從來都不缺話題。但正因為話題繁花似錦，要集中在幾個有趣而引人入勝的主題裡，從來都不是容事。全書有趣的地方不少，例如Y染色體的退化史、別開生面而又帶戲謔式的男性生理說明，都讓本書生色不少。

但平淡如水的主題卻更多——庶出、閹人⋯⋯這些主題當然不能說和男性無關，但它們的篇幅太長太多，貪多慕得反而稀釋了本書（我認為）更有價值的部份。另外，男性的性健康是很重要的主題，在本書只提及一鱗半爪，男性如何增強性能力？如何讓您的伴侶滿意您的性表現？男性年齡漸長，該保持性生活嗎？這些問題露骨直白，答案卻又十分重要，但在本書中完全付之闕如，在一本「談男人」的書竟沒有談及這些問題，倒是十分可惜的。

在閱讀本書其間，我去了一轉日本旅遊，多少都影響了我的閱讀品質，或許以上的批評，是我的偏見而已。

無論如何，對Y染色體感興趣的朋友，應該可在本書學到不少。畢竟我們男性若能對汽車如數家珍，那對伴隨自己一生的染色體和陰莖，又豈能一無所知？

[Aurélien Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a title which is both an hint at Darwin's 'The Descent of Man' and, an humorous allusion to the Fragile Y Hypothesis ('descent' as in decline, for Steve Jones clearly adheres to it) here's a book that delivers exactly what it implies on the tin: a witty yet enlightening read on evolutionary biology.

Sure, it can be tough at times. I mean, if you're not familiar with the basics of genetics (including the Fragile Y Hypothesis then) some passages will be a bit challenging to go through. Nevertheless, it remains a brilliant work of popular science, far-ranging and full of fascinating titbits about the making of the human male. Guarding against the dangers of reductionism/ biological determinism, but still brave enough to compare us to other species, the author also shows brilliant insights, served by an engaging and witty writing style that makes, all in all, for an engrossing read.

Yes, it does have its weaknesses!
First, claiming the Y chromosome may disappear within ten million years -given its fragility and rate of decay- is a controversial idea that has been challenged even since the publication of this book. Then, Steve Jones may at times seem to loose the plot, as when he gets tangled up in debates on circumcision or castration. Indeed I found here that, ironically, he was falling into a trap he himself is keen to denounce that is, using science as a sole determinant to societal decisions when it should be only one of it. Well! This might be only my own impression because, I confess I found it regretful too that, at other times, he didn't go far enough in using the insights of biology to debunk some ideological rubbish (e.g. Kennewick Man as an argument against racism)!

Whatever, 'The Descent of Men' remains a very good read, both delightful and very instructive. I really liked it!

[Esther Eastwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a geneticist, this book didn’t really include much genetics. I was expecting there to be more information about the evolution of the Y chromosome and scientific detail about its disintegration over time.

Instead, Jones goes into rambling detail on numerous other topics, which I expect he doesn’t have academic qualifications for. I noticed a lot of hand-waving when it came to his arguments, and he often went down a rabbit hole of explaining male behaviour, only to say that this is all speculation and that this could be all due to societal expectation and nurture.

I read on because there were interesting elements of the book, even though I think it felt slightly outdated - when I looked up some of the facts included, it turned out that modern research has disputed the claims he makes here.

I’m also not a massive fan of Jones’ prose - he is overly lyrical at times, and it seemed at times that he was struggling to come up with new ways to refer to aspects of ‘maleness’ which he was trying to write about.

[Peter Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit that when I started this book I was a bit distracted but this book did nothing to gain my attention or grab me. It just ended up as a string of interesting facts, sometimes connected sometimes not. Often the facts made you want to dig deeper behind the initial anecdote but, no, it was straight on to the next 'interesting fact' so that in the end you just ended up feeling worn out by fact after fact after fact. I persevered after the distraction had passed and the only improvement was a slight improvement in the readability which might be down to the fact that I didn't feel obliged to think about the relentless procession of facts but just press on to the next one. It's frustrating as the author is clearly a master of his subject but just lacked the ability to communicate this mastery.

[Giulia B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found it difficult to finish this book, mostly because chapters have a title about something, then an introduction about something else and then the author starts taking about something completely different (chapter 8 was agony).
Beside following him through random topics and having statistics and trivia about genitals and sex in other animals thrown in, I didn't quite catch the point of this (there's no fil rouge connecting the topics, beside "men" - and that is a very large topic to talk about)

[KitCat · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult book to get into - the path is windy and the chapters are filled with interesting facts but you need to wade into it to find those facts. There are also interesting theories and opinions which you need to spend some time differentiating from the facts.

This is very much a general overview of a bunch of information loosely packaged around the journey of the Y chromosome. The author delves into the topic covering facts on animal mating, social history, socialization theory and a half dozen others.

[Stuart Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very entertaining information intermixed with some deep genetics which went way over my head.
Of particular note was the exploration of genetic heritage around the globe and how different cultures may have intermixed.
Not a book to read in one sitting, so I had the right approach of dipping in and out.

[Goran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting...

[Sue Chant · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit thin and anecdotal compared to his previous genetics books.

[Neil Aplin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing so far. Too much detail on the science that loses me.

Not successful at reading whole book, skipped after a third of the way in, but read some of the last pages as earmarked by Dad!

[Farrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Men have become the weaker sex, eh? Simone de Beauvoir would love this. Baldness, circumcision, the struggle of the little swimmy sperm, paternity, and erectile dysfunction must really burn. Too bad these are super shallow and have no real bearing on maleness and superiority in modern society. But they lose their hair...so that's something.

I like that he spans different cultures and geographies to offer a thorough examination of "prepuce" removal, so that gets a star. The history of circumcision is interesting, on the realsies. But, this guy sounds a little rapey at times, like an MRA fuckrag.

And it's like, "AIDS" bla bla bla "Africa" and "AIDS" and "Kenya." Other people get AIDS too, as he says of the US " highest incidence of the illness in the developed world" but only gives stats on Africa.

Being that I studied gender on an annoyingly grandiose level, the final chapters come off as amateur hour in an Introduction to the Sociology of Gender course at a junior college. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I took that class. Years later, I taught that class. But this drivel is sophomoric. Admittedly, I'm not the audience for this book. I was hoping for some new perspectives, challenges to my cavewoman thoughts, or simply some interesting reading. Alas...

I will say, that there is a sentence which got me thinking:

"the notion of modern man as the savage tamed is...." . His concluding thoughts on the matter bore me. But the first half of the sentence got me thinking--what is the appeal? Things like the Sterling Institute, men's retreats, the fascination with cavemen, the Paleo diet etc. Is it comforting or empowering to know that we, as modern humans, have power over nature? It takes away the symbiosis of our roles in nature.

Also, our working lives have changed through time, as we live in "a world filed with professions rather than trades." OK, OK, So i got a new perspective and liked more than one sentence.

But the muck he ends with about the ascent of woman matched with an equivalent descent of man? Go back to your MRA meeting, meathead.

[Peter K · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and illuminating book from the eminent scientist that covers much ground. He ranges across explanations of the biological differences between women and men being grounded in the different distribution of the X & Y chromosome and the weaknesses that this can create in the male. He covers sociological ground also as well as pure scientific explanation and I enjoyed reading it throughout. The only questions I would have related to the last chapter that seemed to be rather more speculative than previous chapters about the balance in society between men and women but this is a minor query

[Danielle T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read Darwin's The Descent of Man yet so I can't tell if Steve Jones is trying to parallel structure here, though it's certainly a slimmer volume. A nice broad survey of all the things that make someone biologically male- hormones and genes that play a role in development, the mechanics of the penis, the diversity of sperm types across Animalia, tracing genealogy via the Y chromosome, etc. He provides a list of further reading for nonspecialists which could be handy, though because this was published >10 years ago you may be better off googling newer material.

[Veronika KaoruSaionji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poor and silly colection of sometimes very interesting facts about men (human males). But, it would be great if there could be some (much better) book about women (human females)! And similar good one about men (huma males), too.
Plus, the autor clearly very fear feminity, which can "to devour" him. Nothing for me. But I was able to read it whole - amazing me. :o)
But maybe, for (some?) male readers good book - I don´t know, because I am female one. :o)

[P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Jones' y, is an elegantly written discussion of maleness, masculinity, manhood, in the latin VIRTU. He touches all bases in a wry yet exhaustive manner. From his initial claims that man is truly the second sex to his exhaustive discussion of the penis and all penile issues and beyond, he does a masterful job.

[Kirsty Darbyshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fabulous look at what makes men men and at all kinds of aspects of masculinity, all of the obvious ones and a few that aren't. Lots of genetic stuff as you'd expect but quite a lot that dives out into other areas of biology and beyond. Great writer as well as a good scientist.

[Genetic Cuckoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real page turner of a book. Wonderful and enlightening at the same time. It explored the origins of the Y chromosome and some interesting studies and findings regarding the evolution of sex and sexual reporduction. This is a must read for anyone interested in genetics.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possibly because I don't own the chromosome in question, I did not find this as involving as Jones's other books, as I did not think that the chapters followed a logical order.

That being said, the science was well explained and the book contained a wealth of interesting information.

[Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

As usual with books by Steve Jones there are some interesting facts related with good humour that appeal to a wider audience than science fanatics. Despite the title, the book is concerned primarily with the characteristics of the Y chromosome and not the imminent demise of the male of the species.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

every american man should be forced to read the chapter about circumcision.

the rest of the book is great too.

[Tim Domagalski · Rating 4 out of 5]

an informative, if sometimes uncomforable(for men) look at mens cotributions to reproduction, etc. A rather humbling experience

[Dionne]

To be added if given a time

[Marijana · Rating 4 out of 5]

wow!

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Jones evaluates fatherhood and the Y chromosome, covering many topics. My review:
http://voices.yahoo.com/a-review-y-de...