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Teenagers: A Natural History
During the second decade of human life, the body and brain undergo a profound and complex transformation, with emotions and intellect changing as rapidly and unpredictably as weight and height. These changes can be baffling - to teenagers and to those around them alike - but adolescence plays an important evolutionary role in who we become as adults and there are hard scientific facts behind the spots, the smells and the sexual experimentation, as well as the existential angst, the anger and the irresistible attraction to all the things that are bad for you. In clear, engaging and amiable prose, David Bainbridge explains the strange and wonderful science of the teenage years. And tells us just exactly what teenagers are for.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
12 people are currently reading
317 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 12, 2015
I was passed this book by my neighbour on my son's 13th birthday and I have to say, it is one of those books that is both unsettling and reassuring in nature. Unsettling because much of the book outlines what I have to 'look forward to' as puberty sets in and we ride the waves of teenage-ness. Reassuring because the first part of the book matches very closely what we are already experiencing in our household and therefore lends a credibility to Bainbridge's words. I like the layout of the book where you get the evolutionary and technical basis for a chapter before being taken through the reality of what that looks like on the ground.
I'd recommend it to anyone who is living the teenage years (again) through their children.
I'd recommend it to anyone who is living the teenage years (again) through their children.
November 22, 2018
A low pressure read, as if the author is just sitting in your dining room, explaining what he knows about teenagers and the research and theories he's come across.
I picked it up from our local library hoping for insights and consolation, as I have a 14 year old and an 11 year old among my three.
I was both reassured and inspired. On a personal level, understanding teenagers better makes it easier for me to be patient and optimistic and to remember not to interpret every situation as if my teen was already an adult.
On a societal level I recognised how urgent it is that we stop seeing adolescence as this 'difficult time where so many teens are a nuisance to society,' but rather as an amazing incubation period where our teenagers need the structures and support to navigate and thrive as they explore their new brains and bodies. We need to be more prepared to accept and support them when they are literally overwhelmed - and more acceptant of the variations in maturity, as well as more forgiving of their errors of judgement.
My own ride through the teenage years was not particularly painful nor disruptive for me or my family and as such I wasn't prepared for the range of 'normal' that my own teens might experience.
Looking back, I was a lot more self-conscious, fascinated by the sexual and increasingly building self-awareness and confidence in assessing and analyzing. Between 11 and 18 I made tremendous progress growing into the 'me' that I was to become but Bainbridge's book has left me more relaxed and sensitive to the very individual process my own children are/will experience!
Beware though of adopting as gospel, statements that he presents as theories and possible explanations!
May well look out for some of his other titles!
I picked it up from our local library hoping for insights and consolation, as I have a 14 year old and an 11 year old among my three.
I was both reassured and inspired. On a personal level, understanding teenagers better makes it easier for me to be patient and optimistic and to remember not to interpret every situation as if my teen was already an adult.
On a societal level I recognised how urgent it is that we stop seeing adolescence as this 'difficult time where so many teens are a nuisance to society,' but rather as an amazing incubation period where our teenagers need the structures and support to navigate and thrive as they explore their new brains and bodies. We need to be more prepared to accept and support them when they are literally overwhelmed - and more acceptant of the variations in maturity, as well as more forgiving of their errors of judgement.
My own ride through the teenage years was not particularly painful nor disruptive for me or my family and as such I wasn't prepared for the range of 'normal' that my own teens might experience.
Looking back, I was a lot more self-conscious, fascinated by the sexual and increasingly building self-awareness and confidence in assessing and analyzing. Between 11 and 18 I made tremendous progress growing into the 'me' that I was to become but Bainbridge's book has left me more relaxed and sensitive to the very individual process my own children are/will experience!
Beware though of adopting as gospel, statements that he presents as theories and possible explanations!
May well look out for some of his other titles!
October 31, 2017
Well, l certainly learned a lot from this book. lt was packed full of theories and counter theories as to why teenagers are what/who they are, from evolutionary biology to pyschotherapy, and much more. Unfortunately there was so much "it could be this, but it might be this, and it might not be either, but there are advantages to both, and it could be something else entirely" that when reading, l often felt like l was taking two steps forward and three steps back. The author understandably and quite rightly presented all the information available without really committing himself but at times l found this, however unfair, exasperating.
However, the subject was fascinating, and as l said, l learned a lot. l come away feeling much more prepared ( for want of a better word ) than l was, for the rapidly approaching onslaught of the teenage years in my household. And also more positive!
However, the subject was fascinating, and as l said, l learned a lot. l come away feeling much more prepared ( for want of a better word ) than l was, for the rapidly approaching onslaught of the teenage years in my household. And also more positive!
January 10, 2010
On one hand, this book does explain some of the recent research on the adolescent brain (and physiology) in a way that is accessible to someone who is not a neuroscientist. So it is valuable for that. On the other hand, I was terribly annoyed that the author repeatedly (but not constantly) presented the stereotyped and negative view of adolescents so prevalent among people who do not understand this developmental period. He is not a psychologist but the book would have benefited from a coauthor or at a least an editor who was very knowledgeable about positive psychology and adolescence.
December 22, 2024
è un saggio davvero affascinante, dove si scopre che, senza la comparsa dell'adolescenza nel "progetto di vita" dei nostri antenati, non saremmo mai diventati homini sapientes. perché l'adolescenza è quel periodo nel quale tutte le connessioni nervose che si formano nell'enorme cervello umano durante l'infanzia vengono organizzate e sfrondate (pruned) dell'inutile, in modo che il funzionamento divenga più efficiente e duttile. è il periodo nel quale ci si mette alla prova per capire chi siamo, confrontandosi con se stessi e gli amici - il gruppo dei pari - e la famiglia, che viene allontanata ma è così necessaria. anzi, addirittura viene suggerita l'ipotesi che le femmine della nostra specie vadano in menopausa per non essere distratte dai neonati mentre devono tenere d'occhio i loro adolescenti: nelle altre specie di mammiferi la menopausa non esiste. è un saggio che spiega perché una mamma adolescente ha più probabilità di avere una figlia con una maternità precoce rispetto a una mamma adulta; o perché gli adolescenti sono così maledettamente abili quando hanno a che fare con le tecnologia ma non riescono a tirarsi su dal letto per andare a scuola in orario. insomma è un libro bellissimo.
July 30, 2025
A hodgepodge of facts and hypotheses that can be confusing and frustrating to read. Perhaps the timing of the book is wrong. It is too early to write a book like this one.
October 13, 2011
What are teenagers for? It is a question that parents of teenagers may ask themselves in exasperation from time to time but in this book the author steps back from the battlelines between adults and their adolescent offspring to look at the question from an evolutionary perspective. The result is an interesting read. Our species is the only one to have a prolonged period of adolescence between childhood and adulthood. During this decade the brain, which reaches its largest size in the first 12 or so years of life, is apparently being organised and "pruned" for success in the adult world. The author states that "adolescence is the high point of the human brain - when the brain is at its largest, most flexible and most mutable." Consequently the teenage years are when our greatest asset as a species - our mind - is most forged. The author argues that this long "work in progress" period has resulted in human longevity since adults need to be around far longer in our species than in most in order to support their slow developing offspring. Hmmm. The question of what is happening to our brains in the teenage years is taken up in the latest issue of National Geographic in "The New Science of the Teenage Brain" where the author looks at risk behaviours and peer group orientation among teenagers as further evidence of evolutionary advantage for our species.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2011
A parte qualche lungaggine su dettagli di fisiologia (saltabile) il libro presenta una tesi innovativa, secondo la quale la nostra "umanità" (intesa come peculiarità della specie Homo Sapiens) prende forma proprio durante gli anni dell'adolescenza.
L'autore affronta con competenza e ironia tutti i principali "problemi" dell'adolescenza, dal sesso alle droghe, senza traccia di moralismo, sempre con un taglio pratico e scientifico, con la costante presenza della prospettiva evoluzionistica.
Un bell'aiuto per noi genitori, in modo che possiamo provare a guardare in modo diverso quegli strani "animali" che vediamo mutare accanto a noi di giorno in giorno, che tanto amiamo e altrettanto ci preoccupano ma che, soprattutto, spesso così poco capiamo.
L'autore affronta con competenza e ironia tutti i principali "problemi" dell'adolescenza, dal sesso alle droghe, senza traccia di moralismo, sempre con un taglio pratico e scientifico, con la costante presenza della prospettiva evoluzionistica.
Un bell'aiuto per noi genitori, in modo che possiamo provare a guardare in modo diverso quegli strani "animali" che vediamo mutare accanto a noi di giorno in giorno, che tanto amiamo e altrettanto ci preoccupano ma che, soprattutto, spesso così poco capiamo.
September 9, 2011
development is a cool topic, and human development is incredibly fascinating. the teenage years are a time when our bodies are developing at different rates, physically and mentally. this book is great at describing the process of growth, from neurons to emotions. this books is written on a level so that anyone can enjoy the science of teenagers. best part: cremaster, defined.
April 22, 2014
Some interesting ideas but I'm not sure all are supported (particularly the section on schizophrenia, which did not chime with actual research on early onset psychosis I'm familiar with). Plus the massive erasure of LGBT teens really irked me.
April 20, 2009
All parents should read this book, it'd probably help to understand teenage behaviour...
October 16, 2009
This gave me incredible insight into what is actually taking place in a teens brain...we all know a lot is going on but this book makes it very clear.
February 1, 2011
I think it would have been better suited to a magazine article format, but some good, thought-provoking stuff.
January 15, 2013
Informative read...amazing the number of changes teens face to grow into adults!
February 17, 2013
Interesting read...amazing the number of changes teens face to grow into adults!!
March 25, 2015
Interessant boek, maar het beantwoordt wellicht niet alle vragen die je hebt als je pubers in huis hebt of je op een puberende zoon of dochter voor te bereiden.
September 13, 2015
Interessante mas com lacunas cientificas ou pelo menos mal explicadas e exploradas...
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews