THE MANIPULATED MAN

by Esther Vilar ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 15, 1972

This monograph, in translation from the German with a more current last chapter, proceeds from assumption (""A man is a human being who works for women"") to misstatement (""only thirteen percent of American coeds get their university degrees"") without batting a false eyelash which is part of her applique. She also wears false bottoms -- ""only in America"" -- a strange fruit of the loom we find difficult to visualize. The gravamen of the argument here is that ""women hardly ever work"" (""in the U.S.A. . . . the number of working women has constantly decreased over the last decades"") and hardly ever need to think. In fact they just exist -- ""divine by right of stupidity"" . . . using various techniques of avoidance or self-abasement. . . having children to justify their ""laziness"" . . . using sex or chastity as a means of what used to be called having her way. . . etcetera ad foolish by divine right etcetera. The referrals are mostly U.S. pop, Nancy Sinatra or Playboy, except for some of those unidentified ectoplasmic statistics and the author's tone is serious, although most of this is so patently absurd that you suspect you may have been manipulated by a hoax. If not, cherchez la femme with a false bottom -- like a good man she should be hard to find. Or read Midge Decter.

Pub Date: Jan. 15, 1972

ISBN: 1905177178

Page Count: -

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1972

Categories: NONFICTION