The Adonis Complex: How to Identify, Treat and Prevent Body Obsession in Men and Boys

The impossible ideal of the Body Beautiful induces feelings of inadequacy not only among women and girls, claim the authors of this book, but, increasingly, among men and boys. Drawing upon their own clinical work, new studies and cultural observations, the authors--Pope and Olivardia teach at Harvard medical school, and Phillips at Brown University--make a compelling argument that growing numbers of males are exhibiting compulsive behaviors, chronic depressions and eating disorders, and are engaging in the use of dangerous steroids and ""supplements."" Although they ignore the nearly century-old popularity of Charles Atlas-like muscle-building ""courses,"" the authors use a broad range of examples--including comparisons of the physiques of bodybuilders in the 1960s and the 1990s, a look at the evolution of the G.I. Joe doll's bulk and an examination of the nearly unobtainable body ideal that prevails among Chippendale dancers and Calvin Klein models--to make the convincing case that many men resort to dire actions to assuage their feelings of inadequacy. They bolster their claim with numerous interviews with men and a survey of the existing medical and psychological literature, and include tests by which readers can ascertain if they have an eating disorder or suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder. While some readers might take exception to the authors' assertion about the prevalence of the ""Adonis complex,"" their book offers a provocative look at what has been, until now, a largely unexplored subject. Agent, Todd Schuster. (June)