In an attempt to gear this book toward besieged parents, Danesi (Cool: The Signs and Meanings of Adolescence
) comes close to presenting a consistent philosophy on the subject of today's teens, providing valuable historical perspectives along the way. From a study of 200 mixed gender, mixed age, mostly urban North American adolescents, he presents an academic analysis. Offering insight into the teenage mind along with his theory, Danesi, a University of Toronto anthropology professor, calls for a "return to a simpler, more natural view of the lifecycle," where "there are two 'clear-cut phases, before and after puberty' "—although he offers little strategy for this change. He sees the origins of contemporary adolescence in an educational "social experiment" steeped in history. In turn, teens have defined themselves against the constructs of both childhood and adulthood. Danesi claims we live "in a culture that expects [adolescents] to put their sexual urges 'on hold.' " This societal repression of teens' biological development causes confusion and rebellion, he says. Danesi's principal suggestion is forceful—an elimination of modern adolescence and a reevaluation of the blanket advice given by "experts" and "professionals"—but the logistics are unfathomable. Although the book's foreword and conclusion share Danesi's hypothesis, the chapters in between are disconnected from the main argument, as the author doesn't focus his information. Despite Danesi's detailed analysis of the constructs of adolescence, his book is not a how-to for parents struggling to deal with the "alien" in their child. (Jan.)
