Kill the Body, the Head Will Fall: A Closer Look at Women, Violence, and Aggression

Denfeld (The New Victorians) began boxing on the amateur level in 1993 and two years later won a Golden Gloves championship. Opening with a survey of technique, followed by an apologia for the sport and an account of her first sparring session, she then develops her principal thesis: women sometimes can be as aggressive and as violent as men. In support of this contention, she examines anger in the female; abuse and violence committed by women against children or adults with whom they have relationships; female criminals; and females in the military and in sports. Although few will disagree with her view that the differences between men and women are not as significant as has been thought, the book will raise some hackles. At a time when many psychologists are arguing that the ""masculinizing"" of boys and young men can create more problems than it solves, Denfeld's unspoken assumption that females can be just as macho as males may not win universal approval. Fight fans will find her views on the sport of interest. Author tour. (Feb.)