Pertama kali jumpa dengan buku ini, sekitar 5 tahun yang lalu. Ketika itu saya masih sering menyambangi Plaza Semanggi untuk kumpul-kumpul dengan kawan-kawan kampus. Biasanya kami janjian di Gramedia, secara sahabat-sahabatku itu book freaks dan salah satu dari mereka masih bekerja untuk Elexmedia. Satu kata saja ya : Diskon!

Berhubung saya selalu sangsi terhadap buku terjemahan (padahal pernah nerjemahin ‘High School Musical’ | justru.. :p), dan tidak suka ikut-ikutan beli buku yang sedang ‘ngetrend’, saya memilih melihat-lihat buku impor (#sombongunite yoben). Setelah beberapa saat merambah buku-buku 100ribu ke atas, buku “The Female Brain” yang paling menarik minatku.

What? There’s a female brain? So is the saying that female brains weigh less than male brains true? How does a female brain think. Why do we cry easily during PMS? What happens to our brains when we fall in love, why are we all gullible all of a sudden? Holding the book for the first time got me all excited. I didn’t mind waiting for my ‘ngaret’ friends. Because the price label on the back of the book read Rp.368.000,-. Of which I never could consider buying.

And thank God, for openning Gramedia at GI and making their marketing team make a 30% of promo on all items except electronics. I finally was able to buy it. :D

The way this Doctor explains is as if she’s talking to her girlfriends. Smart, witty and fun. In the first few pages we are given a breakdown of how this book will unfold the mysteries of a female brain. From a female baby all the way to an elderly female brain. We are given a picture of the parts of a female brain, showing the Hypothalamus, Hippocampus and the Amygdala etc. No, those are not zoo animals and Amygdala isn’t Luke Skywalker’s mom, okay boys.. Dr. Brezendine will show you how the different parts of a female brain work for women. And is a male brain really superion to a female brain?
Here she says that although a female brain weighs lighter than a male brain, its cell counts are actually denser. And even at certain periods in a woman’s life her brain weight can vary.

Why I like this book is, because it explains a lot of hormonal mechanisms that even as a woman I didn’t fully understand. Why does PMS happen? Why did I resent my mom so much as a teen? What goes on in a mother-to-be’s head? What happens after menopause? Most of the mysteries are laid bare in this book.

Last but not least, I highly recommend this book to Martians (baca: C O W O K S) who think they’ve got us Venusians (baca: C E W E K S) figured out. Think again!

Note: sudah ada edisi terjemahannya dan versi lawan jenisnya “The Male Brain” :D