Basic Books

Saval shares the stories of several American, male, teenagers and reveals their thoughts and feelings on a plethora of topics, from family to their own identities.

It seems that teenagers in general have it rough these days, but recently, many books and articles have surfaced referencing a “boy crisis” – reports of boys failing academically, socially, and emotionally are abundant. Researchers have found that grades and test scores are dropping, while the rates of drug use, depression, and ADD diagnoses are rapidly rising. Journalist Martha Saval explored the lives of ten male teens, all from different socioeconomic and racial backgrounds, and discovered through her extensive interviews with them that all is not lost. In The Secret Lives of Boys, Saval shares their stories and reveals their thoughts and feelings on a plethora of topics, from family to their own identities. It seems the boys are far from being in crisis or unemotional – they simply want to be heard and understood in a rapidly adapting era.

Guest:

Malina Saval, screenwriter, teacher, journalist, and author of The Secret Lives of Boys: Inside the Raw, Emotional World of Male Teens