Toxic Men

January 24, 2011
Toxic person "expert" Glass (Toxic People) returns with a guide of marginal worth for women to identify problem males in the wild. She starts with questions meant to root out the truly unpleasant, such as, "Do you feel a sense of relief when you are away from him?" If the answer is yes, he may be one of the "Eleven Toxic Types of Men." These range from the scary ("angry bullying control freak") to the annoying ("wishy-washy spineless wimp"). Many readers will be dismayed by the advice Glass offers on handling the bully, "usually…the type who tends to be an abuser." Instead of showing him the door, women should "release tension by fantasizing what you would like to do to a Toxic man." Less whimsical is her sound advice to women to "let the beaters and the cheaters go." Still, the author disappoints by offering only minimal help for victims of domestic violence. Lastly, those who have suffered—and survived—the lesser versions of the toxic male species are advised to "do arty and crafty things with your hands," "laugh every day," and "count your blessings." After all, "there are nontoxic men out there!"