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Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them By David Anderegg ( Tarcher )
Release Date: 2007-12-27
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Product Description
A lively, thought-provoking book that zeros in on the timely issue of how anti-intellectualism is bad for our children and even worse for America.
Why are our children so terrified to be called "nerds"? And what is the cost of this rising tide of anti-intellectualism to both our children and our nation? In Nerds, family psychotherapist and psychology professor David Anderegg examines why science and engineering have become socially poisonous disciplines, why adults wink at the derision of "nerdy" kids, and what we can do to prepare our children to succeed in an increasingly high-tech world.
Nerds takes a measured look at how we think about and why we should rethink "nerds," examining such topics as: - our anxiety about intense interest in things mechanical or technological;
- the pathologizing of "nerdy" behavior with diagnoses such as Asperger syndrome;
- the cycle of anti-nerd prejudice that took place after the Columbine incident;
- why nerds are almost exclusively an American phenomenon;
- the archetypal struggles of nerds and jocks in American popular culture and history;
- the conformity of adolescents and why adolescent stereotypes linger into adulthood long after we should know better; and nerd cultural markers, particularly science fiction.
Using education research, psychological theory, and interviews with nerdy and non-nerdy kids alike, Anderegg argues that we stand in dire need of turning around the big dumb ship of American society to prepare rising generations to compete in the global marketplace.
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 A funny and witty commentary on modern day america ( theshadowassassin )
David Anderegg has written a wonderful commentary on modern day America and the pitfalls of stereotyping. Mainly based around the word "nerd", he explores every aspect of the word, from it's etymology through it's psychological perks. I can't imagine a more enjoyable study on the developemental psychological look at nerds.
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Great Pop Psych book ( nikkles )
Not a bad book. Not really scientific enough for my case. I would have liked more case studies and less philosophizing. But, very informative as a whole. I've learned that I have avoid the nerd stereotype with my self confidence (uncalled for?) and the easy with which I deflect criticism. Which I would agree was very handy in the vicious middle school years. My keen fashion sense also help (you can't call me a geek for that reference, since that means you know it too).
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 The Deconstructed Nerd ( mdennisuk )
I purchased this book after hearing an interview with Dr. Anderegg on the "Bob Edwards Show". I work with middle school and high school students and I was looking forward to reading this book. It was a big disappointment for several reasons.
Dr. Anderegg spends a great deal of time deconstructing the nerd/geek and the myths that surround them. Some of this gets very tedious and, I believe, will lose the lay reader (I have a fair amount of background in this area and he almost lost me at mid-book).
Dr. Anderegg gets VERY preachy at times. This particularly true in his concluding chapter. It's funny because the people most likely to buy and read the book, are the ones who are least likely to need the preaching.
I would have liked more conversations with kids about nerds, geeks and social isolation. That would have been interesting. The chapter titles are clever, I only wish the content had been on the same level.
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Fresh, Compassionate, and Illuminating
Scientific writing, when done well, is a creative art as well as a compilation of meticulous research. Here, Dr Anderegg does well to put forth 'The World of The Outcast' for the society which created it. Modern day America classifies, insults, and even neglects the people unlucky enough to earn the title 'nerd', and with a beautiful mix of child psychology and adult sociology, Anderegg keeps the reader engaged. This is science, but it is not convoluted geneology, thick with quotations in foreign languages and professional terminology. It is accesible to all (including the non-nerds among us), and is sure to cultivate interest in social psychology as well as childhood development. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever seen, been, or thought about a nerdy child, as well as to anyone interested in a fascinating, quirky look at American history, culture, and psychology.
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This is not Revenge of the Nerds. ( magehammer )
Nerds is a thoughtful and insightful look into the reasons for an accepted discrimination present in American society. It approaches its topic with humor and an expert's eye.
Any parent or teacher (I have taught sophomores for 14 years now) should definitely read this book. I found it enlightening and revealing.
You will never look at Ichabod Crane the same again...
Highly recommended.
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