The Essential Difference

by Simon Baron-Cohen

This is one of the best popular books on the evolved sex differences in the brain. It explains how and why men’s and women’s brains have their distinct strengths and weaknesses. Men’s need to invent, manufacture, and improve tools and weapons throughout evolutionary history has made the male brain particularly strong on systemising (logically and rationally dealing with things), whereas women’s need to leave their natal group upon puberty and marry into a neighbouring group full of strangers has made the female brain particularly strong on empathising (relating to other people).