Challenging the standard Freudian interpretation of the Oedipus myth, this study, based on a decade of research, offers a revolutionary framework for understanding modern masculinity. All aspects of contemporary male sexuality are discussed, including how men relate to their fathers, sexual partners, coworkers, and society at large. Topics such as the metrosexual male, the aging male, and homosexuality are also explored. Drawing conclusions from more than 10,000 interviews with men in all parts of the world, the common notions of masculinity are overturned and it is posited that every young boy is pressured by society not to merely separate from his mother at puberty, but also to reject and humiliate her--often in a public or ritualized manner. She then explores how the legacy of this betrayal is later manifested in violence and discrimination against women. As with her previous groundbreaking studies, every issue is tackled head-on, including sexual behavior, violence, female sexuality, masturbation, and religious fundamentalism.