What does SaD get wrong?

[Patrick]

This might be a nit in that it doesn't ultimately affect SaD's central thesis, but it is telling in its own right: In the introduction, one question it asks is "Why are divorce rates rising?"

Are divorce rates rising? Not in the U.S. in the aughts. In fact, the more significant change is the reduction in the marriage rate (see http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/marriage...) though is that because of fewer marriages or fewer re-marriages ? In some other countries, there has been a definite drop in marrying ( see http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content... - pardon the source) which is a trend which might also be happening to a lesser extent in the U.S. for a variety of reasons.

Again, I don't think this undermines SaD's central thesis, but it does indicate that the facts behind the book's case may not be as solid as purported.

[Patrick]

Another nit: "Women's pendulous breasts (utterly unnecessary for breastfeeding children)".

Having recently read Florence Williams' book "Breasts"; Williams makes the case that pendulous breasts make it possible to breastfeed a child that is being carried on a hip. Because unlike other primates, humans are hairless and children can't use that hair to cling to their mothers while she moves.