The silence that surrounds menopause is lifting -- but up until now, only for women.

In a survey of menopausal wives who were asked what they wanted most from their husbands, the most common reply was: "Understanding and support. I just wish he knew what I was going through." In response, the main goal of "NO IT'S NOT HOT IN HERE" is to help husbands understand menopause enough to support their wives. In order to create that understanding the book is written in a casual, anecdotal style and is short and easy to read. Yet it is still informative and full of the latest hard science.

The book begins with the basics, i.e., what happens inside a woman's body at menopause. Then, after explaining that each menopause will be different, the book goes on to discuss the physical and emotional changes that might accompany menopause and offers men advice about how to help their wives through this passage.

Husbands often approach menopause full of fear and misunderstanding. In response, the book includes a much-needed chapter about menopause and sex, then covers controversies like HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and hysterectomies. Because women are being presented with so many choices, the book also briefly discusses the alternatives to HRT, such as natural hormones, acupuncture, and rites of passage. The author is careful to caution husbands not to try to become the decision-maker, but rather an aware and informed support system in their wife's decision-making process.

Some men might want to blame their wives for their own problems. Others will need to learn new skills, such as how to listen, to gain understanding. Without being either overbearing or simplistic, the book has a chapter for men about their own mid-life changes and a chapter with commonsense advice about relationships during menopause. "NO IT'S NOT HOT IN HERE" concludes with a "Word to the Wives," a must-read chapter for women who want to understand and help their husbands help them through menopause.