PDF Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams in History

Review

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful. Humorous Treatise on Breast Functions and DiseasesBy D_shrinkThe author discusses a very serious subject; in that most of book is devoted to breast cancer and its primary cause according to her which is carcinogens in the environment. Yet she approaches her subject in a humorous manner from the first page; beginning with; "We love breasts; yet we can't take them seriously. We name them affectionately; but with a bit of insult. They can turn both babies and grown men into lunkheads."She begins with a history of how and why breasts developed in lower order primates; which was originally to confer immunity to offspring from pathogens. She even has a theory that the transmission of culture occurs from the bonding between mother and child during breast feeding. Yet she easily slips back and forth between information and humor as in discussing the fat percentage of milk in various species as with the seal which has the highest fat content [50%] of any mammal; to which she adds. " a stiff wind could turn that into butter."The book is filled with hundreds of informative and often amusing facts relating to breasts and breast feeding; as:1. the average female breast weighs about 454 grams or one pound2. the largest breasts created through augmentation were a size 38KKK and weighed approximately 21 pounds each with a volume equal to approximately 2.6 gallons.3. the left breast is about 9% larger in most women; but one is always about that much bigger4. the average nipple has 12 orifices5. Timmie Jean Lindsay was the first recipient of a breast transplant in 1962. She was still alive at the time the book was written at age 79 and still had her original transplants. The story of how she got them is cute so I won't spoil that part.6. a stripper in TX had her implants for a period of time long enough to have the silicone harden. In a dispute with a partner she was shot in the chest but had the bullet deflected off her hardened implants saving her life.7. human breast milk sells for 4.00/ounce8. the breast is composed of three types of things: glandular tissue; fat cells; and stroma. The % of fat increases with age; making the breast tissue less dense. This section of the book is also quite informative and more detailed than the minor fact I just mentioned.All in all a very informative and well written humor book on the subject; which is not to minimize the author's quite serious attempt to make her feelings known that she is a proponent of the belief that man-made environment carcinogens are a major cause of breast cancer which is the primary theme of the book. Well worth the read on several levels.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Good readingBy Kathleen KelleyGood reading for someone like myself who has been through breast cancer. survivors it along to a friend who also survived breast cancer and she has also passed it along. This is a book for everyone; not just cancer survivors. It is written with a sense of humor too.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The Role of BreastsBy AndrewIn Western culture; at least; breasts play a curious role. Despite existing primarily for feeding babies; breasts have been sexualized and fetishized. However; in Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History; the author takes a more serious look at breasts and their role in human development and how modern lifestyles may be contributing to breast cancer.One of the first subjects explored in the book is the evolutionary history and why human breasts look so different from mammary glands in other mammals. The difference may be attributable to the shape of the human head. With a larger brain and a changing shape; nipples had to protrude further from the mother's chest so a baby could feed and breathe at the same time. Thus; human breasts evolved to be large during a woman's entire adult life; unlike other mammals which only expand while lactating. The author points this out in how the development of breasts is so interconnected with overall human development and intelligence.Another thing looked at is the often bizarre history of breast implants. According to the book; breast augmentation is the most popular voluntary surgery performed in the United States.Breast feeding and breast milk are also explained such as how complicated and important the makeup of milk is. She also compares milk to formula and how changing opinions caused a severe drop in the percentage of mothers breast feeding in the mid-twentieth century and how later on women were instead encouraged to breast feed again.A good portion of the book is spent looking at breast diseases; especially cancer; and how a changing environment and culture may be altering how breasts develop in young girls. The author notes how girls are beginning to develop breasts earlier in industrialized countries. She also notes how the number of breast cancer cases is also increasing. Some reasons why are explored including a more modern lifestyle; number of children and pregnancies; and exposure to modern products which contain chemicals whose effects are not entirely known.A whole chapter of the book is dedicated at looking at the rare male form of breast cancer. Men are susceptible to breast cancer because all men have a small amount of (undeveloped) breast tissue for the same reason they have nipples.My only real criticism of the book is that in some sections where the author looks at various chemicals and everyday products with such chemicals seems at times alarmist and the author comes off as rather anxious over it. The long-winded lists of chemicals and various statistics also seemed rather out-of-place at times.I mostly enjoyed this book because it was a mostly serious look at a subject that is too often appreciated for the wrong reasons. I would recommend this book to those with a casual interest in biology or physiology.