Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this fun and far-ranging account, sociologist Thornton (Seven Days in the Art World) explores the topic of women's breasts from a female perspective--tying in multiple aesthetic, professional, and spiritual threads of analysis while eschewing the "male gaze." Relating her own anecdotes on breastfeeding in the 1990s--when it still had a strongly taboo feeling, especially in public--and her postmastectomy mismatched synthetic breasts (nicknamed Bert and Ernie), she explains that losing her natural breasts for medical reasons inspired her to discover more about how other women (including trans women) relate to their tits. In sections covering the sex industry, breastfeeding, plastic surgeons, bra designers, and the body positivity movement, Thornton draws from informative, intimate conversations with experts. These include a wry, thoughtful plastic surgeon; sex workers who perform feats of asymmetric breast movement; cheerfully aging hippies who revel in the freedom of topless communal events; and Old Navy bra designers (the model who serves as the template for all the company's bras has perfectly average breasts and a master's degree in economics that helps her give market-oriented feedback). What emerges is an arresting look at how these subjects' niche experiences have erased, in their own minds, any perception of breasts as merely "passive erotic playthings." It's an inviting and down-to-earth portrayal of women's relationship with their bodies. (May)
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Review by Library Journal Review
After years of biopsies and a double mastectomy, sociologist Thornton (Seven Days in the Art World) decided to write this book about the history, cultural significance, and social valuing of breasts. The book is often hilarious, but it's consistently grounded in research and a nuanced understanding of intersectionality. The humorous parts are underscored by Thornton's clear awareness of broader systems and the deeply rooted sexism that she experienced during her own mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Her book is replete with stories of sex workers, milk bankers, plastic surgeons, and myriad people and industries that profit from and prey on breasts. She includes historical images that show how persistently breasts figure in society's cultural milieu. Thornton says she wants to "improve women's esteem for their torsos" but acknowledges that one must first understand the forces behind negative views on breasts. This drives her interrogation of patriarchal structures and the ways in which women have subverted them to achieve a degree of ownership of their bodies, still too often bound up in dominant discourses. VERDICT Required reading that expertly covers the ways in which social constructions, sexualization, and economic viability influence people's views of bodies, their own and others'.--Emily Bowles
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A respected sociologist delves into the story of the breast and finds complex layers of meaning. Thornton, author of Seven Days in the Art World and 33 Artists in 3 Acts, calls her breasts Bert and Ernie. They are not the original models but prosthetic constructions, which she acquired after a double mastectomy to preempt likely cancer. Her complicated relationship with her new body parts set her on an exploration of the social meaning of breasts. In her latest book, she seeks "to shift the definition of breasts away from the dominant patriarchal version of them as passive erotic playthings." Thornton chronicles her interviews with a diverse selection of interesting people, including strippers, women who contribute to milk banks, and cosmetic surgeons, who suggest that the bigger-is-better era might be passing. There are intriguing perspectives from bra designers (they prefer the term "bra engineers"), who see themselves as playing a crucial role in breast care and female identity. Some feminists are wary that a focus on breasts might reduce women to their sexualized, biological functions, but Thornton decides that there is more to it than that, showing how plenty of women see their breasts as opportunities for self-expression and body positivity. Part of this stems from her meeting with women who identify as modern-day witches and who are intent on loudly celebrating their breasts as their connection to primal forces. Thornton can see their point, but she concludes that this is not for everyone. Perhaps "thoughtful appreciation" of their breasts is a better outcome for many women. In any case, Thornton comes to accept Bert and Ernie as part of her life, creating a suitable ending to a story told with insight, wit, and self-awareness. With intelligence and humor, Thornton examines how breasts can help women create new visions of themselves. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
