Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies

'With unrivaled expertise and a wealth of classical and contemporary detail, the author weaves historical knowledge of medicine, anatomy, literature, art and religion into a narrative that surprises, informs, excites and frequently amuses' Adrian Thatcher, author of Vile BodiesThroughout history, religious scholars, medical men and - occasionally - women themselves, have moulded thought on what 'makes' a woman. She has been called the weaker sex, the fairer sex, the purer sex, among many other monikers. Often, she has been defined simply as 'Not A Man'. Today, we are more aware than ever of the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities. But contrary to what some may believe, what makes a woman is a question that has always been open-ended. Immaculate Forms examines all the ways in which medicine and religion have played a gatekeeping role over women's organs. It explores how the womb was seen as both the most miraculous organ in the body and as a sewer; uncovers breasts' legacies as maternal or sexual organs - or both; probes the mystery of the disappearing hymen, and asks, did the clitoris need to be discovered at all?

About the Author :
Helen King is a historian of medicine and the body, and has published on aspects of gynaecology and obstetrics from classical Greece to the nineteenth century for over forty years. She is professor emerita of classical studies at The Open University and has held visiting posts at the universities of Vienna, Texas, Notre Dame and British Columbia. She is vice-chair of Together for the Church of England, which campaigns on a range of issues including against discrimination on the grounds of gender or sexuality.

Review :
'In Immaculate Forms, Dr Helen King expertly weaves science, history, and culture to illuminate history and educate about the most misunderstood parts of our bodies. There is no better guide to trace the history of what we know and to make it relevant for us today. Never has medical history been more entertaining! Impeccably researched, thoroughly enjoyable, and filled with moments of surprise, this book will astound. Immaculate Forms is not just essential reading for those interested in science; it should be read by anyone interested in understanding how disinformation about women's bodies comes to be and how it can be exploited.' - Dr Jennifer Gunter, author of THE VAGINA BIBLE and MENOPAUSE MANIFESTO 'Delightful, timely and critical. If cognitive science has taught us anything, it's that our imagination of the future is built from our memories of the past. Helen King is here to give us some better material to build with. The history of women's bodies isn't nearly what you think it is, nor the history of "womanhood" itself.' - Cat Bohannon, author of EVE 'With erudition and cool wit, Helen King anatomises three millennia of Western commentary from doctors, teachers and theologians about the female body. Males have tended to do most of the talking; now readers across the gender spectrum can find surprises and illuminations in this entertainingly comprehensive survey of what past generations knew, thought they knew, and often got wildly wrong' - Diarmaid MacCulloch 'Immaculate Forms is also a work of immaculate writing. With unrivaled expertise and a wealth of classical and contemporary detail, the author weaves historical knowledge of medicine, anatomy, literature, art and religion into a narrative that surprises, informs, excites and frequently amuses. Essential reading for busting prejudice and myth about women and their bodies' - Adrian Thatcher, author of VILE BODIES