ISBN: 9781479840823
Editorial: New
Autor: Herzig, Rebecca M
Año de edición: 2015
N° Páginas: 280
Tipo de pasta: Pasta dura
Descripción: Biografía del autor Rebecca M. Herzig is Christian A. Johnson Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Bates College. Her previous work includes Suffering for Science: Reason and Sacrifice in Modern America and, with Evelynn Hammonds, The Nature of Difference: Sciences of Race in the United States from Jefferson to Genomics. Uncovers the history of hair removal practices and sheds light on the prolific culture of beautyFrom the clamshell razors and homemade lye depilatories used in colonial America to the diode lasers and prescription pharmaceuticals available today, Americans have used a staggering array of tools to remove hair deemed unsightly, unnatural, or excessive. This is true especially for women and girls; conservative estimates indicate that 99% of American women have tried hair removal, and at least 85% regularly remove hair from their faces, armpits, legs, and bikini lines. How and when does hair become a problem--what makes some growth "excessive"? Who or what separates the necessary from the superfluous? In Plucked, historian Rebecca Herzig addresses these questions about hair removal. She shows how, over time, dominant American beliefs about visible hair changed: where once elective hair removal was considered a "mutilation" practiced primarily by "savage" men, by the turn of the twentieth century, hair-free faces and limbs were expected for women. Visible hair growth--particularly on young, white women--came to be perceived as a sign of political extremism, sexual deviance, or mental illness. By the turn of the twenty-first century, more and more Americans were waxing, threading, shaving, or lasering themselves smooth. Herzig's extraordinary account also reveals some of the collateral damages of the intensifying pursuit of hair-free skin. Moving beyond the experiences of particular patients or clients, Herzig describes the surprising histories of race, science, industry, and medicine behind today's hair-removing tools. Plucked is an unsettling, gripping, and original tale of the lengths to which Americans will go to remove hair. Críticas Well researched, well written, and knowledgeable, this work covers not only the history of hair removal in America but the social issues and movements associated with body hair, from cleanliness and race to free will. [] [T]he author excels at drawing out the larger implications of each dubious procedure and the pseudo-scientific theory associated with hair removal, from the turn of the 19th century to the present. Herzig carefully considers both sex and gender and never makes the assumption that white is the default. The book asks us to question what role advertising, science, and prejudice play in what we & know to be true. VERDICT: This would be a solid read for popular history buffs and fans of Lori Tharp and Ayana Byrds Hair Story or Bee Wilsons Swindled.-- "Library Journal"[A] fascinating new book tracing the history of hair removal since the days when it was done with such delightful devices as clamshell razors or recipes featuring frogs' blood or cat feces, is so very timely.-- "The Times (UK)"A brilliant exploration of American preoccupations, irrationalities and inconsistencies in our perceptions of body hair. Rebecca Herzig will convince you that how we have hair on our bodies may not really matter, but how we have hair on our minds definitely does.--Rachel P. Maines, author of The Technology of Orgasm: "Hysteria", Vibrators, and Women's Sexual SatisfactionAthoughtful and unique microhistory of hair from the eyebrows down.-- "Journal of American Culture"Few people would link the forced beard shaving of Guantanamo Bay detainees with Gwyneth 'I work a seventies vibe' Paltrow, but historian Rebecca Herzig connects the dots in her new book, Plucked.-- "The Toronto Globe and Mail"Her forthcoming book, Plucked: A History of Hair Removal in America, to be published by NYU Press in January 2015, examines techniques that Amer
- Idioma: Inglés
- Autor: Herzig, Rebecca M
- Editorial: New
- N° Paginas: 280
- Tipo de pasta: Pasta dura
- Envío: Desde EE.UU.
