Breasts, Florence Williams
Breasts, Florence Williams
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Breasts
A Natural and Unnatural History

Author: Florence Williams

Narrator: Kate Reading

Unabridged: 10 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 05/07/2012


Synopsis

Did you know that breast milk contains substances similar to cannabis? Or that it's sold on the Internet for 262 times the price of oil? Feted and fetishized, the breast is an evolutionary masterpiece. But in the modern world, the breast is changing. Breasts are getting bigger, arriving earlier, and attracting newfangled chemicals. Increasingly, the odds are stacked against us in the struggle with breast cancer, even among men. What makes breasts so mercurial—and so vulnerable?

In this informative and highly entertaining account, intrepid science reporter Florence Williams sets out to uncover the latest scientific findings from the fields of anthropology, biology, and medicine. Her investigation follows the life cycle of the breast from puberty to pregnancy to menopause, taking her from a plastic surgeon's office where she learns about the importance of cup size in Texas to the laboratory where she discovers the presence of environmental toxins in her own breast milk. The result is a fascinating exploration of where breasts came from, where they have ended up, and what we can do to save them.

About Florence Williams

Florence Williams is a visiting scholar at the University of Colorado's Journalism School and a contributing editor at Outside magazine. She also works as a freelance writer for the New York Times, the New York Times Magazine, the New Republic, Mother Jones, High Country News, National Geographic Traveler, Runner's World, Skiing, Bicycling, and numerous other publications. Her work often focuses on the environment, health, and science. She has received many awards, including six magazine awards from the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the John Hersey Prize at Yale.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Joanna on July 15, 2014

Crunchy, crunchy, crunchy book. I could pour some milk on it and eat it for breakfast, it was that crunchy. The author, Florence Williams, is a self proclaimed "granola girl," and the back flap says she is a contributing editor of Outside magazine, so fair enough, I guess, but damn she had me fooled......more

Goodreads review by Jim on February 06, 2017

Yes, I'm fascinated by them. Have been all my life. I think this guy gets a good part of it right. Were you staring at my breasts?!!! (Because they're wonderful & you're flaunting them. I glance at, even stare at fascinating, beautiful things.) So yeah, I went through the child's comfort, the adolesce......more

Goodreads review by Kita on May 08, 2012

Full disclosure: As anyone checking out my Goodreads friends will see, I am friends with Florence Williams. She is brilliant and funny in person. Turns out she is on paper as well. I picked up this book because I wanted to support her writing. I finished it in a few days because I found I couldn't p......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer on January 05, 2016

Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History is a nonfiction, science book researched and written by science reporter Florence Williams. The information presented in this book was not only incredibly informative, but it altered my perspective on breast health in general. Ms. Williams discusses the breas......more

Goodreads review by Kayt on June 18, 2012

The subtitle of this book should really be "How breasts are under-researched and full of toxins that you will pump into your child and did I mention breastfeeding yet?" Don't get me wrong, it was interesting and informative. But it was heavily focused on breast health--cancer, toxins toxins toxins--a......more