Immaculate Forms
Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies
Published on 5. September 2024
978-1-78283-634-6 (ISBN)
Description
'Illuminating, thoughtful and scholarly' FINANCIAL TIMES
'Does a fascinating job of exploring the history of women's bodies' GREG JENNER
'Mind-blowing, fascinating stuff' BBC WOMAN'S HOUR
'Authoritative, rich and wide-ranging, this is an immensely impressive work of scholarship' GUARDIAN
Throughout 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?
'Does a fascinating job of exploring the history of women's bodies' GREG JENNER
'Mind-blowing, fascinating stuff' BBC WOMAN'S HOUR
'Authoritative, rich and wide-ranging, this is an immensely impressive work of scholarship' GUARDIAN
Throughout 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?
Reviews / Votes
Lively and cheeky in tone, her book leaves you with the impression that, no matter what you believe to be obvious and natural about the female body, somebody in power once believed the exact opposite -- S. C. Cornell * The New Yorker * With erudition and cool wit, Helen King anatomises three millennia of Western commentary from doctors, teachers and theologians about the female body -- Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch A richly nuanced and absorbing exploration of women's unique anatomy. Across these four anatomical histories King provides an illuminating and outstandingly well-researched account of how women's bodies have been interpreted and mythologized for as long as we can remember -- Carolyne Larrington * TLS * This is an immensely impressive work of scholarship, the result of a lifetime of thought and research on the subject and its implications for women today. Authoritative and wide-ranging, it is a remarkably rich scientific and cultural survey -- P.D Smith * Guardian * An impressively widely read study, lightened along the way with illuminating trivia and King's gentle wit -- Pippa Bailey * New Statesman * Looking for a new history book? I highly recommend Professor Helen King's IMMACULATE FORMS which does a fascinating job of exploring the history of women's bodies, including some eye-opening history of the clitoris -- Greg Jenner Illuminating and scholarly ... [showing] again and again how men have charted women's bodies, examined and dissected those bodies, condemned those bodies ... King's thoughtful tome addresses how women - historically perceived as mysteries to themselves and those who would seem to know them - have been defined, and how their bodies by their very existence resist those definitions -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times * Read it and be enlightened as well as entertained * Church Times * Dr King expertly weaves science, history, and culture to illuminate history and educate about the most misunderstood parts of our bodies...Impeccably researched, thoroughly enjoyable, and filled with moments of surprise, this book will astound -- Dr Jennifer Gunter, author of THE VAGINA BIBLE Chock-full of wonderful, strange and amazing stories, King's book is a vivid history of how women's bodies have been understood - and misunderstood - over the centuries -- Mary Fissell * BBC History Magazine * Recreates centuries of fractious male discussion of women's bodies -- Amanda Vickery * BBC Radio 4 Start the Week * 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 Fascinating and striking -- Lauren Good * BBC History Extra * Thorough, thoughtful and thought provoking -- Sarah Edwards * Socialist Worker * From the comical to the bizarre and downright dangerous, IMMACULATE FORMS looks at how women's bodies have been shaped and understood by scientific theories and religious beliefs throughout history - and often, by men. The mind blowing book covers a vast range of time, going right back to ancient Greece and coming up to the present day ... it's fascinating stuff -- Anita Rani, BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour An impressive ... and detailed historical account of the way in which parts of women's bodies have been viewed, interpreted, and treated - by society, medicine, and the Church - and mainly by men. [Reaching] back into classical times and around the globe to other than Western civilisations, King has provided a great service in telling so many histories of the breasts, clitoris, hymen, and womb ... this book made me wince, squirm, smile and gasp in surprise and horror - it is not for the fainthearted. -- Dr Claire Gilbert, author of I, JULIAN With unrivaled expertise and a wealth of classical and contemporary detail, King 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 BODIES Fascinating and interesting -- Fr Alex Frost, author of OUR DAILY BREAD King is meticulous and prolific. She has written with equal erudition and care about the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. She brings this range and expertise to Immaculate Forms - plus more than a little humour. A masterful achievement born from an impressive and influential career -- Tara Mulder * Science *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Profile Books Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Reflowable
Illustrations
100 black and white illustrations8PP section colour
File size
21,82 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-78283-634-6 (9781782836346)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Book
06/2025
Wellcome Collection
€15.50
Available immediately
Book
09/2024
Wellcome Collection
€31.50
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Person
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.
