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Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History
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.
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.
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First published January 1, 2012
About the author
Florence Williams
3 books322 followersFlorence Williams is the author of Heartbreak, Breasts, winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and The Nature Fix. A contributing editor at Outside magazine, her writing has appeared in the New York Times, National Geographic, and many other outlets. She lives in Washington, DC.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 515 reviews
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 with the subtitle "a natural and unnatural history." It should have been "Breasts: if you think they evolved as a sexual display you are fooled by patriarchy, and chemicals give you breast cancer and "They" don't care, chemicals get into your breast milk and... are you breast feeding? you should be breastfeeding even if you had "breast fever" three times like I did because breast feeding is the best, and did I mention chemicals are bad yet, and if you get breast implants you are... Texan!" gasp hiss
It gets kinda tiring. It was pretty relentless. You can tell she tried to hold back a little, like "Okay, I'm not writing for Outside right now gotta temper it a bit" but it still popped through in really weird places. Like, going to the farmers market in Colorado and talking about how she had to ask the sellers if the food ever touched plastic and haha they didn't look at her too weird isn't Colorado awesome... the cafeteria lady doesn't serve chicken nuggets and hamburgers only once a month she worships her (I felt like I was missing part of the story here, were they trucked in directly from McDonalds or were they just ground beef/chicken, and if that is a problem please tell me instead of it being some hippie dog whistle. she doesn't directly tell you anything about that)... and she mentions how she refused even an OTC pain pill after giving birth, so uh... congratulations on that? what?
Granted stuff like that is not much of the book, and most of it was well-researched and easy to read. But the... "memoirishness" of this sort of journalism doesn't work for me. It's like, I'm sorry, but I didn't read this book to spend time with you. I don't even like you. Can we go back to what the book was about, please.
But I admit though I am agrumentative towards books. It's like before I read them I tell 'em, "well, let's see just what the hell you think you are, then," with arms crossed and eyelids lowered. well.
Edit:
Interesting slate article on why it's not the best idea to think human evolution is just like, guys choosing to have sex with the hottest chicks.
It gets kinda tiring. It was pretty relentless. You can tell she tried to hold back a little, like "Okay, I'm not writing for Outside right now gotta temper it a bit" but it still popped through in really weird places. Like, going to the farmers market in Colorado and talking about how she had to ask the sellers if the food ever touched plastic and haha they didn't look at her too weird isn't Colorado awesome... the cafeteria lady doesn't serve chicken nuggets and hamburgers only once a month she worships her (I felt like I was missing part of the story here, were they trucked in directly from McDonalds or were they just ground beef/chicken, and if that is a problem please tell me instead of it being some hippie dog whistle. she doesn't directly tell you anything about that)... and she mentions how she refused even an OTC pain pill after giving birth, so uh... congratulations on that? what?
Granted stuff like that is not much of the book, and most of it was well-researched and easy to read. But the... "memoirishness" of this sort of journalism doesn't work for me. It's like, I'm sorry, but I didn't read this book to spend time with you. I don't even like you. Can we go back to what the book was about, please.
But I admit though I am agrumentative towards books. It's like before I read them I tell 'em, "well, let's see just what the hell you think you are, then," with arms crossed and eyelids lowered. well.
Edit:
Interesting slate article on why it's not the best idea to think human evolution is just like, guys choosing to have sex with the hottest chicks.
February 6, 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 adolescent sexual thrill (OK, I'm not through that one, but I'm not even 60 yet.) then the father's jealousy (Kids don't share well!) & now the mature (relatively) appreciation of the issues my well endowed wife has dealing with hers. I should be used to them by now, but a showy pair can still drain every thought from my head with a perky bounce or dip of cleavage. What's up with that? Am I a sexist pig, creepy voyeur, or just a healthy male? (Is there a difference? Depending on my wife's mood, I've been accused of all 3, generally just the latter, though. After all, she wouldn't have put up with my ogling, pats, & squeezes for 35 years if I was too obnoxious.)
It turns out that I'm not alone & it's not just a guy thing. One study showed the same A cup gal got more rides as a B cup & even more as a C cup by both men & women. Unfortunately, they didn't take the study further to see when breast size became an impediment. Important info since the size of both natural boobs & their artificial enhancements are increasing. There is too much of a good thing, but scientists have many hypothesis & no real data on why they are a good thing in the first place. We're the only mammal with this trait & they speculate it might be a combination of factors such as lack of body hair, upright posture, & lack of snout that meant a flexible, extended feeding tube was needed. Breasts are the pretty, supportive packaging.
Williams describes herself as a 'granola girl' several times. She did an admirable job trying to balance her tendencies against statistics, but didn't always succeed. It's quite clear she freaked out when she found out just how polluted her breasts & the milk they provided were. Yes, she fed her firstborn hazardous substances & her second as well, although less so. (Better or worse than formula? Maybe.) Her environmentally contaminated sponges had partially cleansed themselves on the first, something she said is showing up in dolphins who often lose their first baby due to pollutants in their breast milk.
If you're subject to panic over studies linking cancers to various genes & chemicals, you should probably steer clear of this book or read it ALL the way through & then thoroughly research your particulars. What is contaminating them & what are the effects? A lot of things - maybe. Toxicity & long term effects are complicated & she didn't always present them clearly. It wasn't always her fault, but several times she mentioned that the incidence of breast cancer in women is now up to 1 in 8, but it wasn't until quite late in the book that she dropped the other shoe - in women who live to be 90. Another example showed the incidence of cancer doubled & later we find out that's all the way up to 2 in 10,000. The odds of being struck by lightening are about 1 in 10,000 which she doesn't mention. Anyway, don't freak out.
She did a great job of explaining how breasts work. They're fantastically complex structures that change constantly over a woman's life & respond to the environment in a myriad of ways. This is part of what makes toxicity so difficult to narrow down. Dose doesn't make the toxin as much as timing does. What may cause cancer in a woman at one time might not at another, but it may wind up causing her grandchildren issues.
Fireproofing via chemicals is one of the most dangerous scams perpetrated by chemical companies. I hadn't realized how bad it was for breasts & breast milk or how hard (impossible?!!!) it is to avoid, but I have run across it in the construction industry where it was obviously hazardous, but still took several years to be pulled due to lobbying efforts. Similar crap is stuffed into furniture to gain 12 seconds before it combusts, at which point it will spew far more toxic smoke than if left untreated. Why? California is one of the most toxic states in this respect & Ikea does it, although both are trying hard to be both environmentally friendly & safety conscious.
I thought my lifelong fascination with breasts meant I knew something about them. I even have a set of my own, albeit just manly ones that don't give milk nor elicit wolf whistles. I found I knew very little, but I'm not alone. The best of our knowledge at this time is not nearly as good as it should be, but we're learning. DNA testing is super helpful & is growing our understanding of epigenetics - how environmental factors cause genes to express themselves. Tests for chemicals, including separating out complex ones, are getting better, too.
There's a lot of good info on breast cancer & she mentions it in men quite often. Men may be one of the better ways to study breast cancer since ours don't change constantly. I'd heard mammograms aren't particularly helpful, but she gets into why & discusses breast self exams including a silicone training product available through Amazon. Apparently doing a proper self exam is far more difficult than I thought, but with training it can be far more effective than anything else.
Highly recommended to one & all.
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 adolescent sexual thrill (OK, I'm not through that one, but I'm not even 60 yet.) then the father's jealousy (Kids don't share well!) & now the mature (relatively) appreciation of the issues my well endowed wife has dealing with hers. I should be used to them by now, but a showy pair can still drain every thought from my head with a perky bounce or dip of cleavage. What's up with that? Am I a sexist pig, creepy voyeur, or just a healthy male? (Is there a difference? Depending on my wife's mood, I've been accused of all 3, generally just the latter, though. After all, she wouldn't have put up with my ogling, pats, & squeezes for 35 years if I was too obnoxious.)
It turns out that I'm not alone & it's not just a guy thing. One study showed the same A cup gal got more rides as a B cup & even more as a C cup by both men & women. Unfortunately, they didn't take the study further to see when breast size became an impediment. Important info since the size of both natural boobs & their artificial enhancements are increasing. There is too much of a good thing, but scientists have many hypothesis & no real data on why they are a good thing in the first place. We're the only mammal with this trait & they speculate it might be a combination of factors such as lack of body hair, upright posture, & lack of snout that meant a flexible, extended feeding tube was needed. Breasts are the pretty, supportive packaging.
Williams describes herself as a 'granola girl' several times. She did an admirable job trying to balance her tendencies against statistics, but didn't always succeed. It's quite clear she freaked out when she found out just how polluted her breasts & the milk they provided were. Yes, she fed her firstborn hazardous substances & her second as well, although less so. (Better or worse than formula? Maybe.) Her environmentally contaminated sponges had partially cleansed themselves on the first, something she said is showing up in dolphins who often lose their first baby due to pollutants in their breast milk.
If you're subject to panic over studies linking cancers to various genes & chemicals, you should probably steer clear of this book or read it ALL the way through & then thoroughly research your particulars. What is contaminating them & what are the effects? A lot of things - maybe. Toxicity & long term effects are complicated & she didn't always present them clearly. It wasn't always her fault, but several times she mentioned that the incidence of breast cancer in women is now up to 1 in 8, but it wasn't until quite late in the book that she dropped the other shoe - in women who live to be 90. Another example showed the incidence of cancer doubled & later we find out that's all the way up to 2 in 10,000. The odds of being struck by lightening are about 1 in 10,000 which she doesn't mention. Anyway, don't freak out.
She did a great job of explaining how breasts work. They're fantastically complex structures that change constantly over a woman's life & respond to the environment in a myriad of ways. This is part of what makes toxicity so difficult to narrow down. Dose doesn't make the toxin as much as timing does. What may cause cancer in a woman at one time might not at another, but it may wind up causing her grandchildren issues.
Fireproofing via chemicals is one of the most dangerous scams perpetrated by chemical companies. I hadn't realized how bad it was for breasts & breast milk or how hard (impossible?!!!) it is to avoid, but I have run across it in the construction industry where it was obviously hazardous, but still took several years to be pulled due to lobbying efforts. Similar crap is stuffed into furniture to gain 12 seconds before it combusts, at which point it will spew far more toxic smoke than if left untreated. Why? California is one of the most toxic states in this respect & Ikea does it, although both are trying hard to be both environmentally friendly & safety conscious.
I thought my lifelong fascination with breasts meant I knew something about them. I even have a set of my own, albeit just manly ones that don't give milk nor elicit wolf whistles. I found I knew very little, but I'm not alone. The best of our knowledge at this time is not nearly as good as it should be, but we're learning. DNA testing is super helpful & is growing our understanding of epigenetics - how environmental factors cause genes to express themselves. Tests for chemicals, including separating out complex ones, are getting better, too.
There's a lot of good info on breast cancer & she mentions it in men quite often. Men may be one of the better ways to study breast cancer since ours don't change constantly. I'd heard mammograms aren't particularly helpful, but she gets into why & discusses breast self exams including a silicone training product available through Amazon. Apparently doing a proper self exam is far more difficult than I thought, but with training it can be far more effective than anything else.
Highly recommended to one & all.
December 31, 2014
Breasts, I got a pair! I pretty much know their purpose: they turn men in to babies and help babies grow into toddlers. I also know they need to be squished between two metal plates once a year to screen for breast cancer. Other than that, what’s to know? Apparently lots of scary facts about how our breasts are ultra-sensitive to chemicals, pollutants and other environmental factors, and how this makes us susceptible to disease. Even worse, it raises the question that just maybe _gasp_ breast may not be best for baby. Add that that the mix of confusing information – pregnancy and nursing help protect against breast cancer, but only if you have your children young. Sheesh, what’s a girl to do?
All scariness aside, Breasts is informative and quite readable, excellent medical journalism. It covers most everything to do with breasts including implants, fertility, nursing, development, how girls are developing at earlier and earlier ages, breasts in other mammals, hormones, breast cancer and male breast cancer (rare, but it happens, and oddly enough it may the key to understanding the role of environmental factors in the disease). She even explained why we still use 50 year old boob-smashing mammography technology today, surprise
The only topic that she did not cover, and why I am rating this book four instead of five stars – bras! With all the scary medical related information, learning some brassiere fun facts might have been a nice respite. Do bras play any role in the long term heath of our breasts? Or is just a comfort thing? Why can women with implants go braless where naturally endowed women need support? How did cave women go about hunting and gathering braless when I can’t go running without wearing two sports bras?
All scariness aside, Breasts is informative and quite readable, excellent medical journalism. It covers most everything to do with breasts including implants, fertility, nursing, development, how girls are developing at earlier and earlier ages, breasts in other mammals, hormones, breast cancer and male breast cancer (rare, but it happens, and oddly enough it may the key to understanding the role of environmental factors in the disease). She even explained why we still use 50 year old boob-smashing mammography technology today, surprise
The only topic that she did not cover, and why I am rating this book four instead of five stars – bras! With all the scary medical related information, learning some brassiere fun facts might have been a nice respite. Do bras play any role in the long term heath of our breasts? Or is just a comfort thing? Why can women with implants go braless where naturally endowed women need support? How did cave women go about hunting and gathering braless when I can’t go running without wearing two sports bras?
May 9, 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 put it down. The book begins with a list of humorous words for breasts ("Funbags. Boobsters. Chumbawumbas. Dingle bobbers...") but, while she peppers the entire book with humorous anecdotes, she doesn't shy away from serious issues. She asks: Why are girls developing breasts at a younger age than ever before? What are the toxins in our environment doing to our breasts? How do the hormones in birth control pills affect our breasts? She also addresses some less serious but truly interesting topics, such as why we have breasts to begin with (and why so many male scientists get the answer wrong). If you have breasts or have a daughter, mother or sister with them, you should read this book. Actually, if somehow you miraculously don't, you still should. She addresses male breast cancer as well.
Five stars!
Five stars!
January 5, 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 breast in scientific detail, from an evolution perspective as to why the breast starting developing in the first place to how our modern life (water/air pollution, toxic chemicals, oral contraception, etc.) is negatively affecting its health. She used herself as a lab rat during her research for this book and exposed herself to common American conveniences, along with everyday chemicals/materials and then collected data via blood/urine/breast milk testing. The results she provided were shocking...and frightening! We're talking about chemicals present in rocket fuel!!!
“In the United States, seven hundred new chemicals come to market each year, joining the eighty-two thousand already in use. Of these eighty-two thousand, only a few hundred have ever been tested for health effects. Despite the thirty-five year existence of government regulatory agencies and their guiding laws in the United States, including the Toxic Substances Control Act, only five chemicals have ever been band. DES was still manufactured in this country as recently as 1997. Unlike in Europe, American companies are not required to perform safety studies on new chemicals before they introduce them into the marketplace. In fact, they have strong incentive not to perform them. In the United States, every chemical is assumed safe until proved guilty. The burden to do that falls on government and university scientists who don't have the institutional muscle or resources to keep up. It takes years of work to prove that a chemical causes harm, and a shield of proprietary industrial secrets have kept manufacturers from revealing which chemicals their even using. Those recipes may be private but they swim in your bloodstream and in mine. Of the six hundred and fifty top volume chemicals in use, four billion pounds get released in the American water and air each year. Forty-two billion pounds are made here or imported each day for use in products and materials. The US government does occasionally single out some chemicals for lab animal testing, and the Environmental Protection Agency has recently finalized new tests for routing out the top suspected endocrine disruptors. The official tests however focus on certain well-established end points. The liver, the kidney, the genitals, and the brain. They leave the mammary gland in the trash can.”
This entire quote is disturbing, but the last sentence does not give much hope at all, given the fact that breasts are made of tissues that absorb “pollutants like a pair of soft sponges”. So does this mean every human (regardless of gender) is just carrying around two malignancies waiting to happen?
Nonfiction/Science books should have their own horror genre. Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History has all the elements of a true horror, and I can't say I finished the book with much hope. However, books like this give important information, and knowledge is power... Power to support research in any way we can, along with empowering every woman (and man) to advocate for "early detection" screenings as a way to manage her/his individual breast health. Every culture and gender would likely benefit from educating themselves on the damaging affects of the modern world, whether it's from reading this book or another.
My favorite quote:
“Much about our environment is better than ever. We have fewer parasites and infectious disease. Most of us are protected from extreme weather and food shortages. On the whole, people in developed countries are smoking less and living longer than ever before. But when girls reach puberty earlier, their young lives face new and difficult challenges. Toxins in breast milk run the risk of affecting the cognitive, behavioral, and physical health of our children, and breast cancer will on average shave thirteen years off a woman's life. We now understand health to be more than a measure of longevity. Our goal should be the live the best lives we can.”
“In the United States, seven hundred new chemicals come to market each year, joining the eighty-two thousand already in use. Of these eighty-two thousand, only a few hundred have ever been tested for health effects. Despite the thirty-five year existence of government regulatory agencies and their guiding laws in the United States, including the Toxic Substances Control Act, only five chemicals have ever been band. DES was still manufactured in this country as recently as 1997. Unlike in Europe, American companies are not required to perform safety studies on new chemicals before they introduce them into the marketplace. In fact, they have strong incentive not to perform them. In the United States, every chemical is assumed safe until proved guilty. The burden to do that falls on government and university scientists who don't have the institutional muscle or resources to keep up. It takes years of work to prove that a chemical causes harm, and a shield of proprietary industrial secrets have kept manufacturers from revealing which chemicals their even using. Those recipes may be private but they swim in your bloodstream and in mine. Of the six hundred and fifty top volume chemicals in use, four billion pounds get released in the American water and air each year. Forty-two billion pounds are made here or imported each day for use in products and materials. The US government does occasionally single out some chemicals for lab animal testing, and the Environmental Protection Agency has recently finalized new tests for routing out the top suspected endocrine disruptors. The official tests however focus on certain well-established end points. The liver, the kidney, the genitals, and the brain. They leave the mammary gland in the trash can.”
This entire quote is disturbing, but the last sentence does not give much hope at all, given the fact that breasts are made of tissues that absorb “pollutants like a pair of soft sponges”. So does this mean every human (regardless of gender) is just carrying around two malignancies waiting to happen?
Nonfiction/Science books should have their own horror genre. Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History has all the elements of a true horror, and I can't say I finished the book with much hope. However, books like this give important information, and knowledge is power... Power to support research in any way we can, along with empowering every woman (and man) to advocate for "early detection" screenings as a way to manage her/his individual breast health. Every culture and gender would likely benefit from educating themselves on the damaging affects of the modern world, whether it's from reading this book or another.
My favorite quote:
“Much about our environment is better than ever. We have fewer parasites and infectious disease. Most of us are protected from extreme weather and food shortages. On the whole, people in developed countries are smoking less and living longer than ever before. But when girls reach puberty earlier, their young lives face new and difficult challenges. Toxins in breast milk run the risk of affecting the cognitive, behavioral, and physical health of our children, and breast cancer will on average shave thirteen years off a woman's life. We now understand health to be more than a measure of longevity. Our goal should be the live the best lives we can.”
February 19, 2015
The author's style is entertaining and incredibly easy to read, even for a book rich with scientific information. That information, however, is very frustrating for a person who, unlike the author, understands the difference between correlation and causation. While I believe Florence Williams was well-intentioned, her agenda of conveying every theory on chemicals despite whether or not science supports them, made me question the validity of the entire book.
I began skipping entire sections whenever I realized the author was just telling her own personal experiences, as case studies should not be used as evidence. I was particularly upset when she set up an experiment using herself and her daughter as subjects but there were confounding variables, participant bias, it was not blind, there were no placebos, and she stopped her daughter's participation half way through.
To end on a positive note, Florence Williams has an excellent writing style, a great sense of humor, and a determined attitude that I can respect. There was a lot in this book that I found interesting, valuable, and terrifying.
I began skipping entire sections whenever I realized the author was just telling her own personal experiences, as case studies should not be used as evidence. I was particularly upset when she set up an experiment using herself and her daughter as subjects but there were confounding variables, participant bias, it was not blind, there were no placebos, and she stopped her daughter's participation half way through.
To end on a positive note, Florence Williams has an excellent writing style, a great sense of humor, and a determined attitude that I can respect. There was a lot in this book that I found interesting, valuable, and terrifying.
June 19, 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--and breastfeeding (if you don't breastfeed your children are probably doomed to lower IQs and bad health and junk. Bad bad bad). Which, okay, is fine because it's very relevant. But based on the title and description, I was hoping for something that covered...more years.
Like the history of breast implants. It spans several decades, and I found it really interesting. But a whole lot of the book is focused on recent things that concern breasts. And like it or not, titles are important--if Mary Roach's Stiff conveys that it's not going to be a very serious look at cadavers, then this title tells me to expect, you know, history. Or at least more than one topic that reaches further back than twenty years.
And that makes me sad. So picking this up, understand that the "history" mostly refers to 1) boob jobs and 2) how breasts evolved to be breasts. The "unnatural" refers to having boobs and being alive right now. (Spoiler: cancer exists. And also there are lots of toxins and things. These may or may not be related.)
Oh, and this will do a fantabulous job making you feel like you've just sentenced your children to death if you didn't breastfeed them.
Don't get me wrong, it was interesting and informative. But it was heavily focused on breast health--cancer, toxins toxins toxins--and breastfeeding (if you don't breastfeed your children are probably doomed to lower IQs and bad health and junk. Bad bad bad). Which, okay, is fine because it's very relevant. But based on the title and description, I was hoping for something that covered...more years.
Like the history of breast implants. It spans several decades, and I found it really interesting. But a whole lot of the book is focused on recent things that concern breasts. And like it or not, titles are important--if Mary Roach's Stiff conveys that it's not going to be a very serious look at cadavers, then this title tells me to expect, you know, history. Or at least more than one topic that reaches further back than twenty years.
And that makes me sad. So picking this up, understand that the "history" mostly refers to 1) boob jobs and 2) how breasts evolved to be breasts. The "unnatural" refers to having boobs and being alive right now. (Spoiler: cancer exists. And also there are lots of toxins and things. These may or may not be related.)
Oh, and this will do a fantabulous job making you feel like you've just sentenced your children to death if you didn't breastfeed them.
April 25, 2012
Udderly fascinating. ;-)
Science writing and journalism at their very best.
Science writing and journalism at their very best.
June 21, 2012
Every year in my elementary school, there was a lesson about head lice, either a filmstrip or a weekly reader article, and, I would spend the entire lesson trying not to scratch my head at the thought of lice. Florence Williams' book is like that. Informative, interesting, even entertaining, but it made me itch.
Breasts begins with the laughable evolutionary theories of why humans alone have breasts, all of which center on men liking them. She gives us a peak into the world of breast implants - the history and the how-to and the why - and discusses how our obsession with how they look has distracted us from real scientific inquiry. She says, "By insisting that breasts are sexually evolved and relegated to a sexual destiny, we have encouraged women not to value breast-feeding, and sadly, often not to value their normal, natural bodies. Breasts have only slowly offered up their secrets, and we have been too distracted by their beauty to look very hard."
Williams goes on to interview the handful of scientists around the world who are interested in how breasts grow and function. With them, she explores the anatomy of this unique organ throughout the lifespan, its primary function - feeding babies, and the threat of cancer. This is fascinating stuff. Our breasts are amazing, the only organ in our body that rewires itself when needed, as many times as needed. However, it is because of this ability to change at a cellular level that they are so vulnerable. Scientists are just beginning to understand them.
Throughout, Williams discusses research into the impact of our environment on our breasts. It is this topic that made me itch. Our exposure to environmental toxins influences every aspect of the development of our breasts, from when we get them to the contents of our milk to the cancer we fear. Like a sponge, our breasts seem to store particles of everything they touch, including the pollutants in our food and air. I wish the solution were as easy as replacing my plastic tupperware with glass, but the abundance of chemicals in our modern lives makes contact with these substances unavoidable.
Williams realizes that. She sees no easy answers, no quick solutions, but in writing this book, she has brought these issues to the general public, made us itch, and begun a conversation, and that is a good start.
Breasts begins with the laughable evolutionary theories of why humans alone have breasts, all of which center on men liking them. She gives us a peak into the world of breast implants - the history and the how-to and the why - and discusses how our obsession with how they look has distracted us from real scientific inquiry. She says, "By insisting that breasts are sexually evolved and relegated to a sexual destiny, we have encouraged women not to value breast-feeding, and sadly, often not to value their normal, natural bodies. Breasts have only slowly offered up their secrets, and we have been too distracted by their beauty to look very hard."
Williams goes on to interview the handful of scientists around the world who are interested in how breasts grow and function. With them, she explores the anatomy of this unique organ throughout the lifespan, its primary function - feeding babies, and the threat of cancer. This is fascinating stuff. Our breasts are amazing, the only organ in our body that rewires itself when needed, as many times as needed. However, it is because of this ability to change at a cellular level that they are so vulnerable. Scientists are just beginning to understand them.
Throughout, Williams discusses research into the impact of our environment on our breasts. It is this topic that made me itch. Our exposure to environmental toxins influences every aspect of the development of our breasts, from when we get them to the contents of our milk to the cancer we fear. Like a sponge, our breasts seem to store particles of everything they touch, including the pollutants in our food and air. I wish the solution were as easy as replacing my plastic tupperware with glass, but the abundance of chemicals in our modern lives makes contact with these substances unavoidable.
Williams realizes that. She sees no easy answers, no quick solutions, but in writing this book, she has brought these issues to the general public, made us itch, and begun a conversation, and that is a good start.
June 2, 2012
Five stars! I loved this book. It was non-fiction that I could actually read at bedtime...that is a tall order. Williams strikes just the right tone, balancing science (and a lot of scary facts) with humor and a very readable style. I particularly enjoyed the evolutionary history of the breast, which made me really appreciate the benefits of lactation for the species.
I was already in awe of the breast after going through pregnancy and nursing, and after this book I am even more so. I think Williams' own words sum up the book best:
"Much like the Mosquito Mountains, or the free-flowing rivers or polar ice caps, the human breast is a complex, unique, thrilling, beautiful thing, connected to the world in ways grand and infinitesimal. It's an evolutionary miracle that we are only beginning to understand."
I will say that I completely skipped the chapter called "Sour Milk" that outlines all the toxins in breast milk. Some things I can't change and I don't want another mom thing to feel bad about. As Williams says in another chapter, "we're pretty much marinating in hormones and toxins." It's too late to rewrite my nursing history, so I didn't want to know.
Most interesting fact I took away from it? Breasts are the only organ without their own specialty field in medicine. That would NOT be true if women had been in charge from the start.
I was already in awe of the breast after going through pregnancy and nursing, and after this book I am even more so. I think Williams' own words sum up the book best:
"Much like the Mosquito Mountains, or the free-flowing rivers or polar ice caps, the human breast is a complex, unique, thrilling, beautiful thing, connected to the world in ways grand and infinitesimal. It's an evolutionary miracle that we are only beginning to understand."
I will say that I completely skipped the chapter called "Sour Milk" that outlines all the toxins in breast milk. Some things I can't change and I don't want another mom thing to feel bad about. As Williams says in another chapter, "we're pretty much marinating in hormones and toxins." It's too late to rewrite my nursing history, so I didn't want to know.
Most interesting fact I took away from it? Breasts are the only organ without their own specialty field in medicine. That would NOT be true if women had been in charge from the start.
December 21, 2012
It was nice to have a book about breasts written by a woman who has a pair of her own. The chapters on the human evolution of breasts and the history of breast implants were fascinating . I was not so keen on the rest of the book. It was rather terrifying to think about the ever earlier arrival of puberty for more and more girls in our society. A large portion of the book deals with breast cancer, chemicals, chemicals in breastmilk, etc. and I found this portion very frustrating to read. I wanted to see charts, graphs, numbers, some kind of clarity. Instead we get a rambling narrative which is interesting but overwhelming and depressing. You begin to picture danger lurking in every sofa, kid's toy, lunchbox, etc. For many of the chemicals the author discussed, it was hard to gage the real magnitude of risk. I wanted to know what small things I could do to have a big impact on my personal health or that of my children, but this book did not answer those questions. The science seemed inconclusive for so many of the things she discussed in this book - leaving me feeling quite hopeless.
March 4, 2014
I work for a breast cancer non-profit, so I expected quite a bit from this book. As a man, husband, and father to three girls, my expectations were exceeded. In fluid and passionate prose (and often humorous), Florence Williams explores what is known and unknown about the breasts. I think the main surprise for me is what is actually unknown. We assume that there's entire organizations that study the structure and mechanics of this vital organ, but in reality, that is not the case. Also, as someone in this industry can attest, we still don't know what exactly causes breast cancer and the role our environment plays. I think this should be required reading for high school students. It sounds strange, but by understanding early on how the breasts work, we can change the misconceptions and be encouraged to view them as life forces, not devices of exploitation and misuse.
January 15, 2015
Wow. I did not enjoy this book.
I thought it was going to be a book about breasts and it turned out to be a book about breast cancer and chemicals.
I know there are bad chemicals all over the place and that there are many things that put women (and men) at a higher risk of getting breast cancer, but I specifically do not read books about those things because I don't feel like being terrified to touch and/or eat anything.
How am I supposed to feel now that I know there was likely flame retardants in my milk when I breastfed my children? Or that pretty much any choice I make will increase my chances of getting breast cancer?
This book was nothing more than fear mongering and I didn't appreciate it. Maybe a better title would have been "Your Toxic Breasts: and there's nothing you can do about it".
I thought it was going to be a book about breasts and it turned out to be a book about breast cancer and chemicals.
I know there are bad chemicals all over the place and that there are many things that put women (and men) at a higher risk of getting breast cancer, but I specifically do not read books about those things because I don't feel like being terrified to touch and/or eat anything.
How am I supposed to feel now that I know there was likely flame retardants in my milk when I breastfed my children? Or that pretty much any choice I make will increase my chances of getting breast cancer?
This book was nothing more than fear mongering and I didn't appreciate it. Maybe a better title would have been "Your Toxic Breasts: and there's nothing you can do about it".
August 17, 2024
fabulous. a little bit of excessive fear mongering on the carcinogenic front (you will not make me worry about my upholstery chemicals sneaking their way into my breast tissue and fooling around. No. I have no energy for that) but hey, she’s probably not wrong! Lesson I learned: we have tits so we could walk on two feet. 🙂
March 17, 2020
Everyone who owns a pair should read this book!
It points out that most breast research is done by men and is skewed by male viewpoints. It also points out that manufacturers spend a lot of money marketing "must have" products for feminine beauty and hygiene that contain chemical ingredients which build up in the fatty tissue of breasts and cause cancer, sometimes years and years after exposure. These chemicals are not usually listed as carcinogens because the cancer samples are from both men and women, and when looked at specifically in women are not sampled from breasts, which soak up chemicals like a sponges because of the nature of their fatty tissues.
Another interesting fact is IKEA replaced a flame-retardant linked to cancer, in their furniture, with another flame-retardant that is known to be just as carcinogenic, but hasn't been put on a banned list yet (because the tests need to be done over a certain length of time) in the US, but used a more expensive naturally occurring, non-carcinogenic, retardant in all other countries. The reason? They could still get away with the cheaper one in the US. So much for valuing your customers' health and well-being.
There were histories given for: breast feeding, baby formulas, the birth control pill, menopausal hormone therapies, and breast implants. It was pointed out that in the 1980s plastic surgeons were able to get small breasts medically classified as a deformity. The largest implant allowed in the '80s is now considered a medium sized implant.
Male scientists will tell you that current early breast development and early onset periods are evolutionary rather than induced by hormones, and hormone accelerating chemicals in food and the environment, but women scientists will tell you it's 100 percent from environmental exposure. Male scientists will tell you the evolutionary development of larger breasts in female humans was due to their sexually arousing nature when viewed by men, but women scientists will tell you it's 100 percent due to needing to accommodate the unique head and neck structure of newborn human babies and their bipedal mothers.
I read this for my Women's History Month reading.
There will be a more in-depth review on my blog and I will add the link when it is published.
It points out that most breast research is done by men and is skewed by male viewpoints. It also points out that manufacturers spend a lot of money marketing "must have" products for feminine beauty and hygiene that contain chemical ingredients which build up in the fatty tissue of breasts and cause cancer, sometimes years and years after exposure. These chemicals are not usually listed as carcinogens because the cancer samples are from both men and women, and when looked at specifically in women are not sampled from breasts, which soak up chemicals like a sponges because of the nature of their fatty tissues.
Another interesting fact is IKEA replaced a flame-retardant linked to cancer, in their furniture, with another flame-retardant that is known to be just as carcinogenic, but hasn't been put on a banned list yet (because the tests need to be done over a certain length of time) in the US, but used a more expensive naturally occurring, non-carcinogenic, retardant in all other countries. The reason? They could still get away with the cheaper one in the US. So much for valuing your customers' health and well-being.
There were histories given for: breast feeding, baby formulas, the birth control pill, menopausal hormone therapies, and breast implants. It was pointed out that in the 1980s plastic surgeons were able to get small breasts medically classified as a deformity. The largest implant allowed in the '80s is now considered a medium sized implant.
Male scientists will tell you that current early breast development and early onset periods are evolutionary rather than induced by hormones, and hormone accelerating chemicals in food and the environment, but women scientists will tell you it's 100 percent from environmental exposure. Male scientists will tell you the evolutionary development of larger breasts in female humans was due to their sexually arousing nature when viewed by men, but women scientists will tell you it's 100 percent due to needing to accommodate the unique head and neck structure of newborn human babies and their bipedal mothers.
I read this for my Women's History Month reading.
There will be a more in-depth review on my blog and I will add the link when it is published.
September 4, 2019
Varu apliecināt nosaukums pilnībā atbilst grāmatas saturam, te gan jāpiebilst – bilžu nav. Patiešām, te ir rakstīts par krūtīm un ne tikai sieviešu. Autore šajā salīdzinoši īsajā grāmatā cenšas apkopot visu, ko viņai savas izpētes rezultātā ir izdevies uzzināt. Sākot ar idejām, kādēļ krūtis vispār radušās, implantiem, zīdīšanu, mātes piena sintezēšanu un beidzot ar krūts vēža problēmu. Temats ir ļoti plašs, autore ir centusies, lai visa grāmata nepārvērstos par nenopietnu atgadījumu atstāstu, kur interesantumam ziedots saturs.
Sākumā mums tiek dots ieskats krūšu vēsturē, izrādās, zinātniekus vienmēr ir interesējis jautājums, kādēļ no zīdītājiem tieši cilvēkiem krūtis ir vislielākās. Apņēmīgi pētnieki ir noskaidrojuši pāris faktus, ja vīrietim parāda foto ar kailu sievieti, viņa skatiens visilgāk aizkavējas tieši pie krūtīm. Tas viņiem ļauj pārliecinoši apgalvot, ka krūtis ir evolūcijas rezultāts, kur galvenais faktors ir vīriešu uzmanības noturēšana. Grāmatas autors šo ideju uzskata par šovinistisku un priekšroku dod teorijai, kur bez vīriešu pievilināšanas nozīme ir arī bērna zīdīšanai un daudziem citiem faktoriem.
Lielākā grāmatas daļa tiek veltīta barošanai ar krūti. Mūsdienu ekoloģiskie apstākļi nebūt nav tie labākie, piesārņojums ir visur, un arī mātes piens nav palicis neskarts. Mūsdienu bērnelis ar mātes pienu saņem ne tikai visas augšanai nepieciešamās vielas, bet arī visu ķīmisko vielu bagāžu, kuru māte uzkrājusi savā organismā, ieskaitot kancerogēnus un dažādus ķīmiskos savienojumus, par kuru ietekmi uz cilvēku nevienam nav ne jausmas. No otras puses īstas alternatīvas mātes pienam arī nemaz nav. Lai cik dārga nebūtu ražotāju izveidotā formula, tajā nebūs ne puse no tā, kas pieejams mātes pienā.
Krūts vēzis te tiek apskatīts grūtniecības un zīdīšanas kontekstā. Viens no galvenajiem krūts vēža iemesliem ir tas, ka sievietes krūts šūnas dabū diezgan norauties. Visa tā dalīšanās pie katrām mēnešreizēm par labu nenāk, un kļūdas ar laiku akumulējas. Pēc zīdīšanas pārtraukšanas savukārt liekās šūnas tiek no organisma izvadītas ārā, un, šķiet, tas varētu būt iemesls, kādēļ sievietēm, kas zīdījušas savus bērnus, risks saslimt ar krūts vēzi ir mazāks.
Grāmata ir izklaidējoša bagāta ar faktiem, uzzināju daudz kā jauna. Grāmatai lieku 8 no 10 ballēm. Domāju, ja interesē krūtis, tad grāmatu noteikti ir vērts izlasīt.
Sākumā mums tiek dots ieskats krūšu vēsturē, izrādās, zinātniekus vienmēr ir interesējis jautājums, kādēļ no zīdītājiem tieši cilvēkiem krūtis ir vislielākās. Apņēmīgi pētnieki ir noskaidrojuši pāris faktus, ja vīrietim parāda foto ar kailu sievieti, viņa skatiens visilgāk aizkavējas tieši pie krūtīm. Tas viņiem ļauj pārliecinoši apgalvot, ka krūtis ir evolūcijas rezultāts, kur galvenais faktors ir vīriešu uzmanības noturēšana. Grāmatas autors šo ideju uzskata par šovinistisku un priekšroku dod teorijai, kur bez vīriešu pievilināšanas nozīme ir arī bērna zīdīšanai un daudziem citiem faktoriem.
Lielākā grāmatas daļa tiek veltīta barošanai ar krūti. Mūsdienu ekoloģiskie apstākļi nebūt nav tie labākie, piesārņojums ir visur, un arī mātes piens nav palicis neskarts. Mūsdienu bērnelis ar mātes pienu saņem ne tikai visas augšanai nepieciešamās vielas, bet arī visu ķīmisko vielu bagāžu, kuru māte uzkrājusi savā organismā, ieskaitot kancerogēnus un dažādus ķīmiskos savienojumus, par kuru ietekmi uz cilvēku nevienam nav ne jausmas. No otras puses īstas alternatīvas mātes pienam arī nemaz nav. Lai cik dārga nebūtu ražotāju izveidotā formula, tajā nebūs ne puse no tā, kas pieejams mātes pienā.
Krūts vēzis te tiek apskatīts grūtniecības un zīdīšanas kontekstā. Viens no galvenajiem krūts vēža iemesliem ir tas, ka sievietes krūts šūnas dabū diezgan norauties. Visa tā dalīšanās pie katrām mēnešreizēm par labu nenāk, un kļūdas ar laiku akumulējas. Pēc zīdīšanas pārtraukšanas savukārt liekās šūnas tiek no organisma izvadītas ārā, un, šķiet, tas varētu būt iemesls, kādēļ sievietēm, kas zīdījušas savus bērnus, risks saslimt ar krūts vēzi ir mazāks.
Grāmata ir izklaidējoša bagāta ar faktiem, uzzināju daudz kā jauna. Grāmatai lieku 8 no 10 ballēm. Domāju, ja interesē krūtis, tad grāmatu noteikti ir vērts izlasīt.
November 12, 2015
Full of facts, some cool, some scary; she starts out with a pleasantly chatty whimsical narrative style that made me willing to persevere through the less amusing bits of this. Sometimes we just want to put our hands over our eyes and refuse to see or hear. I want to keep all the good news and forget the bad.
September 30, 2019
This is an important topic and I learned some things, e.g. about male breast cancer in U.S. Marines. I was annoyed however by the frequent intrusions of the author's personal anecdotes, as well as numerous asides on irrelevant tangents (man crushed by piano while bonking a stripper, etc.). The space could have been used to go into some more depth on the actual subject matter. For example, in discussing the mammography confusion, there is an omission of the history of the controversy and the bias of the mammographers. This is something I just read a whole book about, and so it seems like a good story that deserves a few paragraphs here. The science in general felt too gee whiz superficial, whether about breastfeeding, breast cancer, or basic prevention.
Better books on related topics:
Better books on related topics:
October 1, 2012
Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History is all about boobies (as one might expect from the title); including their evolution, function, and roll in culture. However, more than the above, the book is about breast illness and environmental toxins and how human exposure to new chemicals may be changing breast health and that of breast-feeding infants. The book is scientific in its approach and is not salacious in any way {all the same, I’d recommend that guys who read on the train or other public places get the e-reader version, so they don’t look like pervs holding a big book labeled “BREASTS” in front of their faces}.
Although an experienced writer, this is the first book by Florence Williams and overall she did a good job with her scientific research of the topics discussed. However, Williams stated purpose is to explore the link between environmental toxins, endocrine disrupters and breast illness, and in this I felt her conclusions went somewhat beyond what science is currently able to tell us. We know that certain pollutants accumulate in breast tissue and can also be found in breast milk, but science has not linked these low level contaminants to breast cancer or other diseases. It is not unreasonable to suspect that such a link exists, or to recommend that women avoid exposure of environmental contaminants where it is possible to do so, but the best science we have today has not demonstrated links between specific environmental pollutants and illness. Williams’ caveats in this regard were rather weak given her extensive coverage of the topic.
Williams also presents some statistics in ways that can be potentially misleading. For example, stating that certain chemical exposures can double a woman’s chance of contracting a particular disease sounds quite horrifying. However, if the change is from 1 in a trillion to 2 in a trillion, it’s a doubling of a risk that is so low as to be unworthy of notice. In the absence of actual numbers it is not possible to determine whether the risks described should be of actual concern (although in each of the cases discussed, her writing is biased in a way to suggest that they are).
In popular science books, I’ve found that journalists tend to do a much better job writing for the general public than scientists. Journalists write in a more engaging manner, present the information in a way that is more understandable and are more enjoyable to read. However, in that they are not scientists, journalists face a responsibility to present the science in a way that is consistent with the best evidence around which a scientific consensus has formed, and to point out any uncertainties that exist along the edges. Williams writing measures up to the positive qualities of a good journalist, however, I think some of her conclusions could have been a little more carefully drawn (and I say this as someone who strongly supports cleaner technologies and more robust pollution prevention measures).
Although an experienced writer, this is the first book by Florence Williams and overall she did a good job with her scientific research of the topics discussed. However, Williams stated purpose is to explore the link between environmental toxins, endocrine disrupters and breast illness, and in this I felt her conclusions went somewhat beyond what science is currently able to tell us. We know that certain pollutants accumulate in breast tissue and can also be found in breast milk, but science has not linked these low level contaminants to breast cancer or other diseases. It is not unreasonable to suspect that such a link exists, or to recommend that women avoid exposure of environmental contaminants where it is possible to do so, but the best science we have today has not demonstrated links between specific environmental pollutants and illness. Williams’ caveats in this regard were rather weak given her extensive coverage of the topic.
Williams also presents some statistics in ways that can be potentially misleading. For example, stating that certain chemical exposures can double a woman’s chance of contracting a particular disease sounds quite horrifying. However, if the change is from 1 in a trillion to 2 in a trillion, it’s a doubling of a risk that is so low as to be unworthy of notice. In the absence of actual numbers it is not possible to determine whether the risks described should be of actual concern (although in each of the cases discussed, her writing is biased in a way to suggest that they are).
In popular science books, I’ve found that journalists tend to do a much better job writing for the general public than scientists. Journalists write in a more engaging manner, present the information in a way that is more understandable and are more enjoyable to read. However, in that they are not scientists, journalists face a responsibility to present the science in a way that is consistent with the best evidence around which a scientific consensus has formed, and to point out any uncertainties that exist along the edges. Williams writing measures up to the positive qualities of a good journalist, however, I think some of her conclusions could have been a little more carefully drawn (and I say this as someone who strongly supports cleaner technologies and more robust pollution prevention measures).
October 9, 2019
This book was depressing as hell. I added it to my To Read list 5 or so years ago when I heard about it on Fresh Air. Don't get me wrong, the author has an entertaining style. There were lots of chuckles as I read various witty things she said. It's just that the core thesis of the book - or at least the thread that seemed to tie everything together - was that the modern world was screwing over everyone with breasts, men included.
And that's where things got depressing. More or less everything has endocrine disruptor chemicals that come off of it - from car seats to plastics to various medicines. The chemical companies have so much money that regulators in the USA aren't doing anything. And when they *do* as that a chemical be changed - like the bromine (or some other element) based flame-proofing - the chemical they pick to replace it is just as bad.
Also, there's the fact that I've grown a lot as a reader of non-fiction and I'm a lot more wary of these scientifically proscriptive books. The problem is not that I'm conspiracy-minded or that I don't want my mind changed. It's that I've seen too much quackery peddled as science that I'm not sure how much this book should freak me out about about my daughters' and wive's potential health issues. A lot of animal studies don't end up to mean much when transferred to humans. On the other hand, we have a long history (lead in paint/gas, medicines given to pregnant women, cigarettes, etc) where we're told that things are OK and they aren't.
So I think my frustration comes from a mix of being powerless against rich corporations and not knowing how much of what's in this book is valid science.
My favorite chapters were about the evolution of breasts (both in terms of animal evolution and culturally/socially) and how a lot of what science believed (believes?) about them have been greatly colored by societal and moral beliefs.
And that's where things got depressing. More or less everything has endocrine disruptor chemicals that come off of it - from car seats to plastics to various medicines. The chemical companies have so much money that regulators in the USA aren't doing anything. And when they *do* as that a chemical be changed - like the bromine (or some other element) based flame-proofing - the chemical they pick to replace it is just as bad.
Also, there's the fact that I've grown a lot as a reader of non-fiction and I'm a lot more wary of these scientifically proscriptive books. The problem is not that I'm conspiracy-minded or that I don't want my mind changed. It's that I've seen too much quackery peddled as science that I'm not sure how much this book should freak me out about about my daughters' and wive's potential health issues. A lot of animal studies don't end up to mean much when transferred to humans. On the other hand, we have a long history (lead in paint/gas, medicines given to pregnant women, cigarettes, etc) where we're told that things are OK and they aren't.
So I think my frustration comes from a mix of being powerless against rich corporations and not knowing how much of what's in this book is valid science.
My favorite chapters were about the evolution of breasts (both in terms of animal evolution and culturally/socially) and how a lot of what science believed (believes?) about them have been greatly colored by societal and moral beliefs.
August 2, 2016
sigh.
This is a weird read. It's scientific, it's medical, it's social, it's political. It had some humor, lots of paranoia inducing statistics, some sentiment.
It's about breasts, but ultimately is more of a social stance against big companies and pollution. Chemicals are in everything, toxins are everywhere.
Cancer is a large, large part of this thesis. And it makes sense, obviously, as breast cancer is real and rates are constantly increasing.
So this book begins with theories of the evolution of human breasts. Then the magnificence of the human breast, the enlargement of the magnificent human breast as its point is asthetic, the mother/child relationship that is the point of the breast, the breast milk which is the food of the mother/child relationship. And sprinkled within is so much toxic chemical pollutant.
I'm already concerned. I'm not even a health nut. Just like a normal American who is aware of things. This book made me panic and rethink at least three things in my life right now!
It's a great scientific, medical, social read. I just recommend knowing what you're going in for on this one.
This is a weird read. It's scientific, it's medical, it's social, it's political. It had some humor, lots of paranoia inducing statistics, some sentiment.
It's about breasts, but ultimately is more of a social stance against big companies and pollution. Chemicals are in everything, toxins are everywhere.
Cancer is a large, large part of this thesis. And it makes sense, obviously, as breast cancer is real and rates are constantly increasing.
So this book begins with theories of the evolution of human breasts. Then the magnificence of the human breast, the enlargement of the magnificent human breast as its point is asthetic, the mother/child relationship that is the point of the breast, the breast milk which is the food of the mother/child relationship. And sprinkled within is so much toxic chemical pollutant.
I'm already concerned. I'm not even a health nut. Just like a normal American who is aware of things. This book made me panic and rethink at least three things in my life right now!
It's a great scientific, medical, social read. I just recommend knowing what you're going in for on this one.
July 12, 2012
It's shocking how little we know about breasts and breastmilk, and I had no idea we knew so little until I read this book. It had a lot more about environmental toxins than I would have expected, but it's a very worthwhile read - it's not scandalous or sexy, but informative and easy to get through.
I thought the author was a little more "OMG THERE ARE THINGS IN MY BREASTMILK, IT'S PROBABLY TERRIBLE FOR MY BABY" than she needed to be; I am totally biased on the subject but she sometimes made it sound as though breastfeeding was harming children. (Yes, it seems like toxins can pass into your breastmilk, but I'd wager that the cumulative benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks and, either way, it's still better than the alternative.)
I do wish there was more discussion about bras and the ridiculous sizing, but alas. Perhaps there is a different book about this somewhere.
If you have boobs (or, hell, even if you don't) - check this out! I feel a lot more informed about toxins in our environment and how that affects breast health (for women and men).
I thought the author was a little more "OMG THERE ARE THINGS IN MY BREASTMILK, IT'S PROBABLY TERRIBLE FOR MY BABY" than she needed to be; I am totally biased on the subject but she sometimes made it sound as though breastfeeding was harming children. (Yes, it seems like toxins can pass into your breastmilk, but I'd wager that the cumulative benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks and, either way, it's still better than the alternative.)
I do wish there was more discussion about bras and the ridiculous sizing, but alas. Perhaps there is a different book about this somewhere.
If you have boobs (or, hell, even if you don't) - check this out! I feel a lot more informed about toxins in our environment and how that affects breast health (for women and men).
June 17, 2012
ah, boobies.
This book should be called 'Millions of Chemicals in Your Environment and How They Are Killing You' since the scope of the book deals more with creating awareness of how toxic our environment is. I am guessing 'Breasts' was chosen instead as it would sell better.
The biggest thing i learned was that most people, even scientists, don't think that chemicals can cause cancer and disease. I am assuming this is beyond known carcinogens. If most people think that chemicals do not impact their bodies then they are foolish and Florence makes a good cause. Known (and ignored) for more than 100 years is John Beard's discoveries to the nature of cancer published in the medical journal Lancet. After reading this idea it is easy to see how chemicals are toxic and contribute to cellular trauma and promote cancer.
If you can get beyond her useless need to try to explain everything in evolutionary terms you will find a healthy meal.
This book should be called 'Millions of Chemicals in Your Environment and How They Are Killing You' since the scope of the book deals more with creating awareness of how toxic our environment is. I am guessing 'Breasts' was chosen instead as it would sell better.
The biggest thing i learned was that most people, even scientists, don't think that chemicals can cause cancer and disease. I am assuming this is beyond known carcinogens. If most people think that chemicals do not impact their bodies then they are foolish and Florence makes a good cause. Known (and ignored) for more than 100 years is John Beard's discoveries to the nature of cancer published in the medical journal Lancet. After reading this idea it is easy to see how chemicals are toxic and contribute to cellular trauma and promote cancer.
If you can get beyond her useless need to try to explain everything in evolutionary terms you will find a healthy meal.
April 7, 2014
So, Florence Williams is not Mary Roach. Which is to say, she isn't as funny, and I've never found Mary Roach's books to have a hidden agenda. I'm obviously scared about the amount of pollutants and other environmental chemicals that have ended up in my body and breastmilk, and I'm understandably concerned about the effect those things are going to have on my daughter and future children (I live next to both a freeway and an airport in California, Flame Retardant Capital of the universe, so it's a miracle Jane wasn't born with a third ear). That said, this book's purpose seemed to be to solely talk about chemicals and their ability to infiltrate and impact our bodies, even if particular topics within that area were only tangentially, if at all, related to breast health. So, it's pretty well written, but a bit of a trojan horse book.
August 25, 2012
Breasts: a Natural and Unnatural History by Florence Williams is an important book. What woman doesn’t have a friend or family member who has gotten breast cancer? Florence Williams answers all the questions you might have had about breasts and many you could never have imagined. One out of eight women in the United States will get breast cancer. Women today are getting the disease at a far younger age than previous generations. This book is a must-read for every woman … and man. There is even a chapter about Camp LeJeune where marines drank polluted water and developed breast cancer. Williams also investigates early puberty in girls and how it may affect them as women. I especially enjoyed Chapter 6 on, as the author switched from the past to the present and future, reporting on the latest theories and possible causes. I learned that young women who breastfeed their children are protected by pregnancy hormones, while women, who choose to bear babies later in life, run a higher risk, and that a new 3D detection test is under development. I met biologists like David Newburg, who studies breast milk in an attempt to duplicate some of the benefits, “the Nutrasweet for the survival set, the mysterious stuff of breast purified into a paper packet.” I was pleased to have the author confirm my theory on the danger toxic chemicals in the environment pose to human health and shared her dismay that government agencies are not doing more to protect us. “Perhaps it’s time, say many activists, to look deeper into chemical exposures, especially since damning evidence in animals and in occupational studies is slowly mounting,” writes Williams. If you suspected many breast cancers are environmental in origin, here is confirmation. Williams writing style was, at times, a bit flippant for my taste, given the gravity of the subject. Still, I recommend giving this book to every woman you care about. The author’s extensive research may cause them to make some lifestyle changes and live longer.
June 7, 2012
First, let me say that I highly recommend this book to anyone with a pair of breasts. Seriously. It made me think about mine in a whole new way. I heard about the book on NPR, and I wanted a copy just about as soon as it was released. This book is in much the same style as Mary Roarch books, lots of science information but presented with humor, interviews with scientists and anecdotes. The book initially starts with an evolutionary biology perspective, and throughout she is most interested in breasts through that sort of form and function lens.
She talks a little about why we might have breasts (for all my thinking about how breasts are represented culturally I never thought about the fact that humans are the only mammals with breasts, per say - all other mammals nurse, but none have lifetime breasts like we do) why they might be shaped as they are, puberty, breast implants and lactation and breast feeding. I can't explain how many times she would point things out that I had never thought about before. It's also astonishing how little scientific work is dedicated to understanding breasts. As one of the doctors she talks to points out, it's the only major organ without a medical speciality.
Again, a lovely, fascinating and funny read.
March 8, 2014
Throughout, Williams discusses research into the impact of our environment on breasts. The chapters on the human evolution of breasts and the history of breast implants were fascinating . I was not so keen on the rest of the book.
Williams writing measures up to the positive qualities of a good journalist, however, I think some of her conclusions could have been a little more carefully drawn.
I wanted more about the history of breasts, about bra industry, the plastic surgery industry, more about boobs rather than the toxins that lurk in the breasts.
The biological and paleological story of the breast tended to get set aside. Also, at times she tried for a Mary Roach style of humorous science reportage, but it came across as forced.
Williams writing measures up to the positive qualities of a good journalist, however, I think some of her conclusions could have been a little more carefully drawn.
I wanted more about the history of breasts, about bra industry, the plastic surgery industry, more about boobs rather than the toxins that lurk in the breasts.
The biological and paleological story of the breast tended to get set aside. Also, at times she tried for a Mary Roach style of humorous science reportage, but it came across as forced.
September 19, 2018
DNF: I couldn’t get through this book. I found it very unscientific at many points (she makes judgements about scientific data without having a deep understanding of the work, despite the fact that she met with the researchers, but she also states that the data is ‘too abstract’ for her and she cannot understand it). I wanted to read a book about the scientific history of the human breast to learn more, but unfortunately this was a slanted report that made huge sweeping judgements and did not consider many important scientific findings, some of which would have supported the main thesis. Also, the reader of the audiobook was doing fake accents of the scientists she interviewed which was unsettling and offensive.
March 25, 2019
It took me ages to track down a copy of this book, making the disappointment all the more deeply felt. Williams starts out strong and has an entertaining writing style, but very quickly this work delves into unfounded studies, conflated evidence (namely correlation v causation), and far too many anecdotal "experiments". With so much science thrown out with the bathwater, it became difficult to source out any real relevant information in the book. What I expected to be an overview of the evolution of human breasts and the social importance given to them, instead became a soapbox for "natural living" and the dangers of "chemicals". Not at all what I was hoping for or what was suggested to me. Not recommended if you are looking for grounded and documented information.
November 17, 2020
Okay its official. I hate florence williams. I read nature fix and thought it was a little obnoxious but still good. I was hoping this would be a fun history of breasts and looking at how they’re viewed in different cultures. However most of it is this wannabe gwyneth paltrow spouting pseudoscience about how horrible plastic and anything else that isnt shat out by mother natures is for us. I find it concerning that she felt it was appropriate to talk at length with little critique about studies by someone who believes women are naturally weaker bc of their hormones.
I also found her constant talk of “obesity” obnoxious considering obesity is determined by BMI which has been proven to be useless - much like this book and florence williams’ entire career.
I also found her constant talk of “obesity” obnoxious considering obesity is determined by BMI which has been proven to be useless - much like this book and florence williams’ entire career.
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