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Vagina: A New Biography (2012)

by Naomi Wolf(Favorite Author)

3.62 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0061989169 (ISBN13: 9780061989162)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Ecco

review 1: I actually think this book is quite good (in parts) and is also an important addition to the conversation around female creativity and sexuality. It gets knocked down a star, though, for the sheer number of adverbs in the personal-essay portions of the book and the last chapter, which is like a rapid-fire list of potentially relevant research followed by the author's unsupported generalizations about what she thinks that research might mean. Those things aside, however, the chapter discussing the physiology of the pelvic nerve, the ANS, and the endocrine system as well as the chapters that chronicle the perception of the feminine through history are worth reading the book for.
review 2: Do you have a vagina? If so, you should probably read this book.Are you fon... mored of vaginas? If so, you should probably read at least the last half of this book.Wolf draws from her personal experience to come up with an intriguing question: what is the relationship between a woman's physical body--that part of her that makes her a woman--and her mind? More specifically, can having fulfilling sex lead a woman to be more creative, more confident, and more....her?The answer is an unequivocal yes. Wolf uses research and logic to study not only woman's physiological makeup but also the historical and cultural norms that shape us as women. Lots of references to journals, lots of interviews, and lots of notes and fancy words. This is a book of science, not a book to titillate. Wolf is bringing the knowledge here. As a women's studies minor, I'm no stranger to feminist talk. I like to consider myself a pragmatic feminist. I'm not going to rail against men for creating language and thus confining me, but I'm also not going to shy away from the truth that discrimination has existed and continued to exist. One fascinating point that Wolf makes is that actions and words against the vagina affect how we, as women, present ourselves to the world. Systematic rapes as a part of war cut women to their core; verbal insults whittle away at our confidence one phrase at a time.Another interesting point is that the prevalence of pornography has led to the sexual dissatisfaction of Western women, in particular. Wolf goes into that subject in detail and suggests a more enlightened Eastern approach to sex, pointing out that tantric customs are more female-centric and pretty much the opposite of porn.This book might be a little out of your comfort zone, but I'd get an e-copy and ready it anyway, folks. A lot of the scientific studies done simply ring true to me. The last section of the book even delves into some of the problems between men and women that are simply due to how they are each wired differently. Fascinating stuff.One last thing about this book that I found especially refreshing: Wolf notes when she doesn't have enough research, as in the case of lacking the data for lesbian and bisexual women. She also doesn't diminish men or how they feel, gently reminding you that this is a book about women and a book about men would be an equally good idea. Finally, she does acknowledge that not all women are the same. It's important to remember that her theories are based on scientific data as a whole and, of course, there's always going to be someone who breaks the mold.Oh, and for the record, if someone were to write a book called Penis that was as well researched as this, I'd read that, too. There you go, guys, that's the gauntlet I've just tossed down for you. less

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