|
The History of Anorexia Nervosa When Fasting Girls first appeared in 1988, anorexia nervosa was widely considered a new disease. In fact, most people thought it would go away. Joan Jacobs Brumberg's award-winning book changed that perception by demonstrating when and where anorexia nervosa originated and why it has become so "popular" in our time. A classic work that is both a biography of the disease and a sustained inquiry into the cultural forces that perpetuate it, Fasting Girls -- newly revised and updated -- will stand for years as the authoritative book on the subject. Fasting Girls looks to the history of anorexia nervosa for answers to some of the most pertistent questions about its origins, demographics, and treatment. Brumberg presents a tableau of female self-denial dating back as far as the thirteenth century: medieval martyrs who used starvation to demonstrate religious devotion, "wonders of science" whose families capitalized on their ability to survive on flower petals and air, silent screen stars whose strict "slimming" regimens inspired a generation. Along the way she traces the shifting social and cultural influences that have shaped how the disorder is perceived. Incisive, compassionate, and illuminating, Fasting Girls offers real understanding to victims and their families, clinicians, and all who are interested in the history and future of this complex and characteristically female disease. You can purchase Fasting Girls in paperback at: Kansas Charley Most Americans regard "kids who kill" as a bane of modern society, but the tragic tale of "Kansas Charley" reminds us that it is a long-standing issue. Young Charles Miller was a fifteen-year-old killer who was hanged in 1892 for the murder of two young men. In this compelling narrative, acclaimed author Joan Jacobs Brumberg takes us into a world of poverty and abuse, revealing the people and places that shaped Miller's behavior, his crime, and his punishment. Vividly bringing to life a thought-provoking chapter in American history and in the history of the juvenile justice system, Kansas Charley also sheds light on our contemporary predicament, encouraging us to think about what it means to continue to uphold the juvenile death penalty in the twenty-first century. You can purchase Kansas Charley in paperback at: The Body Project: An Intimate History of American Girls Web site by RMF Designs |