Immaculate Forms

“With erudition and cool wit, Helen King anatomises three millennia of Western commentary from doctors, teachers, and theologians about the female body. Males have tended to do most of the talking; now readers across the gender spectrum can find surprises and illuminations in this entertainingly comprehensive survey of what past generations knew, thought they knew, and often got wildly wrong.”

“In Immaculate Forms, King expertly weaves science, history, and culture to illuminate history and educate about the most misunderstood parts of our bodies. There is no better guide to trace the history of what we know and to make it relevant for us today. Never has medical history been more entertaining! Impeccably researched, thoroughly enjoyable, and filled with moments of surprise, this book will astound. Immaculate Forms is not just essential reading for those interested in science; it should be read by anyone interested in understanding how disinformation about women’s bodies comes to be, and how it can be exploited.”

“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. 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.”

“Immaculate Forms is also a work of immaculate writing. With unrivalled expertise and a wealth of classical and contemporary detail, the author weaves historical knowledge of medicine, anatomy, literature, art, and religion into a narrative that surprises, informs, excites, and frequently amuses. Essential reading for busting prejudice and myth about women and their bodies.”