A Brief History of the Female Body

"""A Brief History of the Female Body is a wonderful book giving insights into the biological struggle between mother and child, why you have breasts, orgasms, periods, and menopause. This is a must read for every woman and those who love her."" -- Louann Brizendine M.D., New York Times bestselling author of The Female Brain and The Upgrade ""At last! Now that women like Deena Emera are studying evolutionary biology and medicine we get to read books like A Brief History of the Female Body. Deena provides timely and well-informed summaries and discussion of topics women care about within the spheres that actually matter to us."" -- Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, author of Mother Nature: A History of Mothers, Infants, and Natural Selection ""Deena Emera generously shares her personal perspectives as a scientist and a woman, telling her story and that of those living in female bodies in a conversational style peppered with humor, making a significant contribution to our understanding of the complexity of the female human body and its evolutionary origins. An educational and enjoyable read!"" -- Nancy Fugate Woods, BSN, PhD, FAAN, Professor Emerita, University of Washington School of Nursing ""Evolutionary biologist Deena Emera uses both her academic acumen and personal experience to reflect on significant basics of female experience--periods, breasts, orgasms, pregnancy, and menopause. Not only are her reflections valuable to anyone interested in women's health as an important subset of women's studies, but they can literally assist the reader in putting her personal experience into perspective."" -- Angela Barron McBride, PhD, RN, author and Distinguished Professor Emerita, Indiana University ""In this excellent and engaging book, Emera probes the mysteries and mythology of the female body both through the eyes of an evolutionary biologist and a mother. Her delightful prose and keen insights make for a uniquely enjoyable gynecologic journey of discovery."" -- Jonathan Reisman, M.D., author of The Unseen Body: A Doctor's Journey Through the Hidden Wonders of Human Anatomy ""In this fascinating and hugely enjoyable book, Dr. Emera explores the deep past to shed light on the present and future of women's health."" -- Lisa Mosconi, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of The XX Brain ""In A Brief History of the Female Body, Dr. Emera addresses many questions that women raise to better understand their bodies and their health, making this engaging book a must-read for women of all ages, including professionals who care about providing quality health care and understanding of bodily transitions for women."" -- Vivian W. Pinn, M.D., women's health research advocate ""Understanding ourselves begins with understanding our biology. In this important book, Deena Emera guides us on a journey through the past, present, and future of the female body. It's a story with profound implications not just for women, but for all of us."" -- Jamie Metzl, author of Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity"