Beauty Junkies: In search of the thinnest thighs, perkiest breasts, smoothest faces, whitest teeth, and skinniest, most perfect toes i

by Alex Kuczynski

Book Overview

A star writer for the New York Times Styles section captures the follies, frauds, and fanaticism that fuel the American pursuit of youth and beauty in a wickedly revealing excursion into the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0767914112
• ISBN13: 9780767914116
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Harmony/Rodale
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent.

I'm not much interested in cosmetic surgery (which is not the same as plastic surgery, one of the things I learned from the book), but I am a HUGE fan of Alex Kuczynski's work so will read anything she writes. For instance, I don't like shopping, but I always read her NYT column, Critical Shopper, just for the fun of it. As I expected, I found this a fascinating book and whizzed through it in two days. Lots of great information. As the title indicates, this isn't a guide for people who are considering cosmetic surgery, but an analysis of the industry and the trends behind it. She throws in some of her own experiences, which are just as (or perhaps more) intriguing as the reportorial sections.

what a delight!

I knew very little about this subject when a coworker lent me Beauty Junkies. I had no idea about the lengths some people (and I don't say women because a surprising number of MEN partake!) go to in order to acheive a younger, prettier self. Kuczynski's research is so well formulated that even I, a stranger to the topic, was fully captivated by it. I finished the book in 2 nights! I would recommend this book to anyone interested in social patterns and psychology, as well as anyone interested in learning about new ideas.

What is beauty?

Kuczynski's tale of her own and others obsession with cosmetic surgery underlines the more important question of what is the role of beauty in our society. Who sets the 'beauty standard' and why are so many people,, especialy women, obsessed with the pursuit of such a subjective and ultimataly unrealizeable goal. Superbly researched and well written.

Changed my life

As a mother of three I was ready to get a tummy tuck and other things done... until I read this book. This clear view into the world of cosmetic surgery really made me think about it a new way. I learned things I am sure my doctor never would have told me. I am glad that this book was written.

Tells it like it is and names names

This book names names: from revealing the names of celebrities who've had work done, to revealing the names of doctors (and one particularly horrible New York cosmetic dentist) who rip off their patients and leave their patients scarred or worse while flouting the law, the truth, and their patients' safety. In other words, it has all of the pleasure of celebrity gossip, with none of the guilt. That's because this book is, at its core, a well-written, serious work of journalism that publicly shames some very bad doctors and a very bad dentist. It shows how the system is failing patients, and why it needs to be reformed. I LOVED this fun book. It is a true page-turner that left me laughing whenever it didn't make me gasp in disbelief. I highly recommend this book!