The Breast Book: An Intimate and Curious History

By Lithe Sebesta and Maura Spiegel

Book Overview

Introducing the chunky, obsessive book of "Breasts." Using over 600 illustrations and photographs, "The Breast Book" is about changing social mores and attitudes, from classical Greek statuary to the Victorian corset to Twiggy to Pamela Lee. "The Breast Book" is about envy and etiquette, differences-why 90 percent of French women do not breastfeed, for example-and adornment, including make-up, tattooing, nipple rings, and more. "Breasts" is about politics, art, religion, kitsch, and burning the bra. About perceptions-90 percent of men prefer a size C over a D. About high art-whether the humanist breast in Renaissance painting or its feminist send-up by photographer Cindy Sherman-and pop art, from Vargas girls to World War II bomber mascots to Madonna. "The Breast Book" is about getting them right-falsies, bust improvers, gadgets, pumps, and creams-and showing them off, like Jayne Mansfield's, immortalized in cement in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. A work of pop culture in itself, "The Breast Book" includes recurring visual elements like Time Lines and Great Moments of the Breast, plus Titbits-fascinating trivia running throughout.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0761121129
• ISBN13: 9780761121121
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Workman Publishing
• Length: 456 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.1" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Best Breast Book By Far

The Breast Book by Maura Spiegel and Lithe Sebesta is a fascinating and fact-filled compendium about the breast. The Book is scientific, yet saucy, which it makes it fun to read and filled with solid information. From the delightful collection of breast photos (both old and new) to the Slang Appendix of Breast synonyms, the Book continually amazes and surprises the reader.A definite, delightful read sure to please all readers. Don't miss reading this Book!!

LOVE YOUR BREASTS!

In our culture of breast implants, sexual focus on breasts, negative views of breastfeeding, the rise of breast cancer, and the sexual and esteem implications that come from it all, this book is sure to TITillate, humor and EMPOWER women!This book covers the historical views of breasts, as well as the functioning breast (yes, they're actually made to lactate!), the political breast and the sexual breast. I love that it is small, but packed with illustrations and photographs that I had never seen before!A great little gift for yourself - start appreciating your breasts and they won't let you down!

A survey of the breast in art and movies

From bare to adorned, The Breast Book collaboratively written by Maura Spiegel & Lithe Sebesta provides a survey of the breast in art and movies from early to modern times. While the subject and short stature of The Breast Book may not lend to easy library shelving or lending, this will prove a pick for any involved in real life art who want a history of changing representations over the decades.

An amazing gift book

This book does for breasts what "The Vagina Monologues" did for that other ubiquitous portion of the female anatomy. But breasts are more "out there," visually and socially, and this extremely fun book (approximately the size of a breast) uses hundreds of photographs to celebrate them and document societies' ever-changing attitudes, codes, fashions and artistic representation (one chapter is devoted solely to their representation by woman artists). There's a thoughtful chapter about adolescence; funny bits about Hollywood (in a candid shot, Sophia Loren in all her glory glances disapprovingly at Jayne Mansfield's down-to-the-nipple decolletage); interesting facts about the breast's dual role as sexual organ and milk producer -- hence the duality of the sacred and the profane. Since the book fits so comfortably in the hand, I find myself taking it with me from room to room, and guests tend to do the same. So I bought another one and now have a pair!