The Book of Skin by Steven Connor
Skin, Steven Connor argues, has never been more visible. The Book of Skin explores the multiple functions of the skin in the cultures of the West. In this vividly illustrated book, Connor draws on evidence from a variety of sources including literary...
"Professor Steven Connor's book, a rather gothic yet highly enjoyable history of human skin, finds new substance in Sartre's thoughtsConnor uses post-war French philosophy as the frame through which he views the long history of writing and reflecting upon skin, from Classical and Renaissance medical treatises through to our modern taste for tattooing and aromatherapy oils."—The Daily Telegraph, January 12, 2004
"This erudite discourse explores the various forms and functions of skin, including how it changes color and how those colors are ascribed to different feelings and conditions: green for envy, purple for rage. In passages that could make some readers' skin crawl, Connor considers why we itch and sometimes smell, as well as how our skin sheds. With cultural references, philosophy, and excerpts from archaic texts, he elaborates on these details."—Science News, March 20, 2004
"Connor ironically contributes to what he observes as a contemporary fascination with the skin as metaphor and literalized figure while nevertheless commenting on its power and ubiquity in literature, theory, and everyday language."—Maureen Malnyk, University of Western Ontario, Skandalon, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2005
"The largest human organ is the skin. It is so ubiquitous that we do not even think of it as an organ. Steven Connor's brilliant, readable Book of Skin makes you very uncomfortable in your own skin because in reading you become hyperaware of it. Connor spells out the myriad, often contradictory Western meanings associated with the skin, its biology, and its psychological implications. An exhaustive, fascinating look at an aspect of the history of the body little studied and still less understood."—Sander L. Gilman, University of Illinois, Chicago
"This erudite discourse explores the various forms and functions of skin, including how it changes color and how those colors are ascribed to different feelings and conditions: green for envy, purple for rage. In passages that could make some readers' skin crawl, Connor considers why we itch and sometimes smell, as well as how our skin sheds. With cultural references, philosophy, and excerpts from archaic texts, he elaborates on these details."—Science News, March 20, 2004
"Connor ironically contributes to what he observes as a contemporary fascination with the skin as metaphor and literalized figure while nevertheless commenting on its power and ubiquity in literature, theory, and everyday language."—Maureen Malnyk, University of Western Ontario, Skandalon, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2005
"The largest human organ is the skin. It is so ubiquitous that we do not even think of it as an organ. Steven Connor's brilliant, readable Book of Skin makes you very uncomfortable in your own skin because in reading you become hyperaware of it. Connor spells out the myriad, often contradictory Western meanings associated with the skin, its biology, and its psychological implications. An exhaustive, fascinating look at an aspect of the history of the body little studied and still less understood."—Sander L. Gilman, University of Illinois, Chicago
Steven Connor is Professor of Modern Literature and Theory in the School of English and Humanities at Birkbeck College, London.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780801488931 |
| ISBN 10 | 0801488931 |
| Title | The Book of Skin |
| Author | Steven Connor |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Cornell University Press |
| Year published | 2003-12-11 |
| Number of pages | 304 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |