Helpful Score: 16
This was an interesting book. It was well written by the author who did a good job researching the subject and trying to be objective about the various physicians, procedures and even the person the book was written about. It amazes me that physicians could get away with so much with their "god complexes" and it makes me understand why there is such a strong swing of the pendulum towards informed consent etc. It always makes me wonder how many other treatments and theories we practice today that we will look back on and wonder who could of that it was a good idea.
Taryn M. (tarynissuper) reviewed As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 13
I picked this book up on a whim at a local used bookstore. I'd never heard about the case of David Reimer before, but thought it sounded interesting. I've always been interested in psychology, but I think anyone would find this book to be a quick easy read. The book is really well written, and even though you are reading medical transcripts through out, the book flows like a story opposed to a factual account of something that happened (which sometimes can be tedious). The book is around 300 pages and can easily be read in 1-2 days at a leisurely pace. I was interested in finding out more about the Reimer case after reading this book and found a TLC special that came out a few years ago (on youtube) about what happened. I highly recommend reading the book opposed to just watching the documentary. Although well made, I found the documentary to seem disjointed because the book went into so much more detail. Overall, this is a great story and a well written book. Two thumbs up!
Karla F. (KarlaF) reviewed As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl on + 106 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 9
A great read for anyone interested in the psychology of gender and/or the politics of mental health treatment. Also thought-provoking if you are a parent or contemplating being one. An excellent read, written by a journalist who investigated a case where psychologists convinced parents to raise their boy (an identical twin) as a girl, after a botched circumcision.
Helpful Score: 9
This book is a page turner. It is hard to believe that this actually happened and treatment was being performed at a prominet hospital in the US. It is so sad what emotional turmoil that this family and this young man had endured. It's amazing what parents will do thinking it's the best thing for their child. Highly recommend this book.
Marta J. (booksnob) reviewed As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl on + 412 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
I saw a documentary on this, so was very interested to read the book. Very well-written, especially considering that there is almost no embellishment to the narrative to make it more readable. The book concerns the case of David Reimer, who lost his penis during infancy due to a botched circumcision, after which he was raised as a girl. Even more interesting is the fact that he had an identical twin brother. It was an experiment that failed miserably and caused David to have a horrible life. Though it ends on a somewhat optimistic note, the fact is that David committed suicide after the publication of this book.
