The Book of Skin

Science News, March 20, 2004

The human body's largest organ is gaining visibility as ads and movies show ever more skin and as plastic surgery becomes more prevalent. On the basis of these trends, Connor considers skin from both symbolic and physiological perspectives to detail its powers as "a substance, vehicle, and metaphor." He begins with the views of skin taken by ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians.

The Greeks, for instance, saw skin as an ideally inviolable vessel for both body and spirit. This erudite discourse then 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. Cornell U Pr, 2004, 304 p., b&w photos/illus., paperback, $29.95.