Making the Body Beautiful

“Making the Body Beautiful” by Sander Gilman is a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of the history and cultural significance of aesthetic surgery across the globe.

Here are the key aspects of the book:

1. Historical Context: The book delves into the long history of aesthetic surgery, tracing its roots back to ancient times. It highlights how nose reconstructions, for instance, have been common in India for centuries.

2. Global Perspective: Gilman examines the role and prevalence of aesthetic surgery in various cultures, noting how countries like South Korea, Brazil, Israel, and Argentina have become hubs for specific cosmetic procedures.

3. Cultural Analysis: The book explores the reasons behind the universal appeal of aesthetic surgery. Gilman suggests that a key motive is the desire to “pass,” or be seen as a member of a desired group, whether that pertains to age, race, gender, or social class.

4. Focus on the Nose: A significant portion of the book is dedicated to how people have reshaped their noses to conform to beauty standards, mask ethnic identities, or repair damage from war and disease.

5. Surgery Extremes: Gilman doesn’t shy away from discussing the extremes of aesthetic surgery, including transgender surgery, body modifications like adult circumcision, and even performance art involving body alteration.

6. Interdisciplinary Approach: The book is notable for its interdisciplinary approach, drawing on a range of sources from medical history to cultural studies, including references to well-known figures like Nietzsche, Michael Jackson, and Barbra Streisand.

7. Provocative and Engaging: “Making the Body Beautiful” is both engaging and provocative, offering deep insights into the human desire for physical transformation and how this intersects with cultural norms and individual identity.

8. Rich in Imagery: The book is supplemented with a variety of images that depict individuals before, during, and after undergoing cosmetic surgery, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the subject.

Overall, “Making the Body Beautiful” is not just a history of aesthetic surgery but a comprehensive study of how and why humans have sought to transform their bodies in pursuit of beauty, acceptance, and identity across cultures and ages.

From the book: