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catrinj's review against another edition
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.0
An interesting and eye opening delve into the relationship of women and healthcare throughout history. Cleghorn discusses topics and examples that have largely been left out of modern narratives of medicine, or ones that are only recently been discussed. She doesn’t reduce the women down to the specific cases in which they were involved. She explores how they might have felt or the context surrounding the case, allowing us the reader to feel connected to the women who came before us. The book is mainly Eurocentric and US focused and a focus on Asian healthcare would’ve also been appreciated. At times it felt too much like narrative, however that may be my own preference for analytical books as the narrative doesn’t take away from the writing.
rhiannaog's review against another edition
3.75
This gave me horrendous health anxiety but was soooooo eye opening. I knew a lot of it beforehand but to really go into depth, especially in aspects I knew little about such as the cultural differences. Amazing.
polijus1's review against another edition
4.0
The motivation that lays before reading this book is I was sick this month and had to go on multiple trips to the doctor. I slightly remember a point I read from a book (I think it was Mother of Invention), on how it's more difficult for women to go to seek medical help as their complaints usually are registered as hysteria or mental health problems. My expectation on reading this book is to be able to uncover the bias on the healthcare system, and this book delivered. This books starts from the ancient world to the present, starting from how women are only regarded for their reproductive organs and their subsequent health problems arises from their reproductive organs. What I admire from this book is that Cleghorn's tries to include as many women's activists efforts to improve healthcare system for women. In addition, Cleghorn's approach is intersectional, she manages to cover the motivation behind some movement, such as Sanger's eugenics approach in her effort on making birth control available for women. Being an unwell woman herself, the last chapter is devoted to her journey to getting a lupus diagnosis. This book is a well-researched and well-written book. Although a thought pops up in my head: Cleghorn focuses on the US and the UK, what about other countries, especially Asia? Are there any books on similar topic specifically on healthcare system in Asia, or one that is focuses on more racially diverse women? I know that Cleghorn may not cover all of it, I was just wondering.