Looking Good
Male Body Image in Modern America
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ISBN10: 0809066386
ISBN13: 9780809066384
Trade Paperback
272 Pages
$22.00
CA$24.00
Not so long ago, what the average American man did mattered more than how he looked. Since the 1970s, however, projecting the right look has become more and more essential, and men are spending millions of dollars on fitness training, bodybuilding, hair replacement, and cosmetic surgery in the relentless pursuit of physical perfection.
What has caused American men to fall into the beauty trap so long assumed to be a special danger for women? This book looks at the confluence of social, economic, and cultural changes that have shaped the new cult of male body image in postwar America. Lynne Luciano explores what men are doing to themselves, asks why they are doing it, and discovers what this new world tells us about American society today.
Reviews
Praise for Looking Good
"An engaging and enlightening book. Luciano's analysis of the rise of modern male vanity makes a worthy contribution to gender and cultural history."—Howard P. Chudacoff, Brown University
"[This book explores] a juicy subject . . . with a picturesque cast of characters . . . Entertaining and intelligent."—Holly Brubach, The New York Times Book Review
"A must read for everyone concerned with the self-indulgence and physical danger of our culture's fixation on youth and consumerism."—Lois W. Banner, University of Southern California
"In this breezy, informative book . . . Luciano traces the complicated and often surprising history of constructed masculinity . . . she peppers her work with fascinating tidbits . . . Luciano's emphasis on historical and economic aspects of masculinity offers a refreshing perspective on Western views of the subject."—Publishers Weekly
"Fluid and well-written . . . A thought provoking study."—Brad Hooper, Booklist
"Luciano does an excellent job in tracing the rise of male vanity."—Greg Herren, Lambda Book Report
Reviews from Goodreads
About the author
Lynne Luciano
