Laura Eldridge (1)

This book was wonderful. It throughly investigated the topic of contraceptives, and from many angles not often considered when choosing a method for oneself, such as the history of and environmental impact of contraceptive options.

I wish I had read this book, or one like it, as a teenager. I think this book is appropriate for people of all sexes, genders, and ages. Even if a reader has no interest in reproduction or contraception, In Our Control covers many social trends that effect everyone. This book reminded me of Naomi Wolf's _The Beauty Myth_ in that it talked about female bodies truthfully and fairly. There are a lot of politicians, advertisers, religious leaders, and drug company executives I wish I could force to read this book.

Some non-fiction books err in their tone, either swinging too far to the conversational and flippant or too far the other way, resulting in a dry, boring book. Eldridge hit the sweet spot, and In Our Control is written in language both precise and readable.

Some other reviewers described Eldridge as having a bias against hormonal contraceptives. I didn't see it this way. She was critical, but she turned this investigative eye towards all methods. The author seemed frustrated with the limited options available to women, and she didn't set out to suggest one over another. Every option has pros and cons, side effects and benefits, and each woman needs to choose the option which best fits her needs and situation. If Eldridge spent more pages on hormonal methods, it was because there was more information to share and examine.… (meer)

Some disclaimers: I am male; I am a feminist; I have not glanced at "Our Bodies, Ourselves" for over a decade; this is a living review, subject to revision as I encounter other material that is influential and related.

My purpose in reviewing the book is due to my being a parent of a teenage daughter and wishing to be informed on the topic of contraception. By this measure, the book was satisfying. I was hoping that in the 21st century there were more contraceptive options than were discussed in the book, and I was chagrined to learn that many options have been only minimally tested for safety/side effects. The book was not as in-depth of the use of the different contraceptive options as Our Bodies, Ourselves, but instead efforts were made to relay the history and the social concerns related to the options. I found the history fascinating. Unlike some of the other reviewers, although I agree there was some bias against oral contraceptives, my perception was that the author was reserved about her bias, and provided copious notes and sources to validate her position.

This is an important book, and I have recommended it to my circle of friends to read.

The topics of the book, included:
Contraception history before the 21st century (4 1/2 stars)
Hormonal contraception for the 21st century (4 1/2 stars)
Non-hormonal contraceptive options (3 stars)
Alternate distribution methods and hormonal contraception (4 1/2 stars)
Menstruation (5 stars)
Questions and controversies with new menstrual drugs (4 1/2 stars)
The morning-after pill (3 stars)
Fertility awareness and natural birth control (4 stars)
HPV vaccinations (5 stars)
No pill for men (4 1/2 stars)
Going green (5 stars - fascinating)
International issues in reproductive health (4 1/2 stars)… (meer)