Circumcision: A History Of The World's Most Controversial Surgery

by David L. Gollaher

From the extraordinarily painful initiation rite of the ancient Egyptians, through the Hebrew purification ritual, through its use by nineteenth-century doctors as prevention for ailments including bedwetting, paralysis, and epilepsy, circumcision has had a long and varied history. Perhaps the greatest mystery, however, is its persistence over time through vastly different social contexts.Historian of medicine David Gollaher takes a comprehensive look at the practice in this lively, scholarly history. Circumcision also addresses the growing controversy over the procedure's continuance, and those opposing routine circumcision will find support here. Gollaher concludes that "if male circumcision were confined to developing nations, it would by now have emerged as an international cause cébre."

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Health, Science, Religion, Parenting, Biology

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2000

Reviews

[Zack]

Damn. This was a really interesting book. Left me feeling like circumcision is indeed pretty fucked up. I miss my foreskin.

[Scott Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers a balanced look at circumcision, including the origins of the ritual and how it moved from a religious and cultural practice to being normalized by the medical community. The author covered the perspectives of different religions and how/why the practice was adopted or rejected by different cultures. He also explored the medical reasons why circumcision has fallen in and out of favor throughout history. Lastly he explores the similarities and contrasts the practice of male circumcision with what has come to be known as female genital mutilation (by critics) or female circumcision (by advocates). Overall it was a fascinating look at a controversial subject. Although it was clear to me which way the author leaned, I appreciate how even-handed he was in presenting differing sides of the issue.

[John Coatney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following the birth of Titus, I had a couple of conversations about circumcision that led me to wonder about how and why it's such a popular surgery in the U.S., since it's not primarily done for religious reasons. I found this book, which the author claims "is a history, not a polemic or a tract for the times." He also claims that he "endeavored to write a balanced account." Unfortunately, he failed to do so, and the book, which does provide helpful information, in essentially an argument against routine circumcision. I'm glad to have read it, and I've certainly learned a lot about the reasons why circumcision is so common in the U.S.; I just wish that the author had been able to create a truly balanced account.

[Phoebe · Rating 2 out of 5]

For my demography internship...I now know so much about circumcision if anybody has any questions. Three stars because it says it's the world's most controversial surgery and mostly talks about the united states.

[Evanston Public Library]

It’s the most common surgery in the United States. Yet in many people’s eyes it’s barbaric and indefensible. Yet if it’s barbaric, how does it come to be practiced worldwide by unrelated cultures, cultures both primitive and modern? Yet if it’s not barbaric, how can it be justified scientifically--and why do most cultures shun it? What's the rationale for it? Or should rationalism be omitted from the discussion? David Gollaher offers a thorough history and interpretation of the practice, covering everything from its pre-biblical roots to the scientific debate. He gives voice to all sides: those tending to view the uncircumcised as "lacking culture, manners, intelligence, and, in a word, civilization," those who defend circumcision "only for their own societal group and justify it culturally but not medically," those who see it as the product of "an unfortunate suspension of rational thought by otherwise reasonable people who wouldn't inflict unjustified pain on helpless children in any other circumstance," and those who don't quite fit into any of these categories. Informative, provocative, and very fair. (Jeff B., Reader's Services)

[Dayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting history of circumcision. I actually learned a lot, especially about how circumcision became so routine in the United States, which I had really wondered about. The author gives facts, which I appreciate. This is not some emotional diatribe or an attempt to sway ones opinion. It seems with some other sources that the facts get garbled in personal missions...but I never got the impression that this author was trying to say what is right or wrong. I didn't think he seemed completely unbiased either. It is a well presented history though, and I would say quite thorough. The politics and social class issues really fascinated me. The "Ode" made me laugh. I thought it was odd that when discussing circumcision in Judaism the author didn't really address the 8th day, which I think is significant. I would not say that the author wrote in a biased manner, he just did not seem completely unbiased in the end, but then it is probably easy to make the anti-circumcision movement seem more reasonable when most of "pro" reasons are simply cultural, a part of personal beliefs and group identity, in the not-so-reasonable, but often very important realm of tradition.

[Ella Spang · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5⭐️
So! Interesting read! For sure!

Basically this book details the history of circumcision, within abrahamic religions but also within indigenous tribes and secular traditions. It delves into the discourse surrounding the procedure, the justification of it, the studies, the implications, etc etc.

Religiously/Culturally, circumcision meant two main things. 1) Purity/rightness with God, and 2) distinction within the larger world to become a fully fledged member of one’s group.

As time went on, and science improved, circumcision lost popularity, (especially in the face of anti-semitism and Islamophobia) however, it later regained popularity. (Think, Victorian era and onwards) A few obvious reasons (at the time) was hygiene, and limiting risk for sexually transmitted diseases, paralysis, and cancer. The book then explains that modern science has largely disproven these assumptions about the health of the circumcised vs non-circumcised.

Correlation does not equal causation < poor men are uncircumcised, poor men are more likely to have STDs or get infections, but this has more to do with class, education, and willingness to seek treatment rather than the state of their foreskin. In a similar vein, Jews were used as an example of circumcised individuals who were less likely to have an STD, but this has more to do with the fact that Jewish people have less unprotected sex with strangers.

I was less interested in the modern discourse (besides the stuff on whether or not to use pain medication on babies) and reasoning than the history and practices of it. Such as how Christian theology in the Middle Ages was very concerned about the fact that Jesus must’ve been circumcised, so there was debate about whether foreskin was restored in heaven.

I did skip the chapter on female circumcision at the very end, I cannot stomach the subject. So there, I cannot give my feminist analysis or anything.

[DW Rowlands · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm slightly disturbed by Gollaher's suggestion that he is trying to present an even-handed description of genital mutilation: reading that at the beginning I was quite worried that he would fall into the journalist's fallacy of having to show both sides as equivalent. However, he does a good job of discussing the reality of this monstrosity in a referenced book. I probably am going to buy a copy for myself so I can have one for reference if needed.

[Tom Deschene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very well organized.
I got the feeling that I was traveling through history, while also spanning different angles on circumcision at the same time. I found the answers to the questions I was looking for within the chapter I expected to find them. What I didn't expect was for this book to gradually feel like a story.

[Lazarus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Core reading for anyone interested in the topic of circumcision. Finely researched, well-written, eye-opening, and thought-provoking. As the author says regarding the purpose of the book, they seek to make the "familiar" practice of altering newborns' and children's genitals unfamiliar. This wide-ranging history does just that.

[Elisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational

[Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s a lot easier to see what’s irrational in another culture than it is to see it in our own.” This quote by Cheryl Chase, serves to highlight some of the insights that this book gives into our culture. Gollaher takes the reader through the beginnings of this practice not only from the historical/religious side but also from the anthropological one, giving us a clear picture of the pervasiveness of this ritual as well as several other forms of bodily mutilations in almost all cultures. He then switches to the way in which this ritual was accepted as part of the medical norm, based on research that was anecdotal-based and which has been discredited. He goes through the medical literature to clearly explain the insignificance of this procedure in terms of preventive medicine, to the point where any benefit derived from it is offset by the complications that arise from it as well.
Yet the greatness of the book, aside from Gollaher’s ability to state all the evidence without poisoning it with his own opinion, is found in the last chapter. This chapter, dealing with female circumcision, is the perfect close to the book because he once again does not voice his opinion but puts forth all the relevant historical, anthropological, medical and psychological evidence needed to understand this practice. The same evidence that he previously expanded on for the more commonly accepted male surgery. Thus, it becomes painfully clear to the reader that any defense of one practice can be made for the other and it serves to highlight how atrocious both are and how by an accident of history one has become so normal so as to seem perfectly innocuous. If you want a book to make you aware of both the hidden faults of medical research and of our own cultural biases, you’ve found it.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me months to get through this book. Definitely not a fast read but then, I dipped in here and there with no urgency to finish. As a review it didnt measure up to my expectations, as a discussion it was merely ok, as for insights into the practice, his take on circumcision's history, especially for males, was not revelatory. I wanted more but cant fault the book for being a nice overview.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed look at circumcision, both in ancient and modern times. While the author claims to be unbiased, I felt that he leaned slightly in the anti-circ camp (this could be my own views coming through, though.) Overall I thought it was a good review of the practice.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating cultural history of the practice of circumcision, including the the origins and prevalence of this custom in modern American medical practice. Interesting on its own, but especially so for expectant parents who are trying to make a decision about whether to circumcise.

[T. Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and horrifying.