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Boobs: A tongue in cheek social history of our obsession with breasts
For most of her life, unconcernedly flat-chested author and academic Dr Lisa Portolan had never really thought about her breasts, or boobs in general. But then she met Amanda Goff - aka former escort Samantha X - fellow author, journalist and owner of a huge pair of breasts. A friendship formed, then a working relationship ... and as the two women embarked on business dealings together, the monolithic power of mammary glands became glaringly apparent. All too often, men would ogle Amanda's chest in meetings, text her romantic/perverse messages, and try to get into her pants. The same men would focus their attention on Lisa's face, send her professional emails, and otherwise ignore her. Lisa was left pondering whether she should have her breasts augmented in order to become more visible, while Amanda wondered whether she should have hers reduced. But they both found themselves asking the same why all the fuss about boobs?
Lisa and Amanda don't pretend to have all the answers - they're not even sure how they feel about them most of the time. But that's precisely the point. Boobs is a smart, irreverent, wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation about the human and social-historical journey of breasts, richly illustrated with personal anecdotes and perspectives from coauthors at opposite ends of the bust spectrum. With its eclectic mix of chest-related topics - from our fixation with symmetry to the judgy debates about breastfeeding - Boobs celebrates our messy, often ridiculous and always complex relationship with these culturally charged appendages.
Lisa and Amanda don't pretend to have all the answers - they're not even sure how they feel about them most of the time. But that's precisely the point. Boobs is a smart, irreverent, wide-ranging and often hilarious conversation about the human and social-historical journey of breasts, richly illustrated with personal anecdotes and perspectives from coauthors at opposite ends of the bust spectrum. With its eclectic mix of chest-related topics - from our fixation with symmetry to the judgy debates about breastfeeding - Boobs celebrates our messy, often ridiculous and always complex relationship with these culturally charged appendages.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 11, 2025
Boobs: What's All the Fuss About is an easy to read introduction to a wide range of social, historical and personal subjects under the banner of all things booby.
Each chapter explores a theme, through anecdotes, interviews, or a more academic summary of the issues raised.
The book winds its way through serious topics like breasts in art, body dysmorphia, the influence of social media, health and medicine, views on breastfeeding, and how breast size relates to unfounded assumptions of intellect or occupation.
This is interspersed with casual conversations with men and women (including at least one self identified trans individual), revealing their thoughts on living with, or without, breasts.
The authors themselves recount their own experiences as the proud, sometimes indifferent, and occasionally embarrassed owners of boobage.
Each of them writes openly and with huge vulnerability about their lives at opposite ends of the size spectrum, including thoughts about surgical enhancement and reduction, meaning most women will relate in some way.
This is a book that's best explored with curiosity, humour, and the understanding that every issue here could easily form the basis of an entire academic volume (and probably does).
A fun read with serious subtext.
CW: Surgical procedures and post-operative details
(This book was gifted by the publisher)
Each chapter explores a theme, through anecdotes, interviews, or a more academic summary of the issues raised.
The book winds its way through serious topics like breasts in art, body dysmorphia, the influence of social media, health and medicine, views on breastfeeding, and how breast size relates to unfounded assumptions of intellect or occupation.
This is interspersed with casual conversations with men and women (including at least one self identified trans individual), revealing their thoughts on living with, or without, breasts.
The authors themselves recount their own experiences as the proud, sometimes indifferent, and occasionally embarrassed owners of boobage.
Each of them writes openly and with huge vulnerability about their lives at opposite ends of the size spectrum, including thoughts about surgical enhancement and reduction, meaning most women will relate in some way.
This is a book that's best explored with curiosity, humour, and the understanding that every issue here could easily form the basis of an entire academic volume (and probably does).
A fun read with serious subtext.
CW: Surgical procedures and post-operative details
(This book was gifted by the publisher)
Displaying 1 of 1 review