Customer Reviews

Inventing Beauty: A History of the Innovations that Have Made Us Beautiful

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4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(1)
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My copy of 'Inventing Beauty' arrived just the other day, and I find myself carrying it wherever I go, dipping into it for "just one more" section.

I keep wanting to tap complete strangers on the shoulder and say, "Did you know..." and then share with them some bizarre tidbit such as the fact that movie stars in the 1940s used a mechanical contraption called a Hollywood Lift -- made of glue, silk thread, and rubber bands -- to pull their sagging faces upward. Makes me want to rent some old movies and look for telltale signs on those ultra-smooth faces!

This book is a lot of fun, and would make a great gift for any woman, of any age.

--Janis Jaquith, author of "Birdseed Cookies: A Fractured Memoir"

It is an interesting coincidence that Teresa Riordan's "Inventing Beauty" is
appearing at the same time as the English translation of Umberto Eco's book on
the history of beauty. Each author looks at beauty in an original way, but Eco
and Riordan come at the same subject from opposite directions. "History of
Beauty" (actually, only about half of book's chapters are written by Eco; the other
half are  
written by Girolamo de Michele) is an erudite dissection of the meaning of
beauty. Riordan's effort is much more materially based; she
examines the technology of beauty, the implements that women use in the
pursuit of self-manufactured beauty. Visually, the books are distinctly different.
Eco's book is illustrated with sumptuous color reproductions of art. Riordan's book has a black and white aesthetic and features old
advertisements, photographs and, most interestingly, patent drawings. She
writes that she considers these drawings overlooked folk art, and I have to
agree. Strangely, given that Eco's book is published by the famous art publisher
Rizzoli, Riordan's is by far the better designed book. It is gorgeous to hold, even though
it is a paperback original rather than a coffee-table book, and even though it is illustrated
with naive drawings and advertisements rather than fine art.

Teresa's book is full of fun facts that were not included in any histories of the 19th & 20th Century I had ever read, until she pulled them together with a deft touch and her witty commentary. Anyone who has ever tweezed, twirled, lined, or moisturized will enjoy learning about the many pioneers responsible for modern beauty devices and products. Beautifying oneself is usually a solitary business, done in the privacy of one's bathroom or bedroom. After reading "Inventing Beauty," I know I am but one member of a devoted sorority throughout history. I'll never feel the same again about my bra or my mascara!

I have found this delightful page turner invaluable as I try to teach the complexities of cultural critique: Riordan's book helps us revise the usual reading of the beauty industry as repressive and male-produced. She's never pedantic and lets the objects and their histories speak for themselves. It's a thoughtful, and at times gleeful, women's history.

Teresa Riordan is wonderful. She takes the history of a miscellany of inventions such as mascara, bras and dipilatories, links it to humankind's quest for physical "beauty" and turns it into a marvelous rendition of history.

Riordan's research appears to be meticulous. She has delved into patent files, old advertising, other historical data such as books and newspapers.

"Inventing Beauty" is a wonderful addition to any library on history, pop culture and sociology.

Better than all that, "Inventing Beauty" is just plain fun and informative to read.

Jerry

Inventing Beauty is a fascinating and fun book to read, not only for its entertaining aspects but also for its intensely researched historical information. It brings to light information about women and what they thought about back in the 1800s, which is vastly similar to many things that the woman of today thinks about in terms of beauty.
The book did cover many different aspects of the body that women tried desperately to change, however I wish that it did even more. It was really interesting to read and find out what people were thinking and came up with but I felt that it stopped abruptly and that it could have gone on. It would be great if Riordan came out with a second volume about more modern day beauty inventions. The ones in this book are interesting, however it only covers from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century.

This fascinating and very funny book is not only an eye-popping history that will amaze today's young women, it's a trip down memory lane for those of us over a certain age -- and a clear reminder of how far we've come. Teresa Riordan's thoughtful commentary is far more intelligent than simple knee-jerk feminist rhetoric, and serves to make us consider the choices we ourselves have made (or decided not to) over the years, in pursuit of Beauty.

I have always been interested in makeup, cosmetics, hair, etc and the history of such. Anyone else who is also will enjoy this book.

I collect vintage makeup, and was very interested in this book. I found most of it to be fascinating. The author relies heavily on patent information and includes many drawings of the inventions that changed the way women looked through the decades. I do wish it had been longer, though. Many of the subjects deserved longer chapters.

What a wonderful book! Ms. Riordan is a gifted social critic, who spins a fascinating tale! Great for Christmas gifts.