The Oxford Companion to the Body (Oxford Companions) (No. 1) (Hardcover)

~ Colin Blakemore (Editor), Sheila Jennett (Editor) "Abdomen The proper anatomical term for what is known colloquially as the belly, or as the 'STOMACH', especially when localizing an ache or pain..." (more)
Key Phrases: antenatal development, mutilation and markings, vallecular space, New York, Middle Ages, Oxford University Press (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Another in the "Oxford Companion" series (it was preceded in the sciences by companions to the mind in 1987 and to medicine in 1986), this is a beautifully produced tome comprising over 1000 entries written by 350 contributors, the majority of whom are British academicians. Editors Blakemore and Jennett are physiology professors at Oxford and the University of Glasgow, respectively, and British spelling is used throughout. Many entries provide See also references, and longer entries include suggestions for further reading. There is also a comprehensive index. Illustrations, including line drawings, black-and-white photographs, and full-color plates, are used conservatively, and some entries, such as "Surgery," could have been enhanced by the inclusion of some sort of illustration. However, the editors have succeeded admirably in their goal of providing a "seamless blending of science and humanities." Entries range from major religions and how each views the body (e.g. "Hinduism and the Body," a two-page article) to many parts of the body ("Fallopian Tubes" merits a brief paragraph as well as See also references, and while neither fingers nor toes warrants an entry, "Fingerprints" does). There are entries for professions that specialize in the use of the body ("Model, Artist's," with the requisite nude photograph) and even for concepts, like "Leisure," with See also references to "Relaxation" and "Sport." "Mandrake Root" is listed because it resembles a person and is beautifully illustrated by a reproduction from Dioscorides's Materia medica. Remarkably affordable and compulsively readable, this volume will find a home in any academic or public library's history of medicine or reference collection. Martha E. Stone, Massachusetts General Hosp. Lib., Boston
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Developed by Oxford University Press with the support of the Physiological Society, The Oxford Companion to the Body strives to bring "the wonders and excitement of the science of physiology to a broad audience." In addition to science, it includes cultural, historical, and religious perspectives.

The approximately 1,000 alphabetically arranged entries range from short definitions to longer entries that that include contributors' names and recommended readings. Many scholars, mostly from the U.S and UK, including historians and physiologists, contributed to this guide. Although anatomical systems and physiological functions make up the bulk of the entries, examples of the broad scope of coverage include Furniture and the body, Hinduism and the body, Lifespan, Mermaid, and Tattooing. Also included are some biographies of noted physicians. There are a few color plates, and plates of the human body follow the index. The emphasis in many of the entries is British though the scope is international.

This is neither a medical guide nor a medical dictionary; rather, it is a summary of the art and science of our bodies. Suitable for a wide audience, The Oxford Companion to the Body is recommended for academic, medical, and large public libraries. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 778 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (February 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 019852403X
• ISBN-13: 978-0198524038
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.8 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #971,131 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must!, January 3, 2004

By	Jean Decety (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Where do you go when you want to know something related to the human body, find out what cosmetic surgery is, or magnetic brain stimulation, or perhaps what is the Hinduism view of the body. Today answer is obviously: you log on the internet. The only problem is that you don't know how serious and reliable the information is across the variety of links. It can be good or bad. If you're not an expert, it's tough to decide, isn't?

Colin Blakemore and Sheila Jennett, two distinguished British Professors of Physiology, with the help of 350 experts, did a beautiful job in editing an authoritative and fascinating guide, which covers every aspect of the human body, including many that you would have never thought about. It includes an impressive range of academic domains (e.g., Anthropology, Medical Sciences, Psychology, Religion, Philosophy, Sociology to name a few) that makes the book captivating. In addition, this impressive knowledge is readily accessible to both the specialist and non-specialist reader.

The Oxford Companion to the Body is clearly a book that can have many different uses. It has its place in your school, college as well as in your lab. I myself have it as one of my favorite bedside reading, and given the number of pages (753) and issues covered (over 1000 entries), it's going to be a great companion for a long time.