By Tara B.
Joan Jacobs Brumberg's 1997 book, "The Body Project" explores the socio cultural pressure young women face in America. Composed of diary entries written by girls from all eras, the novel feels personal and familiar. It begins with Brumberg's classroom at Cornell University, where she teaches women's history. Students ask, "Why do women hate their bodies?" a question that has haunted Brumburg for decades.
The entirety of the book attempts to answer the age-old question with a timeline of American culture and its ties to female body image. Beginning in the 1850's, it takes the reader through the fads and pressures of each generation. Each young woman's story of self exploration stirs empathy and insight from issues ranging from awkward first times to racial identity to sexual orientation to dieting. Historical events such as the invention of the automobile and the death of Martin Luther King act as land posts in the stories and make the novel cohesive and dynamic.
This novel acts as both history book and poetry. While the novel is dense, Brumberg's
revolutionary glimpse into the mind of a teenage girl is a must read. I recommend this
book to young adults, both male and female. Young men will finish the book with a
mind changed and young women will feel reassured that they are not alone in the quest
for true confidence.
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