Rating: 
Summary: Fabulous
Review: One of my very favorite books. Love Angier's science writing in the New York Times and can't recommend this book enough. If high school biology had been this fun, we'd all be scientists. Angier deconstructs the myths, explains the truths, and does it all with beautiful writing and a racy kick. A woman or want to understand one better? Read it.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing and informative book
Review: I loved Woman: An Intimate Geography! I have never found a women's health book as informational and entertaining. This well researched book is densely packed with facts and stories about all aspects of the female body. As a nonscientist, I found it especially interesting and easy to read. Despite the amount of information Angier presents, it is not text-booky or heavy reading. I have read it twice thus far, and could happily read it at least twice more in order to learn as much as I can about my body's inner workings. I think any human could benefit from reading Woman.
Rating: 
Summary: captivating
Review: I did not plan to read this book. ... I wondered, as you might, how a whole book (that is not a reference book) could be written on women's bodies. Is it possible to make biology something intersting to read? I was amazed. I read the book in one weekend. It is almost like reading a novel where women's bodies are the main character. She doesn't pretend that she has the answers, but rather guides the reader on a journey through possibilities. She explores breasts-- what are they for...? how do the work...? Periods... our uterus... But doesn't "dumb it down," and use layperson's terms. We hear the "real" words for hormones and biological processes. But these things are so well woven into narrative accounts and insightful musings that even the most science-phobic person can get swept away in the magic of Angier's words without getting caught up in science-speak.
Why not five stars? Especially early in the book some of her musings wonder too far toward the "women could be genetically superior" line of thinking. I don't think she really means it, but rather doesn't close the door of wondering. However, I feel like it could scare off some readers and give those who want to keep women "in their place" good reasons to dismiss the book as a crazy feminist scientist. Don't let it scare you off, though. It seems to be Angier's attempt to balance things out a little-- if we have spent so much time musing about whether men could be superior, why not wonder about women, too?
This is a great book for both men and women who want to learn about and wonder about what goes on in women's bodies, and various ways that that can be understood.
Rating:
Summary: From fascinating facts to blatant speculation...
Review: I was intensely interested in reading this book when it first came out, and finally got around to it. From the beginning, Ms. Angier makes it clear that yes, there is much scientific fact in the book, but much of it is also her wild speculations as to why certain things happen (in regards to women and the female body, of course). She herself refers to this book as a 'scientific fantasia of womanhood', and notes that she is 'scientifically and medically accurate where I can be, opinionated wher there is room for argument'. From that introduction, she goes on to cover the basics of a woman, in cells and ovaries and uterii and all our womanly parts...to our basic chemistry - genes and hormones and our similarities and differences to men (and non-human primates, for that matter). Then she moves on to emotions, love, attachments, and evolutionary biology. The writing style is at times funny, at other times ascerbic. At no time does the author talk down to you, yet the book is very easy to read and comprehend while still imparting valuable information and viewpoints.The book covers a wide range of subjects, but each chapter is well laid out and the book's progression feels very natural. Many of the facts about a woman's body were astounding, and I learned a great deal about how and why my body does certain things. When it came to the author's speculation and to breaking down old ways of thinking, at times I was cheering right along with the author's ideas - and other times I found myself shaking my head and thinking 'I don't agree with her opinion there'. Even in my disagreement though, I can usually see how she arrived at her conclusion. At times, I will admit that some of her opinions and speculations seemed a bit wild or out of touch, and just didn't set right with me. However, for the most part I found this book extremely informative and entertaining, and I believe that women and men alike would benefit from reading it. Unless biology is your profession, you'll definitely learn something new, and it will certainly challenge the old mental paradigms in relation to the sexes. Ms. Angier is not a ball-busting feminist by any means, but she certainly does stand up proud and strong in her beliefs, and I applaud her for it.
Rating:
Summary: Every woman should read this
Review: This is one of the most fascinating health-related books I've read. I am a woman, and when I read this book, I was surprised at how many things I didn't know about how women's bodies work. This book answered all my questions--including the ones I didn't have. It was interesting, witty, and informative. When I took the class Biology of Women this last January, I was happy to see Woman: An Intimate Geography on the booklist. While I was reading it for class, I probably read at least half of it out loud to my roommate. It is an amazing book. Every woman should read this! You deserve to know how your body works and why. This book is the best way to learn that.
Rating: 
Summary: Good read, if you can get past the author's personality
Review: I picked up this book in order to gain a greater understanding of women. I found a lot of informative information. However, you must brace yourself against the author's pretentious personality and her vehement feminism. She seems to be in a perpetual state of defensiveness. When picking up this book, I had no intention of being subjected to a feminist tract. Of the many author's I've read, this is the first one that managed to irritate me on a personal level. There's some objective and interesting information here, but you have to wade through the manifestations of her jadedness to get to it. You make the call; it's not a COMPLETE waste of time. Ms. Angier, relax.
Rating:
Summary: Thank you.
Review: I am 1/3 of the way throught the book, and came to Amazon to find it for a friend to buy. It is the most interesting, informative, open, unbiased, entertaining book about women that I have encountered.
Thank you to Natalie for writing it.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliance marred by intellectual limitations
Review: The author displays a dazzling command of scientific facts and draws on an impressive inventory of cultural and historical knowledge - she also writes well - one is left in no doubt that one is dealing with a first-class intellect. However, I only awarded her 3 stars because I felt that the book is marred by her occasional cheering for women's parts and jeering at men's parts and by her presumptuousness about what men think about their own bodies and about women's bodies. The author appears not to have made the intellectual leap beyond a dualistic, binary, Western way of thinking into a realm in which neither human form is superior but interdependent and necessary for the other. Maybe this is the result of the author having had too much exposure to the taunts of men who have not broken out of this intellectual impasse either. The fact of being male or female is a chance event - how can one therefore rationally be superior about one's maleness or femaleness? Apart from this flaw I would say that the book is an excellent reference for those who need an authoritative guide to the latest thinking on medical and social issues to do with women. I think men would also find the book particularly useful as a way of understanding women better - this kind of intimate information is rarely available to the other sex - I found it especially useful for understanding my wife's and mother's health problems, feelings and world view.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for all women
Review: Okay, the only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is that it can be a bit tedious to read at times. However, overall, it is a wonderful book. Everything you ever wanted to know about being female (from a biological standpoint that is). Angier covers all topics thoroughly and honestly, with a bit of humor thrown in to boot. I was truly amazed at all of the information uncovered and impressed with her knowledge of women throughout the ages. I learned so much and I guarantee you will as well. I gave my feminist mom a copy which she absolutely adores! I do recommend getting the soft cover (as well as the hard for your bookshelf) as I am sure you will be carrying it around for awhile wherever you go.
Rating:
Summary: Informative, mostly readable science
Review: As a woman who is generally "science-phobic", reading Woman: An Intimate Geography" was at times challenging. But I am most glad that my book club chose this book. The bottom line is that I read 364 page of science (about 360 pages more than I do most years). Not only that, I learned many useful things about how my body works. Even better, I had a few good laughs along the way. What works best in this book is often a question of where the reader is at in her life. The younger women in our group were very interested in the sections (many) on reproduction. The aging boomers in the group were more fascinated by the sections on hormones and a wonderful chapter on why post-menopausal women may be a key factor in why man evolved beyond the apes. Still, I'm taking one star off for inconsistent writing. Angier wanders between "plain english"/journalist writing and science writing. The Ph.D's in our group thought there was too much "silly" writing. We non-scientists agreed that there were segments that seemed to be written in a foreign language. No wonder there's so much contraversy in the reviews. Bottom-line: A good read for women who know they know far too little about the uniquely feminine part of their biology.
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