As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised As a Girl

Rating:
Summary: Read it even if you don't think you'd be interested...
Review: A sledgehammer of a book. Well-written, compassionate, authoritative, and one that makes you read on and on in horrified fascination. A compelling story of science, family life, nature, and personal courage. The author is a skilled writer and lets the story flow naturally by itself. God Bless the young man who suffered so much and made it through to a fine life today. And you'll never view your doctor's advice the same way again...

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Summary: Ambitious sex researcher exposed
Review: As Nature Made Him is as much or more about John Money as it is about the central subject; but just like the author's December, 1997 Rolling Stone article, it is well-written and well-researched. John Money has contributed much to our understanding of sex and gender, and at first I was dubious of this effort to censure his work. But the book has opened my eyes; it describes many classic articles and events like the closing of the Johns Hopkins Gender Identity Clinic in 1979 with a discussion of the events that led up to it. The book has no index, which would help since events aren't described in strict chronological order, but it's a good reference book. I'm glad I found the time to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, worth your time!
Review: I can little to the wonderful things said by other Amazon reviewers. I was pleased the author did not dwell on the surgical procedures and the recovery process. That is not why I read the book. If the author had covered that territory would have resulted in a very different book. If your book review group wanted a dicsussion prompted by this book, it would be a good choice; this book could lead to wide ranging thoughts and concerns.

Rating:
Summary: This book was not what I expected.
Review: This book came highly recommended, but after reading it I was not impressed. Thei nformation presented was mostly from a factual medical point of view. I expected the book to go into detail about the personal feelings/ideas of the main character, but it didn't. Most of the feelings/ideas were represented by quotes from the doctors or other outside parties. I wanted to hear more about how he felt, not how his world was perceived by the doctors/parents/teachers etc.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: This is a gripping tale of both human emotion and political intrigue. I can't say enough positive things about the compelling nature of the story. The meaning is clear: the most important sex organ is the brain and it defines who you are and where you belong. The threat is also clear: those in science who would lie for political purposes know no humanity. Dr. John Money of Johns-Hopkins joins Richard Lewotin of Harvard and Josef Mengele in the doctoral hall of infamy.

Rating:
Summary: Very informative!
Review: This book opened my eyes to something I could have never dreamed up in 1000 years from the tragic accident to the sex reassignment fiasco. Thank God David has triumphed over all this. I learned alot about the condition and I also learned alot about how you have to research things on your own and not take a doctor's word as gospel. God bless David and his family!

Rating:
Summary: I also could not put it down
Review: As Nature Made Him is one of the most important books published so far this year. A moving and intelligent piece of reporting. Read it and weep, read it and think. Read it and REthink your trust in the medical community. Above all, consider the courage of David for coming forth with his story, and the skill with which John Colapinto narrates this gripping tale.

Rating:
Summary: Remarkable tale brilliantly told
Review: I found this book completely gripping on every level: the family's story but also the story of the medical feud and scandal that frames the boy's life. I'm just amazed at an earlier reviewer who describes the scientific context as "boring." Somehow, Colapinto makes it as interesting (if not more so) as the boy's own incredible ordeal.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ
Review: I to decided to read this book after I saw David on television. I bought the book and have not been able to put it down. I cannot believe what these doctors will put people through for science. It made me stop and think about the nature/nurture issue with more insight. I personally think that David is a strong individual to be sane after going through what he has gone through. All dcotors should think about the ramifications of gender re-assginment before doing anything that could possibly effect the person for life. Not to mention the people around him.

Rating:
Summary: Too bad the title is so misleading...
Review: As it turns out, this book is not at all about the boy who was raised as a girl, but instead a detailed lengthy description of the doctors of the boy. I really was interested in finding out about this boys life, but instead yawned over the endless biography of the doctors lives. Wish I could get my money back...