Rating: 
Summary: A modern, real-life Greek tragedy.
Review: Reading the story of John Money, David Reimer and the fateful, horrifying way in which their lives intersected is like reading two different Greek tragedies at once. On one hand, you have John Money, a man of unquestionable brilliance and attainment, brought low like Oedipus or Creon through hubris. Blinded by his own arrogance, Money ruins the life of an innocent child--forcing the young boy into a gender change the boy neither wants nor needs--and ends up with his own reputation in ruins, the living symbol of science run amok. As for David Reimer, he is the innocent victim tortured by the gods (in this case, the gods of science) for reasons he cannot know, but who in the end triumphs to reclaim his true identity and place in the world. David and his family, perhaps, are more like Biblical characters--modern-day Jobs brought to the brink of destruction, and rescued virtually at the last minute. In any case, you will be filled with sympathy, admiration, and affection for David, his parents Ron and Janet, and his brother Brian, and end up praying for their happy, peaceful lives, far away from the people who hurt them.
Rating: 
Summary: Mind-Blowing!
Review: Thank goodness the days are long gone when we put blind faith in the medical profession. The doctor who treated the twins was nothing short of a warped perverted idiot attempting to further his career at any cost. The fact that he had absolutely no regard at all for the mental health and well-being of "Brenda" only goes to prove that we must all take charge of our own health care issues. The man should have had his medical license revoked---hell, he should have been in prison! I almost cringed when I read that he showed the twins pornography and had them simulate copulation with each other at the age of 6. Where could his perverted man's mind have been? The fact that "Brenda"/David survived this whole fiasco shows the remarkable strength of the human spirit to survive and thrive in spite of great adversity. This was a fascinating story and I'm glad that it had a happy conclusion in that David got the life, wife and family that he so longed for. There really IS someone for everyone out there in this big, wide world!
Rating: 
Summary: as nature made him
Review: i wanted to read this book after seeing the movie "boys don't cry". i was suddenly stuck with the quetion if we choose to be gay or if it is biological. this book really helped my understand this question. granted, it not answered, but i feel alot more in tune with what the question really means. this book is powerful and tear jerking. i really felt for both david and his parents. victims of science.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent yet heartwrenching
Review: This book is incredibly disturbing, well-written, engrossing, upsetting, enraging, inspiring, frustrating, fascinating... the strength of its effect on me illustrates what a good job the author did conveying the details of David's horrific experience. My one criticism - and it does not detract from my extremely high opinion of the book or the fact that I would recommend it to just about anyone - is the portrayal of Dr. John Money. Seen through the lens and eyes of this situation and this family, obviously Dr. Money must appear monstrous and uncaring, yet I find it hard to believe that such a well-respected, renowned individual would have become so without at least some valuable contribution to the field or having helped any individuals with gender identity issues. I hardly expected to find praise for Dr. Money in relation to this case - or any of those mentioned - yet I felt there must be at least another side to him or his work than that presented in this book. While not crucial to the telling of David's story, it would, I think, have helped me understand the devotion of so many to Dr. Money's authority and the reticence of others to challenge it.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating but disturbing
Review: I confess: I bought this book thinking that it would be a voyeuristic read about a boy being raised as a girl and the repercussions of this folly. However, this book is much more than that. This is really an expose of the development of medical theory re gender and identity, and the "nature vs. nurture" battle within academia. The arrogance of the doctor who insisted that he could be raised as a girl based on a mere circumcision is maddening. His obfuscation of the actual dismal failure of his experiment was criminal malpractice. It is tragic that a child was forced to undergo such successively callous events of medical malpractice, first with the incompetent circumcision doctor, and then at the hands of Dr. Money. One can only hope that he has found peace with his regained identity, and that other children will not be submitted to similar torture.
Rating:
Summary: Truth is Always Stranger . . .
Review: An almost unbelievable account of the destructiveness of medical/psychological hubris! Identical twin boys were born in Canada in 1965. When one of the boys was the victim of a botched circumcision, the "powers that be" (the doctors) decide to smooth out the surgery and turn him into a GIRL! The child suffered horribly until he decided to be a boy again at age 14. His suffering continues to this day, though he has remarkable courage and is able to forgive. Along with "The Three Faces of Eve", a very powerful piece of journalism and more proof that "truth is indeed stranger than fiction". Fabulous book.
Rating:
Summary: You Will Think Again About Circumcision
Review: This is the most wrenching book ever. What this family suffered at the hands of medical science is not to be believed. If you ever put your fate into the hands of doctors and trusted them to do the best for you, think again. Never again take a medicial opinion without thinking it over & getting a second opinion. It is hideous enough the baby's circumcision was botched. Mistakes do happen to the best of doctors. The parents were doing what they thought best to make a nightmare into something their son, soon to be daughter, could live with. They took the advice of the doctor who said their son could be reprogrammed into a girl. Again, that is a fairly honest mistake. Mistakes do happen. What is beyond belief is that this doctor reported repeatedly to the medical world that the reprogramming was totally successful. He lied and covered up the facts in order to make his career look more successful. He put the family and the twins through unbelievable unethical treatment sessions. If this happened today, he would be arrested for pedephelia. It was that gruesome. Read this book to get the facts of this fascinating case. The book also covers other people who had similiar surgery for various reasons. I found it all very interesting. If you do not want to know all about genitals, hermaphrodites and other things not commonly talked about, don't read this book. It is all very tastefully covered, but it is very bottom line about the facts. What is really amazing is there are a lot of people in the world who have had these problems who have lived in silence over the years.
Rating:
Summary: Infuriating-A Deeply emotional Story Of A Super Man "David"
Review: This gripping story of a botched circumcision is almost more than you can stand. Egotistical Dr. Money takes this unforunate situation to further his career and stroke his ego. This done at the expence of an innocent baby and his very young and naive parents who are grasping at straws. When the parents learn of Dr. Money's gender reassignment theory, they THINK they have found the answer to their son's problem. For 14 years this child who has been reassigned to be a female struggles to fit in at home, school, etc. She knows somehow that she isn't a female or male, she is an IT in her mind. Discovering that she was born a boy, she has to work through a lot of emotions. You would think she wouldn't have any emotions left. It doesn't take long for Brenda to decide that by nature she feels more like a boy and starts the transformation of becoming David. This extraordinary boy finds it in himself to forgive and understand why his parents made this decision. I believe it takes a very courageous person to tell this cruel story so that others that are in like situations can seek out other avenues and advise. I love happy endings such as this story has. David, you were right about the origin of your name. God Bless You!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading, educational, and sad.
Review: I read this book and couldn't put it down. As I read chpater by chapter, I began to feel so sad for David (Brenda, Bruce). I feel this young man was tortured by Dr. John Money. How in the world can a "doctor" get away with what he did to David and his brother ( in certain cases). DR. Money needs to be placed in jail for the types of therapies he used on that young man (David). He is sick and should never be allowed to "practice" again. Shouldn't Dr. Money be on trial for the horrible, unthinkable things he did to David? What a disdusting person. On a more positive side, I am so happy that David has married and is happy with his life. I hope, David, that you live the happiest, fullest life you can! I saw the Oprah Winfrey show with David and his parents. Thank you for sharing this story and your life.
Rating:
Summary: A good read, informative
Review: While John Colapinto makes a good case that Dr. John Money's ideas about sex reassignment are misguided and destructive, he portrays Money's work as rather one dimensional. Very little information is given about other areas of Dr. Money's research that may,or may not, have been helpful to others or expanded our collective knowledge of gender roles. Certainly Money's behavior in the Brenda/David Riemer case was arrogant, foolish, misguided, and perhaps even evil. That said, Colapinto seems to almost take glee in demonizing the man. Did Money ever have any ideas that broke new ground? Did any of his research ever help anyone? These questions go unanswered. Colapinto enjoys his David vs Goliath role in taking on the medical establishment. Sometimes, though, reality is more complex than this. While reading the book, I was hoping for more insight into what drove Money to continue with the experiment. Were there earlier or contemporary successes that distorted his interpretations? Or was he just crazy? These issues are touched upon briefly, but I hoped for more details. All in all, a good read. Hopefully no one will ever again have to endure the trauma that David Riemer has, and this book may help encourage physicians to use more caution in the future.
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