PositiveThe Spectator (UK)The charm and value of Spare Parts comes from situating these landmarks in a wider history of ideas ... I only wish Craddock had discussed the intertwined history of prosthesis, and how non-human adjuncts compete with flesh and blood ... takes pains to keep the donors in view. The contributions of these silent figures have traditionally been considered worthless because they were existential rather than intellectual. Which left me wondering whether this really is the ‘surprising history’ Craddock’s subtitle claims.
Monty Lyman
PositiveThe Spectator (UK)An Oxford-based physician, [Lyman\'s] descriptions of physiology and pathology never stray far from a patient anecdote. The first rule of examination is to look at the body for any discolouration, lesions, bruises or scars. These often gift you the diagnosis ... The science is thoroughly and imaginatively told, such as when Lyman compares the architecture of female skin to ‘Greek columns’, which allow fat to dimple up through the gaps at the top leading to cellulite, while male skin forms ‘Gothic arches’, capped so that the fat doesn’t show ... a charismatic, knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide.
