VAGINAS: An Owner's Manual

This empowering, sex-positive guide to womanhood is for anyone who has ever found herself uninformed or misinformed about her own machinery. Topp, a single, 20-something writer, teams up with her mother, Livoti, a seasoned gynecologist, to demystify the female reproductive system. The younger author felt lucky to grow up with a mother who was knowledgeable and forthcoming about the female anatomy, especially when she reached her teen years and realized that most of her friends weren't so lucky. Too many women are uncomfortable discussing their private parts with friends or even doctors, say the authors, and this can lead to misconceptions about their own bodies. Despite the catchy title, this is a deep examination of the body. Starting with an overview of the basic organs, then moving into menstruation, maintenance, menopause and medical problems, the authors investigate every nook and cranny of those elusive female parts. They explore sex, contraception, STDs and abortion from a nonjudgmental, pro-choice, woman-to-woman perspective. Although the snippets of banter between mother and daughter (as well as the anecdotes from the life of an ob-gyn) add little, this is a never condescending and always articulate resource. Agent, Erin Reel. (Oct.)

Forecast: Vaginas' winning mix of spunk and practicality should make it a popular women's health seller. It's received advance praise from Candace Bushnell and Eve Ensler.