The Body's Edge: Our Cultural Obsession with the Skin

Unlike ancient cultures that prized the wrinkled faces of the elderly, we worship supermodels' smooth, expressionless skin and spend billions on cosmetics to achieve a youthful look. The human skin-its anatomy, physiology, diseases, racial connotations, its physical and symbolic role as our boundary with the outer world-is the subject of this involving, often eloquent study by science writer Lappe (Chemical Deception: The Toxic Threat to Health and the Environment). Considered a mirror of inner wellness in traditional Chinese medicine, and a vulnerable shield or a trophy in Greek mythology, the skin is today increasingly recognized as a permeable system, and recent research suggests that it has its own built-in, autonomous immune defenses. Lappe chronicles skin diseases from smallpox in ancient Egypt to modern epidemics of skin cancer, acne, vitiligo and psoriasis. He documents the hazards of silicone injections, ultraviolet lamps, excessive suntanning and chemicals in factories and farms, and alerts us to the potential dangers of cosmetic products such as soaps, lotions, moisturizers and skin tighteners. Foreign rights: Frances Collin Literary Agency. (June)