As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl (P.S.) and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more

Buy Used
Used - Good See details
Price: £2.80

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Colour:
Image not available

 
Start reading As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl (P.S.) on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

As Nature Made Him [Paperback]

John Colapinto
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition £5.49  
Hardcover --  
Paperback --  
Paperback, 1 April 2000 --  
Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more.

Book Description

1 April 2000
In 1967, after a baby boy -- one of a set of identical twins -- suffered a botched circumcision, a radical treatment option was agreed to by his desperate and grieving family. Encouraged by renowned medical psychologist Dr. John Money, an expert in the field of gender identity and sexual reassignment, the anonymous child was surgically altered to live life as a girl. The case would prove to be precedent-setting, becoming "proof" for the feminist movement that gender gap was purely a result of cultural conditioning.

But all was not as it seemed. Initially proclaimed a resounding success, the devastating psychological cost of the procedure has only recently become known. Now living as an adult male, married and with a family of his own, this patient has granted John Colapinto unprecedented access to his story. As Nature Made Him is at once a fascinating exploration of the elusive nature of sexual identity and an examination of the ever-intensifying struggle between what medical science can do and what doctors should do. It is also a story of courage and survival that sheds light on the murkiest areas human sexuality.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Product details

  • Paperback: 294 pages
  • Publisher: Quartet Books (1 April 2000)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0704381370
  • ISBN-13: 978-0732264864
  • Product Dimensions: 23 x 15 x 2.4 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 514,334 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

Product Description

Amazon Review

Once you begin reading As Nature Made Him, a mesmerising story of a medical tragedy and its traumatic results, you absolutely won't want to put it down. Following a botched circumcision, a family is convinced to raise their infant son, Bruce, as a girl. They rename the child Brenda and spend the next 14 years trying to transform him into a her. Brenda's childhood reads as one filled with anxiety and loneliness, and her fear and confusion are present on nearly every page concerning her early childhood. Much of her pain is caused by Dr Money, who is presented as a villainous medical man attempting to coerce an unwilling child to submit to numerous unpleasant treatments.

Reading over interviews and reports of decisions made by this doctor, it is difficult to contain anger at the widespread results of his insistence that natural-born gender can be altered with little more than willpower and hormone treatments. The attempts of his parents, twin brother, and extended family to assist Brenda to be happily female are touching--the sense is overwhelmingly of a family wanting to do "right" while being terribly misled as to what "right" is for her. As Brenda makes the decision to live life as a male (at age 14), she takes the name David and begins the process of reversing the effects of oestrogen treatments. David's ultimately successful life--a solid marriage, honest and close family relationships and his bravery in making his childhood public--bring an uplifting end to his story. Equally fascinating is the latest segment of the long-time nature/nurture controversy, and the interviews of various psychological researchers and practitioners form a larger framework around David's struggle to live as the gender he was meant to be. --Jill Lightner


Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
THE IRONY WAS that Ron and Janet Reimer's life together had begun with such special promise. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Customer Reviews

3 star
0
2 star
0
1 star
0
4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible story of unimaginable reality! 14 Jun 2002
Format:Paperback
An incredible story. You can argue all you like about 'nature' versus 'nurture' - this isn't a scientific paper on the issue. It's a story of a real person who has endured incredible turmoil through no fault of his own and come to terms with it. It's about unimaginable emotional and physical turmoil inflicted upon a person by other people. But it's primarily a tribute to one young man's spirit. It's a commendation of his survival instinct and ultimately of the overcoming nature of a human being in the face of overwhelming odds.

I started reading the book feeling horror and pity.

I ended it feeling deep admiration and respect.

Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Gender crisis story - well written and absorbing 14 Jun 2001
Format:Hardcover
This book tells the story of a baby boy whose penis is damaged in a botched circumcision at the age of 8 months. A prominent "expert" at the time (1967) advised the young parents the best plan was that the baby be immediately castrated and raised as a girl. Little did they know that this advice was serving the doctor's own interests, not their's or their son's. This story incorporates all viewpoints, from different doctors, therapists, guidance counsellours and teachers who encountered the "girl" during school, and the story follows her throughout her teenage years. It illustrates the behind the scene conflicts between different psychologists in the controversial field of intersex and transgender surgery. It dialogues the identity struggle faced by this boy, who always knew he didn't fit in and not knowing why. Worth reading.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable account 19 Dec 2003
By HORAK
Format:Paperback
In 1967, after a boy suffered a surgical failure during a circumcision, his family agreed to sexual reassignment on the advice of a famous expert in gender identity, Dr John Monney. The boy was surgically altered to live as a girl. For 25 years, John/Joan was described as a medical triumph, setting a precedent and a proof that our sense of being male or female is primarily a matter of environment and education than it is a matter of genetics. The case was however a failure because of the psychological costs which are only today coming to light. Currently living as an adult male with a family of his own, John (a pseudonym) reveals the horrid details of his childhood. Journalist John Colapinto’s remarkable work and research produced a riveting story of science, courage and survival.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?   Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars A saluatory tale
I'm not well enough versed in the subject matter to say what biases this book may express, however I found it to be gripping and fascinating by equal measure. Read more
Published 1 month ago by stephendavidadams
5.0 out of 5 stars not 'as new'
bought this book from a second hand retailer, was told it was as new. the book definitly isn't. it has a huge black mark along the edges of the book and stickers over the front... Read more
Published 6 months ago by elaine1705
4.0 out of 5 stars A difficult read
I bought this book as part of my research into gender studies, and must say that it invoked pretty strong emotions in me - especially anger at Dr. Read more
Published 11 months ago by mushrooms
4.0 out of 5 stars A difficult read
I bought this book as part of my research into gender studies, and must say that it invoked pretty strong emotions in me - especially anger at Dr. Read more
Published 11 months ago by mushrooms
5.0 out of 5 stars A tragic story that brings a new focus for the nature/nurture debate
'As Nature Made Him' is the true story of David Reimer, a young man bought up as a girl following a botched circumcision which left him with no penis. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2008 by Sarah Durston
5.0 out of 5 stars Sad, sad, sad
I hadn't heard of David Reamer or his horrid experience until after he committed suicide a few years ago. Read more
Published on 1 Jan 2008 by Kendra
5.0 out of 5 stars moving and thought provoking
I read this book in one sitting, I could not put it down. The basic facts of the story seem straightforward but that is misleading. Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2004 by Mrs. N. E. Measures
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind blowing
I decided to read this book having seen a documentary about the story. What the book gave us in addition to the documentary was a more in depth description of the utter horror this... Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2004 by Ms. Dm Hughes
4.0 out of 5 stars Man's inhumanity to man
This book is well worth reading, however it is worth noting that although it chart's David's "triumph" in rebuilding his life it is now a little out of date. Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2004 by Jilana
5.0 out of 5 stars IT'S NATURE NOT NURTURE...
This is a wonderfully written book and a fascinating look into the debate of nature versus nurture in the area of gender assignment. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2004 by Lawyeraau
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Look for similar items by category


Feedback