Kevin Brownlee

This is a quite interesting collection of essays that examines the construction of genealogies, both biological (the body, the sexes) and metaphorical (heritage, cultural patrimony/hegemony). Some I found more interesting than others—mostly a function of my own interests and background, though with one or two essays it was because the prose was just a little leaden—though the broad range of eras, areas, and disciplines makes it a thought-provoking comparative collection. I particularly enjoyed Finucci's look at the connections made between maternal imagination and monstrous births, and Pomata and Martin's two essays on menstruating men.… (more)