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Butts
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
20 posts | 15 read | 22 to read
A fascinating journey into the scientific and cultural history of the female butt, for fans of Mary Roach and Leslie Jamison. Whether we love them or hate them, think theyre sexy, think theyre strange, consider them too big, too small, or anywhere in between, humans have a complicated relationship with butts. It is a body part unique to humans, critical to our evolution and survival, and yet it has come to signify so much more: sex, desire, comedy, shame. A womans butt, in particular, is forever being assessed, criticized, and objectified, from anxious self-examinations trying on jeans in department store dressing rooms to enduring crass remarks while walking down a street or high school hallways. But why? In Butts: A Backstory, reporter, essayist, and RadioLab contributing editor Heather Radke is determined to find out. Spanning nearly two centuries, this vivid cultural history takes us from the performance halls of 19th-century London to the aerobics studios of the 1980s, the music video set of Sir Mix-a-Lots Baby Got Back and the mountains of Arizona, where every year humans and horses race in a feat of gluteal endurance. Along the way, she meets evolutionary biologists who study how butts first developed; models whose measurements have defined jean sizing for millions of women; and the fitness gurus who created fads like Buns of Steel. She also examines the central importance of race through figures like Sarah Bartmann, once known as the Venus Hottentot, Josephine Baker, Jennifer Lopez, and other women of color whose butts have been idolized, envied, and despised. Part deep dive reportage, part personal journey, part cabinet of curiosities, Butts is an entertaining, illuminating, and thoughtful examination of why certain silhouettes come in and out of fashionand how larger ideas about race, control, liberation, and power affect our most private feelings about ourselves and others.
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REPollock
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

Surprisingly scholarly yet readable, not a novelty book or a joke but still with moments of humor. Recommend to fashion history enthusiasts and those with an interest in the subject of social cultivation of body dysmorphia and beauty “standards.”

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DinoMom
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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I have been looking forward to starting this one. I am Cracking into it tonight ….. pun intended!

Ruthiella 😂😂😂 8mo
40 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lauren890
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was an interesting book about the history of butts and what‘s been deemed fashionable over time, including how things rise in popularity such as bustles and “buns of steel”. It‘s also a study of the relationship between butts and race - which I found the most intriguing. I recommend to anyone interested!

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keithmalek
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Readers who enjoy this book might also enjoy "Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History" by Florence Williams. ?

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keithmalek
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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keithmalek
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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(Continued)...exceptions: seagoing mammals, and bears just before they go into hibernation.

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keithmalek
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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keithmalek
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Noxinamme
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
Pickpick

Informative and intriguing if you‘re into butts and history. Radke weaves her own experience as a woman with a butt in the USA which adds a relateable component 🍑🍑🍑🍑🍑

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KathyWheeler
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

I started this on audio but quickly switched to print as I wasn‘t retaining anything. Radke covers the history of the butt from its importance to allowing us to run the way we do to how society in general became focused on women‘s butts as sexual objects. Her discussion of the random sizing of women‘s clothes was really interesting to me and confirmed something I‘ve always felt — they aren‘t designed to fit.

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KathyWheeler
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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I originally resisted reading this book, but I kept seeing good reviews of it, so I checked it out of the library. It‘s pouring down rain here, so I‘m relaxing in bed reading it. I‘ve finished more than half of it and it‘s really interesting.

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Megabooks
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Count me as another fan of this nonfiction #audiobook with great narration!

Radke takes a look at the booty from the biomechanical advantages of having one as a biped (running!) to its role in fashion and pop culture, where she examines bustles, Kate Moss, and the Kardashians among others.

Cinfhen Hmmmmm, it really doesn‘t appeal to me butt (😉) maybe I‘ll check it out - it‘s available on Scribd 13mo
Megabooks @Cinfhen it‘s worth a borrow imo! 13mo
85 likes1 stack add2 comments
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HLouiseM
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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TMI? (can there BE TMI for a book like this?) I want to read this but I can‘t help but think I‘ll have my partner‘s voice in my head the whole time:
Me: “Ouch! That‘s gonna leave a welt!”
Him: “That‘s why dudes Slap butts! My handprint. Mine.” 😂

Photo from @britt_brooke

britt_brooke It‘s a great read! 😂🍑 13mo
5 likes1 comment
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britt_brooke
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Oh My God, Becky!” When I heard about this on #AllTheBooks, I knew I had to get my hands on it. 😅 The human butt is unique in it‘s functionality and evolutionary importance. Radke covers it all, with a focus on what booties have come to signify. Super interesting, especially the modern-day issues of image, clothing sizes / fit, sexual desire, humor, cultural norms and appropriation, and, of course the dreaded Kardashians.

KathyWheeler Okay. You‘ve convinced me that I should read this. 😄 13mo
HeatherBookNerd I do love this cover 13mo
britt_brooke @HeatherBookNerd And the subtitle is perfect! 13mo
HeatherBookNerd 🤣 13mo
95 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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Magpiegem
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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I was excited to see this book for 99p although I‘m a bit disappointed it means I won‘t have the physical copy on my bookshelf, I love the cover 🍑

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catiewithac
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

I read this under deadline pressure to finish before the library due date. This book presents the author‘s musings and research about the human butt. Topics span centuries and focus on cultural and racial attitudes about our buns. 🍑

RedCurly Never heard of it but love it 1y
5feet.of.fury A backstory 😂 1y
catiewithac @5feet.of.fury It‘s definitely a cheeky book 😉 1y
DocBrown @catiewithac I see what you did there 🤣 1y
71 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Jen2
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

This was quite a listen!

Octoberwoman I just read a review of this in Book Page and thought it sounded really interesting. 1y
69 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

An excellent microhistory that looks to the past, in various time periods, but focuses more heavily on our current culture, framed by the butt—mostly female. Sexism, racism, fat shaming, cultural appropriation, colonialism, capitalism, diet fads, slavery, and eugenics are touched upon. Specific butts are discussed (Miley Cyrus, Kardashians, and Jennifer Lopez) and the meaning of each and the fashion industry‘s failure to create clothes for all. 🍑

sarahbarnes “Specific butts are discussed” 😂😂. Apparently I‘m five. 1y
Megabooks Sounds interesting! 1y
batsy @sarahbarnes As am I, apparently 😂 I got a chuckle out of that line @Chelsea.Poole 1y
Chelsea.Poole lol it‘s actually really hilarious but also serious at once. @sarahbarnes @batsy (edited) 1y
sarahbarnes @batsy @Chelsea.Poole at least I‘m not the only one. 1y
102 likes4 stack adds5 comments
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kbuggle
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Pickpick

This book comes out tomorrow, and although the cover and premise brought me in, this is such a great nonfiction work on the social history of butts. I really enjoyed this!

17 likes3 stack adds
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kbuggle
Butts: A Backstory | Heather Radke
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Finally starting this one today.. been staring at this perfect cover for a few months 🍑😂

11 likes1 stack add