Karen Houppert began researching menstruation when Tambrands, the makers of
Tampax, reduced the number of tampons in a box from 40 to 35 and then proceeded
to increase the price. Her outrage at such a seemingly unimportant act led her
to research a scantily charted topic that affects every woman on the planet.
The Curse is the result of this research, and between the pages of this
challenging and totally frank book she lets rip at a world in which we are
cajoled into revealing our innermost secrets and can devour detail after
horrific detail about almost any human condition, yet cannot quite face up to
the fact that women lose around 6 tablespoons of blood every 28 days.
Houppert approaches her subject from the point of view of a woman scorned,
and although her indignation can sometimes grate her exploration of one of
society's last taboos is certainly thorough, convincing and ultimately
fascinating. From the teenage girls with their "Oh-my God!" leakage stories, to
the "Celebrate-your-Cycle" feminists and the tampon manufacturers who forgot to
tell us that their products can contain one of the most powerful carcinogens
known to man, Houppert puts them all through the proverbial mill. And as she
does so, she successfully explodes the myths surrounding menstruation and,
without encouraging us all to wave our panty pads in the air , gives us an
intellectual lesson in one of society's last taboos.--Susan Harrison
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