The Perfecting of Nature

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The book examines the evolving American perceptions of the human body during the nineteenth century, highlighting the interconnectedness of its parts. It explores the influence of transcendentalist ideals and Darwinian theory on concepts of bioplasticity, emphasizing how literature shaped cultural understanding of the body's malleability and responsiveness. This new perspective encouraged various groups, from exercise enthusiasts to cookbook authors, to view the body as a means of enacting physiological reform in the United States.