Hormonal

"There is power in knowing ourselves better," writes Eleanor Morgan in her second book. Power through knowledge is precisely what she sets out to give the readers in this exploration into the myriad ways the body affects the mind. From a refresher course on the menstrual cycle to the societal and cultural ways in which women's bodies are controlled, Hormonal feels like an essential guide in helping us truly understand our cores

Hormonal is a thoroughly researched book on women's bodies and women's emotions, our moods and our physical memories. A topic that should never go out of style, especially in a time when our reproductive rights are being overturned and horrifically discarded, Eleanor Morgan has written and created a definitive road map for all of us. Filled with wisdom and wit and brilliant insight, Morgan covers everything from menstruation to menopause to the #MeToo movement, from PMS to PMDD to PTSD, from dietary supplements to dietary issues to hormonal replacement therapies. To quote Morgan, 'It is in our capacity to inquire, analyze, look around and ask for better that we are most powerful.' Eleanor Morgan has done just that

Morgan's exploration of the chemicals that from puberty yank us lie a puppeteer's strings is a personal yet scientific, subtle and often lyrical work

Morgan peels away the mysteries of hormonal changes while stating clearly how long these discussions have been silenced. It's both fascinating and a huge relief to take this fresh look at our innermost selves in the company of a wise and kind voice

Really interesting - about understanding women's reproductive health and reclaiming the h-word from its connotations of madness and hysteria

A must-read. Informative, funny, moving and wise. It had me raging about the ignored reality of the female body

An urgent page-turner connecting the thread between the author's own reproductive history and the cultural, political, and social factors that convince women their bodies are up for grabs, Eleanor Morgan makes a convincing case for calling out the patriarchal systems that substitute the word 'crazy' for real care. Reading Hormonal should be a rite of passage for every woman who wants to relearn her body and reclaim her self

This fusion of memoir and scientific investigation is very accessible . . . with a generous dollop of humanity

It is galling to read [in Hormonal] how often women's pain is dismissed. But it is the mental anguish caused (in part) by hormones that is the essence of Morgan's work. Anyone who suffers from PMS will find the relatability has you almost levitating with relief

The joy of Eleanor Morgan's guide is just how revealing and informative it is . . . she has created a go-to manual that also acts as an understanding of our minds as well as our bodies - how hormones can affect your self-belief, anxiety levels, confidence and beyond. An essential read for all adults, it should also be made part of the core curriculum up and down the land

A must read for all generations and genders

A powerful and beautifully written account of Morgan's experiences with anxiety and depression, and a rigorously researched examination of why they happen and how they can be managed. As well as speaking to fellow sufferers, Morgan consults psychiatrists, psychologists, OCD specialists, gastroenterologists and nutritionists, and bones up on Kierkegaard, Freud and Hippocrates (the latter was the first to describe a patient with social anxiety).It is with a mixture of humanity and clear-sightedness that she analyses genetic and environmental influences, trauma, hormones, fertility, parenthood, medication, social stigma and language, all the while linking back to her own stories and those of fellow sufferers. In assuming the dual role of memoirist and investigative journalist, Morgan gradually comes to terms with her own anxiety disorder. She offers no firm answers or miracle cures, and is careful to remind us that, when it comes to mental illness, no two cases are the same. Her willingness to share what so many others strive to keep hidden, to thoroughly demystify her condition, is courageous and compelling