How's It Hanging?

May 1, 2018

Globally, men tend to be in worse health than women, and yet it is hard to find solid evidence-based books on men's health for medical practitioners or general consumers. Consumer "health" books for men seem to deal mainly with nutrition and exercise, to enlarge muscles, or how to increase penis size for better sex. Harvard Men's Health Watch, a monthly newsletter, does provide updated health news, but The Harvard Medical School Guide to Men's Health, a solid text overall, is more than ten years old. Two new books, one by Baum (clinical urology, Tulane Medical Sch.) and urologist and medical talk show host Miller; the other by German urologist Gralla, try to fill some of this gap, although they only focus on the genitals. Neither volume does a good job of explaining the normal development, physiology, genetics, and function of the various parts that make up the male genitourinary system, nor the variations that can occur. Both titles focus on all the various medical problems a man might have, but only Baum and Miller offer references, although some include dubious websites, and provide a listing of useful resources in one chapter. As both are written by medical specialists, it would have been helpful if citations for evidence-based medicine and current research, especially when it comes to drug and supplement recommendations, were included. VERDICT Baum and Miller's work is the stronger of the two choices and recommended for readers looking for general information on men's genitourinary health.--Margaret Henderson, Ramona, CA

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2018
All too often, men take the body for granted until something goes wrong with it. Urologists Baum and Miller write about the amazing anatomy and fantastic functioning of the male genitourinary system, a remarkable collection of tubes, plumbing, hormones, nerves, and blood vessels down there that facilitate urination and reproduction. Topics include prostate problems (enlargement, cancer, infection), urinary incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, low testosterone levels, erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation, inguinal hernia, Peyronie's disease, and testicular troubles (trauma, torsion, cancer). Succinct sections on sexually transmitted diseases (chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, human papilloma virus, syphilis) and prostate cancer are high points of the book. Also notable are an explanation of the male orgasm (the authors concede that the largest sex organ in a man is not between his legs but between his ears, i.e., the brain. ) and vasectomy surgery (described as the safest and most reliable method of permanent male sterilization ). The science here is presented in an easy-to-understand manner, and the discussion is imbued with levity. An educational and enjoyable introduction to men's health issues.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)