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Grady Harp wrote on 05/21/2010:

Mels Van Driel is a Dutch urologist and sexologist who has obviously not only studied his disciplines well, but who also has the ability to communicate his depth of information with clarity (due in part to the English translation from the Dutch by Paul Vincent), candor, and a fine sense of humor. Though the 'mission' of this book is to explore the male genitalia in anatomic, functional, physiological, and psychological detail, van Driel also has the good sense/sensitivity to include the history of the response to this primary organ from recorded history to the present. And the differences between Greek perception and contemporary understanding are fascinating to ponder.

The author's description of the anatomy, from primitive unisex function in utero to the ultimate adult stage, is concise and thorough and is accompanied by many drawings and images that illustrate the points he makes. And after introducing this completed embryologic and adult transformation of the origin of life organ, he devotes chapters to cultural anomalies in penile perception and function (the section on Russian Skoptsy sect's rituals is enlightening to the extreme!) - tales of bizarre rituals that alone are worth the price of this book.

But van Driel doesn't stop with urological matters or anatomic variations, but instead opens the book to the very contemporary concerns of psychological nature that now have found their way into conversation, the Internet, magazines, and television commercials for Erectile Dysfunction. This is a solid book for those who want to understand the human anatomy, diseases, and emotional and psychological implications surrounding this topic. It is well written and deserves to be taken seriously by both students in medical school and nursing school as well as libraries of all those who want to understand one of the great mysteries of the human body. Highly recommended.

Grady Harp