cover image Look at My Ugly Face: 2myths and Musings on Beauty

Look at My Ugly Face: 2myths and Musings on Beauty

Sara Halprin. Viking Books, $22.95 (352pp) ISBN 978-0-670-85393-9

This examination of the concepts of female beauty and ugliness draws heavily on the myths and folktales of many countries to illustrate women's cross-cultural concern with their outward appearance. Halprin, a filmmaker and therapist, makes the unoriginal point that patriarchal Western society's demands that women look a certain way can be an obstacle to spiritual and psychological development. Her solution is for women not to ignore their appearance but to analyze their personal experiences with beauty and ugliness. To this end, Halprin provides exercises involving meditation and other activities. She also describes her own exploration of beauty and ugliness, which, she says, led to increased creativity. An interesting rumination on appearance and self-help laced with Eastern spiritualism and philosophy. (Apr.)