The Biology of Beauty: The Science behind Human Attractiveness. By Rachelle M. Smith. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2018. 264 p. Acid-free $61 (ISBN 978-1-4408-6). E-book Available (978-1-4408-4989-3), call for pricing.

Rachelle M. Smith, an associate professor of psychology and the chair of social sciences at Husson University, is the author of this one-volume work. The subject of beauty is complex and has been heavily researched among many academic disciplines like anthropology, biology, evolutionary studies, psychology, and sociology. This research “has added to a foundation of understanding what it means to be attractive and the biological underpinnings of beauty” (vii).

Part one, “Understanding Beauty,” consists of seven chapters beginning with chapter one, “Defining Beauty.” Smith provides an overview of the empirical research that has demonstrated “that there are universal characteristics that are perceived as beautiful” (29). Some of these characteristics include face symmetry, sexual dimorphism, age, and body mass index. At the end of each chapter is a conclusion which summarizes the main points of the chapter. There are no in-text citations, but an extensive “References and Further Reading” list is provided at the end of the book.

Chapter two, “The Benefits of Beauty,” explores the physical, social, and psychological benefits of being beautiful. Chapter three, “Buying Beauty,” is about cosmetics, surgeries, and other efforts made to uphold and increase attractiveness through the maintenance of hair, nails, hands, teeth, and body. Chapter four, “Changes in Beauty Trends over Time,” addresses how the beauty ideals for both women and men shift throughout time and that during the twentieth century many of these changes can be correlated with fashion and hairstyle trends.

Chapter five, “Evolution’s Impact on Modern Attraction: The Interaction of Genes and Environment,” introduces evolution and the role it plays with attraction and relationships through natural selection, sexual selection, and the role of parental investment. Chapter six, “The Impact of Attractiveness on Behavior and Relationship Satisfaction,” explains how the level of attractiveness can affect the quality, longevity, and satisfaction of relationships. Chapter seven, “Psychological Effects of the Preoccupation with Beauty,” delves into the negative consequences that often occur with the pursuit of the unattainable beauty ideal, some of which include low self-esteem, depression, poor body image, and eating disorders. Smith also addresses the influencing role the media plays on beauty and behavior.

Part two, “Beauty from Head to Toe,” examines fifteen physical characteristics that contribute to attractiveness. Some of these body parts are the “Head, Facial, and Body Hair,” “Skin,” “Eyes,” “Nose,” “Lips,” “Hands,” “Breasts and Buttocks,” “Inguinal Crease,” and “Feet.” Part two also contains ten different sidebars of information about other cultural beauty practices and trends, some of which include “Skin Bleaching in Tanzania,” “Elongated Skulls in the Congo,” “Double eyelid surgery in China,” and “Large Bodies in Mauritania.” Many of these examples are illustrated with black and white images.

A related title, Beauty around the World: A Cultural Encyclopedia by Erin Kenny and Elizabeth Gackstetter Nichols (ABC-CLIO, 2017), also provides an interdisciplinary approach into beauty and beauty standards with a global focus. It is organized like a traditional encyclopedia with 166 alphabetical entries that cover a wide range of beauty studies topics. Although there is some overlap of content involving the physical characteristics and a few cultural practices like foot binding and elongated necks, there is no real comparison between this encyclopedia and Smith’s volume.

The Biology of Beauty: The Science behind Human Attractiveness is well written and comprehensible. Many fields of study would benefit from this text, and it is highly recommended for both academic and public libraries.—Megan Coder, Associate Librarian, State University of New York at New Paltz