Light and Shadow Surrounding Fascinating Biological Substances: A Complete History of Hormones
By R.H. Epstein, translated by Takashi Tsuboi, Kagaku-Dojin, list price 2,600 yen (excluding tax)
This book will likely be enjoyed by anyone with even a slight interest in the roles of hormones, the history of their discovery, and the current state of hormone research and their use in medical practice. When picking up this book, you might initially feel that the title "The Complete History of Hormones" is an overly grand theme to cover in just over 300 pages. However, upon finishing it, you will likely feel both a deep sense of satisfaction and the appropriateness of the title, thanks to the substantial content that generously details everything from the dawn of hormone research to the latest findings, while also looking toward the future and capturing—sometimes with dark humor—both the bright and dark sides of the impact hormones have had on medicine and society.
This book is divided into 15 chapters. The beginning covers the birth of the concept of hormones, followed by topics such as the discovery of hormones related to physiological phenomena like growth, reproduction, obesity, and appetite, as well as related treatments and technologies. Each chapter begins with a historical episode surrounding the topic that cannot be found in textbooks, and goes on to describe the discovery and use of new hormones and technologies, and what they ultimately brought to the people and society involved. It includes not only past history, but also the latest information and insights on currently trending and ongoing research topics such as gender issues, menopausal disorders, and the "love hormone." As a result, it possesses the qualities of both a general book and a specialized work that will be enjoyed not only by general readers interested in these subjects, but also by researchers and graduate students. I believe this is thanks to the original author, Dr. Randy Herter Epstein, a writer with a medical background, who clearly presented information gathered through her broad expertise and enthusiastic reporting, combined with the excellent translation by Professor Takashi Tsuboi. This is a must-read book for anyone who wants to know or learn even a little about hormones.
Takashi Yazawa (Department of Biochemistry, Asahikawa Medical University)
