Book Reviews

by Sheila (30-B-2) FPE

TRANSSEXUALISM, A Study of Forty-Three Cases, by Jan Wolinder. (transl. by Helen Frey), U. of Götenborg, Sweden; 125 pp; 24 Kr ($4.80 US equiv.) 1967.

This has certainly been the "Year of the TS", with four memorable books to review in this column. That includes the presumably fictional "I want What I Want" (TVia 45) which even the staid Saturday Review managed to cover in a favorable (though somewhat confused) way, as the story of a "tragic transvestite". The event of the year was Dr. Benjamin's book (TVia 44) which not only dealt with "The Transsexual Phenomenon" but had interesting things to say about us. Now we have its European counterpart, by another outstanding author- ity. It is tempting, but unfair to both, to make too many comparisons between these two fine volumes. However, it must be emphasized that Benjamin combines research and therapy, and wrote for both the medical and popular reader. Wolinder has relatively little interest in therapy, and makes few concessions to the general public. The two books are only super- ficially redundant.

Dr. Wolinder has filled a vital function by making the most exhaustive literature search to date

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