'Excellent ... Nick Fox looks at the social and scientific concepts of the human body, highlighting the essence and importance of holistic care.' 5 star review in Nursing Standard 'Holistic patient care is the foundation of effective nursing practice. As this excellent book acknowledges, the body continues to be the essential focus of the daily work of social care and healthcare professionals.' Cancer Nursing Practice 'Fox guides the reader skillfully through a range of sometimes challenging social scientific concepts and perspectives, to deliver an accessible and comprehensive book that will be invaluable to those training for and working within a range of caring professions.' Paul Flowers, Glasgow Caledonian University 'Nick Fox has managed to synthesize many and diverse literatures and bring them to bear on a contemporary and thought-provoking sociological exegesis on 'the body' that is enlightening and enlivening. In this field of sociology, this is an unusually lucid analysis, in which Fox renders a large body of dense theory intelligible to non-sociologists. The book will become a core text in both sociology and health professional courses, in addition to being a key reader for all health researchers, since they both 'have' and 'research' bodies.' Paul Ward, Flinders University, Australia 'This is one of the most comprehensive sociological books on the body, covering biomedical and social aspects. The careful attention to gender and approach to the ill-health assemblage are very well-covered topics, as is the discussion of the body and identity. ' Jennie Jacobs Kronenfeld, Arizona State University