Book description
In this hip, hilarious and truly eye-opening cultural history, menstruation is talked about as never before. Flow spans its fascinating, occasionally wacky and sometimes downright scary story: from mikvahs (ritual cleansing baths) to menopause, hysteria to hysterectomies—not to mention the Pill, cramps, the history of underwear, and the movie about…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
1 author picked Flow as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Smart and sassy, Flow explains the cultural context around menstruation. Did you know the Japanese call that time of the month “Little Miss Strawberry”? Or that in Ancient Greece tampons were made out of lint wrapped around bits of wood? Neither did I.
It left me grateful to be living in 2024, but it also filled in the gaps in my knowledge about the history of menstruation. (Sidenote: Flow’s take on PMDD references is outdated, but its cultural history of menstruation is still worth a read.)
From Shalene's list on books for if your periods are a painful bloody hell.
If you love Flow...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
Want books like Flow?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Flow.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,366
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like Flow, you might also like...
Marriage and Fatherhood in the Nazi SS
When I was writing this book, several of my friends jokingly called it the Nazi baby book, with one insisting it would make a great title. Nazi Babies – admittedly, that is a catchy title, but that’s not exactly what my book is about. SS babies would be slightly more…
A Forgivable Indecision
In 1913, a 15-year-old pregnant girl was found dead of apparent suicide. Dr. James Wilson, a new graduate and the first doctor ever to start a practice in this rural town, feels guilty over her death because of his delayed intervention.
He knows Bessie was raped by one of her…
