Utilizing the analytical method formulated by the social theorist Paul James, Cregan (English, U. of Melbourne, Australia) examines concepts of embodiment in three manifestations in 17th-century London: the Barber-Surgeons' Anatomy Theatre, the pubic playhouses which showed plays relating to dissection, and the law courts and prisons where the bodies to be dissected were obtained. Using a wealth of primary sources, including the records of the Barber-Surgeon's Hall, parish burial records, churchwarden's burial accounts, anatomical works, and court proceedings, Cregan presents a rich and in-depth look into attitudes towards and treatment of bodies in England in this period, examining perspectives and activities in science, philosophy, and culture. The volume is illustrated in b&w and distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)