Sievert (anthropology, U. of Massachusetts) finds responses to menopause vary widely depending on culture. Drawing on a number of studies from the US, Europe and South America, she points out that women in different cultures have different beliefs and expectations, and joy at becoming an elder in one culture is sorrow at becoming useless in another. She finds that medical information about the onset and symptoms of menopause may not take into consideration variances in women's nutrition, workload and life experience, and that significant variances exist between theories and experiences in the case of premature menopause. Particularly interesting is her work on how women feel about the possibility they could give birth after menopause through new technologies. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)