Reviews

"Foxhall has written the most comprehensive, well-researched, and in-depth history of migraine in existence. Drawing on completely original research, this book is a truly wonderful compendium of Western medicine's approach to and treatment of migraine over the centuries."

— Joanna Kempner, Rutgers University, author of Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health

"A fascinating and very well-written book. With verve and passion, Katherine Foxhall issues a call to arms that uses history to make its case."

— Matthew Smith, University of Strathclyde, author of Another Person's Poison: A History of Food Allergy

"Katherine Foxhall is one of the most illuminating young historians of science and medicine writing today. Her history of the migraine from the second century to the present is an enthralling story. It is a must-read for migraine sufferers as well as their physicians and friends. I couldn't put it down."

— Joanna Bourke, Birkbeck, University of London, author of The Story of Pain: From Prayers to Painkillers

"In this comprehensive account, Foxhall assesses over one thousand years of Western experience with migraine. Paying close attention to ways in which gender, class, and race in particular shape responses to migraine, the book amplifies the voices of people who for too long have been silenced and doubted."

— Daniel S. Goldberg, University of Colorado, author of Public Health Ethics and the Social Determinants of Health

"Despite being recognised since time immemorial, migraine continues to elude a 'cure.' In her eloquent book, Katherine Foxhall looks at migraine's past with the eyes of the present, providing a fascinating insight into how societal changes have affected the perception of this condition and the impact that has had on management. "

— Anne MacGregor, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, author of Understanding Migraine and Other Headaches

"In her meticulously researched book, Katherine Foxhall offers a sensitive and humane account of a common condition: migraine. Wide-ranging in terms of its sources and covering a generous timespan, it significantly enhances our understanding of medical theories and treatments in both past and present, gives weight to patient experiences, and demonstrates the valuable contributions historians can make to contemporary debates about suffering and pain."

— Ludmilla Jordanova, Durham University, author of The Look of the Past: Visual And Material Evidence In Historical Practice

"In Migraine, Katherine Foxhall delivers a thorough and illuminating history of migraine that traces our endeavors to understand, treat and eliminate this painful condition we still know little about... Foxhall's history of migraine, unlike the self-help books, accommodates human complexity without scanting medicine's contributions to a condition that affects roughly 1 in 7 people on our planet. A lively, scholarly book about migraine, Foxhall's history is also a treatise on the human condition."

— Sibbie O'Sullivan - The Washington Post

"Katherine Foxhall's book, Migraine: A History, is a remarkable volume on migraine and its history from the second to the 21st century... Written by a historian with an open mind to all aspects of migraine and medical history, the book stands alone as a current best historical work on the subject... For anyone with any interest in migraine, this is a must-read, and one that will be rewarded with compelling erudition, and the knowledge that the history of migraine matters a lot. I recommend it highly."

— R. Allan Purdy, MD, FRCPC, Division of Neurology, Dalhousie University - Brain: A Journal of Neurology

"I had not come across such a comprehensive and concise book written about [migraine]... This should be on the student nurse and doctor reading list and any clinician caring for patients as this is important to understand migraines and the journey along the way – we are still learning."

— Jane Brown, Urgent Care Division, Worcestershire Acute NHS Trust - Nursing Times