Jim Bigelow Hourglass, £16.95, pp 239 ISBN 0-9630482-1-X

Written in populist style, The Joy of Uncircumcising! is based on three premises: that infant circumcision is performed without consent; that circumcision diminishes penile sensation and therefore reduces sexual enjoyment; and that techniques of prepucial reconstruction can restore lost sensitivity to the glans penis.

Of these contentions, the first warrants the most serious consideration. There is no question that the widespread practice of infant circumcision, performed for cosmetic or religious indications, carries small …