The author, James Norris, has written an eye-opening book full of information men (and women) need to know about the prostate and those other parts that are seriously connected to it. But don’t think that Norris’s book, To Pis or Not to Pee, is a boring medical report. It’s entertaining and informative, filled with amusing historical accounts beginning with the first man, Adam, and recounting the “urination” problems that stem from prostate disease.
Cures for prostate problems are also discussed, from the time of the Babylonians, when the prostate was not even known, to the time of the brilliant Venetian anatomists, one of whom discovered the prostate gland. Prostate cancer was not identified until 1853, but curative methods were poor and men did not have much chance of surviving once cancer was detected. So eventually, medical experts took the “if you can’t cure it, get rid of it” approach.
In 1904, Dr. Hugh Young performed the first perineal prostatectomy, and after that, steady progress was made in refining treatment of the prostate without resorting to chemical castration or removal of the glans. Norris’s book, To Pee or Not to Pee, is full of facts and descriptions, but he does it in a way that makes readers turn the pages and probably laugh out loud.
Note that Norris uses words that are rarely used in medical reports. Instead of “penis,” Norris uses more colorful versions of the same word, like willie, cojones, Mr. Happy, dick, and pecker. He definitely gets his attention and prevents the book from becoming another boring medical tale about the disappearance (or NOT) of an extremely important part of a man’s inner workings.
Although the book reads like a good satire or comedy, Norris manages to convey that the prostate has a lot to do with other woes in the “plumbing” and “recreation area” between men’s legs. Norris certainly did his research in a big way and you will learn about the medical advances available now and the possibility of future treatments.
One of the chapters in To Pis or Not to Pee, Upside, Downside, addresses both the pros and cons of the drugs now available and explains how tests are done to treat the prostate gland. Abiraterone is one of the new drug treatments Norris is discussing. Although the drug is not available now except through clinical trials, it holds promise as a groundbreaking treatment for prostate cancer by blocking key hormones that cause cancer.
Norris does a fantastic job of explaining the inner workings of the prostate and how certain abnormalities in the prostate can affect a man’s urination and sexual ability. To Pis or Not to Pee makes you smile and also helps you learn about the complex system made up of those “parts down there.”
