LEWISTON, Maine - Most people don't like to talk about hair removal. But in America, it's a big business, and a big preoccupation for women and men alike.
In her new book, "Plucked: A History of Hair Removal," Bates College Professor Rebecca Herzig explores how American's views on hair have changed over time - from the first bearded Europeans who arrived on the continent and met smooth-skinned native Americans, to the growth of the waxing industry.
Herzig told MPBN's Nora Flaherty earlier this week that she was at first reluctant to tackle a subject that many might find trivial. But she became committed to the project after reading about the forced shaving of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Rebecca Herzig is a professor of interdisciplinary studies at Bates College.
