Simple words and feminist wit play off the images. Certain stereotypical male proclivities are included affectionately rather than disparagingly. The description mocks an encyclopedia entry, as if the narrator were communicating with readers who are completely unfamiliar with the species. The exercise works as an intriguing, multi-textured thought experiment.

Throughout this collection, the writer gives her twentieth-century sources for the illustrations, but unfortunately she does not provide their origin. The lacuna reminds us that this is not a historical or a social essay, but a work of art that combines words and pictures. The author calls these creative essays "stories."