DOUBLE TAKE

Jussim (AIDS & HIV, not reviewed) explores the lives and psychology of twins at a time when recent medical interventions are causing more multiple births. Stories of identical, fraternal, same sex, different sex, very young twins, and old twins are told in journalistic style with quotations, photographs, and descriptions of the subjects. Scientific information and the social and psychological factors pertinent to multiple births are clearly explained and woven into these stories. One chapter tells of twins who were separated at birth, find each other, and learn, to their amazement, how similar they are. Conjoined twins are treated historically; information about successful surgeries to separate the babies is contrasted with the dangers of the procedures that may lead to the death of one or both of them. Two sets of pairs who remain conjoined are presented as happy, functioning adults and children. Twins marrying twins and stories about multiples, including the Dionne quintuplets round out the information. Black-and-white photographs accompany the text and captions in red lend some graphic interest. This informal and workmanlike title lacks a glossary, index, or credits. The recently published Twin Tales by Donna Jackson (p. 259) covers the same ground, including many of the same subjects, and is more attractively packaged. (Nonfiction. 9-13)