On Being Born and Other DifficultiesThere is no theme more central to human life on earth than birth (unless it is its natural counterpart, death). With a pathologist's trained eye for observation of detail and a style unrivaled in elegance and wit, F. Gonzalez-Crussi, author of The Five Senses, reflects on the largest of topics, those in which science, religion, and philosophy brush most closely together, such as the origin of life in the universe, the complex evolution of human sexuality, and the debate over when the soul is acquired. Drawing on a variety of sources spanning the fields of biology, literature, history, myth, medicine, and philosophy, On Being Born and Other Difficulties surveys a vast field of opinions and theories, contrasting the supremely rational processes by which we evolved on this planet with our irrational and often bizarre attempts to understand them. Gonzalez-Crussi traces millennia of misunderstandings to their sources - Aristotle, Hippocrates, Descartes, Sir Thomas Browne, Cervantes, Rabelais, Maupassant, and Nietzsche, among others - engaging them with precision, humour, and humanity. With its unparalleled depth and insight, On Being Born and Other Difficulties is a profoundly entertaining work of the highest literary calibre. |
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ON BEING BORN: and Other Difficulties
User Review - Jane Doe - KirkusA collection of elegant and engrossing essays on the theme of birth.González-Crussi (Emeritus, Pathology/Northwestern Univ. Medical School; Suspended Animation, 1995, etc.) blends literature and ... Read full review
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User Review - eleanorigby - LibraryThingA profound book reflecting on the state of birth and life. Read full review
Contents
Acknowledgment | 7 |
Believe only the Delivery | 32 |
Saga of the Womb or the Perils of the Mother | 54 |
Copyright | |
7 other sections not shown
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Common terms and phrases
Aelian amniotic fluid anatomical ancient Anencephaly animal appear Aristotle babies believed biology birds birth body born called caul Celestina cells century child childbirth chromosomes concept death delivered delivery diseases egg-cell embryo exist experience father feel female germ fertilization fetal fetus fetuses force François Jacob gametes genes genetic genome germ plasm germ-cell gestation Greek head History hospital human hymen Hysterectomy idea imagination individual known labor later learned less living look male seed Malebranche maternal enclosure maternal impressions matter medicine membrane ment midwives mind Mircea Eliade molecular molecules mother Nature never newborn Nicolas Malebranche normal nurse obstetrical offspring organisms origin Pages panspermia Pantagruel parents Paris patient philosopher physician Pierre pregnant scientific semen sexual reproduction society Spallanzani species sperm spermatozoa spider silk thing thought tion tissue Translated uterine uterus vaginal virginity Volume wind woman womb women
Bibliographic information
| Title | On Being Born and Other Difficulties |
| Author | F. Gonzalez-Crussi |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Overlook Press, 2004 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | Jun 12, 2009 |
| ISBN | 1585674494, 9781585674497 |
| Length | 217 pages |
| Subjects | › Medical / Essays Medical / General |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |