Fear, Wonder, and Science in the New Age of Reproductive Biotechnology

Reviews / Votes

Scott Gilbert and Clara Pinto-Correia come to readers as whole persons in this unusual and much-needed book... Each part of this rich tapestry of stories is woven in an acute consciousness of complex social, personal, and technical histories. Each part requires-as well as nurtures-emotional, intellectual, and sociohistorical intelligence. -- from the foreword by Donna Haraway Impressive in its breadth, Fear, Wonder, and Science in the New Age of Reproductive Biotechnology contains case studies, historical narratives, and ethical conundrums showcasing the advances in our understanding of the basic science of human fertilization and development. Correcting misconceptions that have permeated the mainstream infertility literature, Gilbert and Pinto-Correia write the kind of lucid explanations of these complex technological feats that have probably never reached this readership but should have a long time ago. -- Katayoun Chamany, New School University Every book on science and its social uses should be like this one. But Fear, Wonder, and Science in the New Age of Reproductive Technology is probably an unrepeatable marvel. To bring it to pass, a scientist with philosophical inclinations and literary flair has joined up with a novelist with scientific training and a moving and culturally resonant personal story. They have created what may be the most accessible source to date for how humans are made, how the process can be manipulated technologically, and how benign impulses can go awry in the face of biological and social complexities. -- Stuart Newman, New York Medical College This pathbreaking book is a milestone, giving us a new way of understanding human fertility, reproduction and childbirth. Scott Gilbert and Clara Pinto-Correia's contrasting yet complementary perspectives will educate, enliven, delight and inform any reader. The insights presented here will enable us to question, break, and move beyond the reigning contemporary paradigms of disempowerment, and find the true empowerment that both men and women so sorely need. -- Steven Borish, California State University - East Bay