Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Fast approaching 80, Leslie Fielder continues to break fresh ground. These nine 'essays on bioethics, theology, and myth' cover such unexpected topics as child abuse, organ transplants, and our images of doctors, nurses, and the disabled. Fiedler addresses these topics through literature as well as popular culture. The chapter on organ transplant programs offers a brilliant reading of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.Throughout, Fiedler helps us see our present moment in mythic terms. Particularly memorable are two largely'autobiographical chapters on aging and sexuality." Reviewed by Daniel Weiss, Virginia Quarterly Review (Copyright 2006 Virginia Quarterly Review)
Synopsis
Bound together by the common thread of bioethics, these essays encompass such issues as abortion, the removal of life support, the role that doctors play in our society, and how we confront old age and Eros. Controversial, at times infuriating, Leslie Fiedler's comments are sure to anger parties on all sides; but they will also appeal to anyone who appreciates the unorthodox insights of an inquisitive and voracious mind.