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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
May 1, 2004 |
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THE BODY OF FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER:
ESSAYS IN MYTH AND MEDICINE
BY CECIL HELMAN
A poetic, illuminating look at medicine and the body |
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Frankenstein. Werewolves. Dracula. These images aren’t just
imaginary creatures -- they’re also powerful symbols of the
body. The body can be thought of as a machine made up of parts
like Frankenstein’s monster, or as a creature ruled by
animalistic urges, or as an entity that’s vulnerable to
infection from a diseased fiend. In The Body of
Frankenstein’s Monster, Cecil Helman, M.D., expands our
view of our bodies by exploring its cultural and artistic
representations. His lyrical essays draw on images from
literature, art, history, myth, television, and film to
provide new insights into our physical selves. Helman explores
how X-rays create a snapshot of our future, why we use germs
to express our modern anxieties, how the machine metaphor has
changed the doctor-patient relationship, and how anatomical
dissection is influenced by the political climate. Deeply
personal and original, The Body of Frankenstein’s Monster
reconnects the body to myth, art, and imagination.
“[Helman] has the rare gift of looking inwards
and then outwards, turning clinical experience into a kind of
poetry. In this he resembles Oliver Sacks….His language is
delicious.” -- The Times (London)
“These inquisitive essays are a strong antidote to modern
medicine’s tendency to treat the body as a machine….Helman
undertakes poetic, cross-disciplinary forays for high-tech
medicine’s connections to myth, magic and medicine.” --Publishers
Weekly |
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About Cecil Helman, M.D. |
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Cecil Helman, M.D., is a London-based physician and medical
anthropologist. He is the author of the textbook Culture,
Health, and Illness, as well as of a novella, a book of
short stories, and a collection of prose poems, and he edited
Doctors and Patients: An Anthology, and his writing has
appeared in many magazines including Vogue (UK) and
The London Magazine. He holds academic posts at the Royal
Free and University College Medical School and Brunel
University, and has been a Visiting Fellow at Harvard Medical
School. |
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The Body of Frankenstein’s Monster
by Cecil Helman, M.D.
Paraview Special Editions, 2004
ISBN: 1-931044-83-X
Culture/Medicine, Paperback Reprint
DOI:
Pub. Date: May 1, 2004
9x6 inches, 156 pages, $14.95 / ₤10.50 |
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The Body of Frankenstein’s Monster is available through
amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, and can be ordered through
local and online bookstores nationwide. For further
information or to request a review copy, call 212-989-3616. |
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About Paraview Special Editions |
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Paraview Publishing is a publisher that utilizes new media
technology to publish quality works in body, mind, and spirit
and the frontiers of science and culture -- areas related to
the transformation of society. Our imprints include Paraview
Press, print-on-demand books for niche audiences; Paraview
Special Editions, reprints of select out-of-print books and
international books; and Paraview Pocket Books, a joint
imprint with
Simon &
Schuster for traditionally published works for a wide
audience. Based in New York City, Paraview targets a global
audience, including over 50 million Americans who are
interested in healthy lifestyles, personal development and the
transformation of society. |
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For author interviews and review copies
contact: (212) 989-3616
E-mail: publisher@paraview.com |
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