| The book I now hold in my hands is a jewel of a | | | | photographer for companies such as Åhlén |
| classic. Its first edition was published about forty years | | | | & Ã…kerlund in Stockholm during the mid 1940's. |
| ago. This is the fourth 2003 edition and still a very valid | | | | When he was assigned to do a portrait of a professor |
| book to answer the question of "Where did I come | | | | at Sabbatsbergs Hospital in Stockholm, he saw some |
| from, Mommy?" | | | | embryos stored in glass jars. The development of the |
| Yet, this book is not for answering a child's probing | | | | embryos that had progressed so far after only a few |
| questions only; it enlightens anyone who wants to | | | | weeks captured his attention and he photographed |
| explore the miracle of a human being's coming to life. | | | | them. |
| A collective work of a famous photographer and an | | | | In 1953, these photos were met with enthusiasm when |
| obstetrician, the book examines the miracle of birth | | | | published by Life Magazine. This lead to the first edition |
| from the point of conception to the moment of | | | | of "A child is born." With the publication of "A child is |
| delivery. It is not just a story of birth, however, but a | | | | born" in 1965, Life Magazine did a feature article that |
| pictorial, informative journey. | | | | ran sixteen pages plus the cover with pictures from |
| 350 new photographs have been added to the fourth | | | | the book. The eight million copies that made up the |
| edition, making the book a spectacular chronicle of a | | | | edition were sold out in four days. The article was |
| picturesque and informational voyage with a | | | | published simultaneously in Stern, Paris Match, Sunday |
| developing fetus. This book is not a pregnancy guide; | | | | Times, and other magazines. |
| although, it celebrates a newly forming life step by step | | | | Throughout the years, Lennart Nilsson received many |
| through the amazing wizardry of photography. The | | | | awards for his photographic work such as: The Little |
| unedited, groundbreaking photographs show all | | | | Nobel Prize, Hasselblad's Prize, Royal Swedish |
| aspects and details of life from conception to birth. | | | | Academy of Engineering Sciences' Big Gold Medal, |
| One wonders how the camera took all those photos, | | | | and the 12th presentation of Illis quorum. In 1982 he |
| like the first few cluster of cells of the fetus or the | | | | received an Emmy for his film, "The Saga Of Life" and |
| heart of the fetus as the first formed organ, and how | | | | in 1996 an additional Emmy for the TV series, "The |
| it got into those impossible places and with such detail | | | | Miracle of Life". Lennart Nilsson was also designated |
| and clarity. The text, too, is clearly written, informative, | | | | an Honorary Doctor of Medicine by the Karolinska |
| and detailed. | | | | Institute in 1976 and he is Honorary Doctor of |
| "A Child is Born" has six chapters. The first four are | | | | Philosophy of the Technische Unversität |
| "Woman and Man," "Fertilization and Conception," | | | | Braunschweig in Germany (2002) as well as of |
| "Pregnancy" (in three parts as--Weeks 3-12, Weeks | | | | Linköping University in Sweden (2003). |
| 13-26, and Weeks 27-40) and "Labor and Delivery." | | | | NASA's unmanned spacecraft Voyager I and |
| The fifth chapter, "When Nature Needs Help," | | | | Voyager II both carried photographs from "A Child is |
| investigates the fertility problems and different ways | | | | Born" on their journey through our solar system and |
| of helping conception. Sixth and the last chapter "The | | | | out into the universe. Lennart Nilsson's work can be |
| Adventure Begins," is about bringing the new baby | | | | found in collections at a number of museums and |
| home. | | | | institutions, including the British Museum in London, |
| The book is in hardcover and 240 pages with ISBN: | | | | Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and the Modern Museum in |
| 038533754X | | | | Stockholm. |
| The author, Lars Hamberger, M.D., is the professor and | | | | Lennart Nilsson's books are: Life in Sea, 1959; Halleluja, |
| the chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and | | | | 1963; A Child is Born 1965, 1976, 1990, 2003; Behold |
| Gynecology of Gothenburg University, Sweden. | | | | Man, 1973; How was I Born? 1975; Close to Nature, |
| Famous for his research and writing in the medical field, | | | | 1984; The Body Victorious, 1985; Being Born, 1986; The |
| Hamberger has worked with the photographer of the | | | | Incredible Machine, 1986; and Images of his life, 2002. |
| book, Lennart Nilsson since the third edition of the book. | | | | This book is not only for expectant parents, but also |
| Lennart Nilsson is a pioneer in medical photography. | | | | for grandparents, for siblings and for all people who |
| Born in 1922, he started off as a magazine | | | | respect the miracle of life. |