The Magic Army [Hardcover]

Leslie Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1981

Compared to the famously fecund rabbit, for whom a single act of coitus has a 90% chance of creating a litter of up to 12 rabbits, humans are very infertile animals. Here in the UK, the average chance of conception is about 18% per month. And in 98% of cases, successful conception leads only to the birth of a single infant. It is unsurprising then that huge efforts have been made to increase our fertility.In vitro fertilisation, first attempted one hundred years ago, has now become big business. Market forces, combined with the desperation of many couples to fulfil their biological imperative, have pushed doctors and scientists closer to the boundaries of what is desirable or ethical. And as we are increasingly able to access and control the embryo, the opportunities of altering human genetics to eradicate disease, but also to change human characteristics, becomes a real, and to some, frightening possibility.A Child Against All Odds is a ground-breaking book for Robert Winston as it falls squarely in his area of expertise. It combines his work at Hammersmith Hospital as one of the country's leading fertility specialists, with a hard-hitting, sometimes humorous, often controversial look at the scientific, social and ethical background of man's struggle to discover and control the secrets of reproduction. Drawing on personal and professional experience, it is the definitive account of modern reproductive technology from a practitioner who has spent his professional life at the forefront of this most fascinating and emotive area of science.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

This English novel, not yet published in America, depicts a little-known chapter in World War II when American troops took over a part of South Devon to train for the Normandy invasion. Multiple storylines make for an engrossing presentation, creating a compassionate picture of wartime training and romance, English resentment of rich Americans, and the politics of multinational armies. Peter Whitman's strength is his thoughtful delivery and his appropriate and consistent portrayal of male characters. While he's generally well-tuned to his text, his superficial and inconsistent interpretation of female characters detracts from an otherwise competent production. S.K. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Methuen Publishing Ltd; 1st ed edition (October 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0413465608
• ISBN-13: 978-0413465603
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.7 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,172,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of My Favourites, June 8, 2006

By 

Peter Bradford (Ellicott City, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic Army (Paperback)

I first read this book several years ago, but have always kept a copy on my bookshelves.

The story is made all the more poignant by my growing up in southern England during the war years, and with memories of standing by the side of the road calling out to the lorries loaded with "Yanks" 'Got any gum, chum?'.

Various candy and chocolate bars--almost unknown to us in those years--were thrown to us from time to time.

Delicious memories!