A young man has a horrible motorcycle accident. He wakes up in the hospital to discover that one of his arms has been amputated. Then a portrait on the wall of his hospital room begins to speak to him. The subject of the painting introduces himself as Ambroise Pare, the French barber-surgeon who revolutionized the art of amputation. From this wonderfully absurd premise, the two begin an imaginary conversation that takes them through a sweeping history of surgical amputation, from the Stone Age to the Space Age. Unencumbered by pathos or didacticism, this graphic novel explores the world of amputation, revealing fascinating details about famous amputees throughout history, the invention of the tourniquet, phantom limb syndrome, types of prostheses, and transhumanist technologies.

Playfully illustrated and seriously funny, The Body Factory is sure to delight anyone interested in the history and future of medicine and how we repair-and even enhance-the body.

About the Author

Heloise Chochois is a scientific illustrator who debuted as a graphic novelist with the blog Infiltree chez les physiciens. She is the author and illustrator of Intelligences artificielles.

Reviews

"This surprisingly delightful and empathetic examination offers an exemplar in the graphic medicine genre."

-starred review Publishers Weekly

"Charming art and a fascinating (and a little gruesome!) subject. I learned so much-loved it!"

-Sydney Padua,author of The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage

"From Egyptian amputation to transhumanism, this engaging and entertaining exploration of what it means to modify the human body captivates on every page."

-E. Paul Zehr,author of Chasing Captain America: How Advances in Science, Engineering, and Biotechnology Will Produce a Superhuman

"Medical illustrators and readers seeking a history of evolving healthcare technology will enjoy this work as an entertaining exploration describing modification of the human body."

-David James Dries Doody's Review Service

"An entertaining and fascinating read."

-Brigid Alverson School Library Journal

Book Information
ISBN 9780271087061
Author Heloise Chochois
Format Paperback
Page Count 168
Imprint Graphic Mundi
Publisher Pennsylvania State University Press
Weight(grams) 431g
Dimensions(mm) 254mm * 171mm * 11mm