Let There Be Life

An Intimate Portrait of Robert Edwards and His IVF Revolution

By: Roger Gosden

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The authorized biography of Sir Robert Edwards, a coal miner’s son who pioneered in vitro fertilization for infertility, embryonic stem cell research for regenerative medicine, and the medical ethics of embryology (Nobel Prize, 2010). “Robert Edwards changed the world, bringing life, hope, and joy to millions of people. I owe him everything,” Louise Brown. “Thanks to Robert Edward's vision, determination, and dedication, countless women like me have the children we longed for,” Grace MacDonald, mother of the first IVF baby boy.
An improbable hero of science and gritty Yorkshireman, he rode a roller-coaster of endeavor to the breakthrough which transformed reproductive medicine and gynecology.
“Roger Gosden has done a magnificent job in producing this biography of a remarkable man. His research has provided us with much new material about Bob Edwards’ life and this new information is integrated in a compelling narrative that I could not put down. He describes in terms entirely comprehensible to the lay person the scientific aspects of Bob’s work, set in the wider context of Bob’s life and personality. Overall, a compelling biography of a truly great scientist and man that will be of interest not only to those many millions whose lives have been touched by IVF, but also to the general public interested in what makes good science and a good scientist!” Martin Johnson, FRS, Cambridge University
“Gosden's engaging book about the most gripping biological discovery of the past 100 years, equivalent in biology to relativity and quantum mechanics in physics, focuses on a single heroic biologist, Dr Robert Edwards, who single handedly changed the lives of despairing infertile couples, despite all the naysayers who thought he was on either a fool's errand, or worse, a devil's errand,” Sherman Silber, Infertility Center of St Louis
“Bob Edwards’ vision and struggles to apply basic embryology to solve the pain of human infertility, penned beautifully by disciple Roger Gosden,” Alan Trounson, Monash University
"One of the best and most exciting books I have read for many years." Claus Yding Andersen, University of Copenhagen
“Bob’s extraordinary and spirited life journey changed the social history of the world: this thoughtful biography will inspire generations to come,” Kay Elder (Senior Scientist, Bourn Hall Clinic, Cambridge)
"A worthy acknowledgement of his remarkable life ...," Peter Brinsden, FRCOG, former medical director of Bourn Hall Clinic
“I can think of no one better than Roger to do justice to Bob’s exceptional life and work,” Mike Macnamee, Chief Executive at Bourn Hall Clinic
“Absorbing read … captured the historical backdrop, personal motivations, incredible challenges overcome and societal applications,” Robert Gore-Langton (graduate student of Edwards)
“A very personal and accurate account of the history of IVF,” Dean M. Edwards (Edwards’ nephew)
“It is hard to imagine anyone better to take on this talk … (by) a great scientist and a pioneer in his own right … he writes with objectivity, but with great affection,” Sue Avery (Progress Educational Trust, London)
“A most readable, enjoyable and informative book,” Editor of Focus on Reproduction (ESHRE)
“A wonderful track through much of reproductive medicine of the past 50 years,” Ian Cooke, FRCOG (Human Fertility)
“An excellent account of a scientific life demonstrating that it is possible by vision, determination and application to rise from sparse beginnings to reach the highest scientific peaks and simultaneously to benefit many millions of people … a very inspiring read and an excellent example of how to be a respected and productive scientist whatever one’s beginnings,” John Bowman (Royal Society of Biology)
The author trained in research under Edwards for a career spanning Cambridge to Cornell in NYC. He pledges profits from book sales to charities for infertility.