Letter to a child never born
By: Oriana Fallaci ; translated by John Shepley
Publisher: Anchor Books
Published: 1978
Place of publication: Garden City, N.Y
Language: eng
Number of pages: 115
ISBN-13: 9780385134859
Copyright date: 1976
Subjects: Conduct of life
Work titles: Lettera a un bambino mai nato
Description: Published by Rizzoli in 1975, Letter to a Child Never Born was quickly translated and sold in twenty-seven countries, becoming an extraordinary world success. It is the tragic monologue of a woman speaking with the child she carries in her womb. This letter confronts the burning theme of abortion, and the meaning of life, by asking difficult questions: Is it fair to impose life even if it means suffering? Would it be better not to be born at all? Letter to a Child Never Born touches on the real meaning of being a woman: the power to give life or not. When the book begins, the protagonist is upset after learning she is pregnant. She knows nothing about the child, except that this creature depends totally and uniquely on her own choices. The creation of another person directly within one's own body is a very shocking thing. The sense of responsibility is huge; it is a heavy burden that gives life to endless reflections, from the origin of our existence to the shame of our selfishness. If the child could choose, would he prefer to be born, to grow up, and to suffer, or would he return to the joyful limbo from which he came? A woman's freedom and individuality are also challenged by a newborn -- should she renounce her freedom, her job, and her choice? What should she do at this point?
Notes: Translation of Lettera a un bambino mai nato.