I was encouraged to visit the exhibition by my wife when it travelled to the Atlantis Gallery Old Truman Brewery, in Brick Lane, London, back in 2002. But, she hardly needed to twist my arm. I was already familiar with the earlier wax methods of preserving anatomical specimens, but this was truly remarkable.
My grandfather had wanted to take me to the Musée Fragonard d'Alfort, in Paris, when I was a child. For some reason we never went together which I regret. So, this was an opportunity for me to recapture some of those amazing educational outings he often took me on as a child. What made it perfect was that I was able to take my own new born baby with me, in the perambulator, which made for an emotional and memorable experience.
What struck me immediately was how very privileged I felt, living in the 21st century under the Nanny State, to be able to see such wonders. I also experienced a deep spiritual moment during the exhibition, accompanied by this new life, and walking among the cadavers on display, how precious and fleeting human lives actually are.
I believe that the life like poses these bodies were put in only intensified this feeling; like they were caught somewhere between life and death. It truly felt like this is what the Egyptian Pharoahs must have longed for all those eons ago: eternal life in physical form. But mummies (of which I have seen many) always appeared to me very much dead, even if you can suspend belief for just a moment while staring into their faces, and imagine the person beneath. With the subjects at Body Worlds you don't have to. But, it wasn't a creepy or unnerving experience either. It felt more like taking a walk though a botanical garden with all these beautiful specimens of nature carefully pruned and posed, like live plants, to show of the wonder of 'God's' creations to our humble mortal eyes.
I left with deep respect and a sense of how precious and wondrous life is.
I couldn't afford the exhibition book at the time, so I was very fortunate some fourteen years later to find a copy in a local charity shop for only a few quid. Flicking through the pages brought back memories and also the renewed sense of life that I probably needed to be reminded of.
This exhibition book makes you feel both very insignificant and small, and at the same time part of something grand and very important.
Everyone should make a point of trying to visit it live, but the book is a fabulous record of this event. I just hope that it runs locally again so that I can take my children to see it now that they are of the right age to appreciate it. ( )

Catalogue which was produced for original Body Worlds exhibition - seen at Old Truman Brewery in London in 2002-2003.

Lots of colour photos of exhibits plus text to give context to anatomy and physiology displayed. Also has 9-10 essays giving further information on anatomy, function and ethics. ( )

I found this book to be fascinating, informative, and highly unpleasant. It distressed me to no end, brought physical tremors to my body, and almost made me retch twice.

I won't comment on the actual process of plastination or the morality involved, although this book tries at length to validate the process while attempting to address the morality of it, instead preferring to comment on the rest of the book. The photographs are incredible! It made me feel like I was in the presence of the deceased persons who were plastinated. The medical information was very interesting and on some level seems useful.

I think a main downfall with the book is the inability to properly address the fact that the exhibits tend to glorify the gore instead of the medical angle. It screams "look at this because it is unique, weird, and interesting" not "learn from me because I possess a fountain of medical knowledge." This book portrays more as freak show than medical or science instruction. That is a shame because I think there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained that would not be otherwise possible without the plastination process.

In the end this book glorifies the exhibits and work of Mr. Hagens as a freak show for the uneducated and unwashed masses. That is a shame because the book is nicely constructed and produced. The thin veneer of respectability is quickly tarnished. ( )

Breautiful companion to your visit to any of the Body Worlds exhibits. It encouraged me to become a body donor. ( )

The background story on von Hagens and his plastination process is very enlightening. The critical reviews at the end are a bit draggy but the wonderful photos make up for it. A real must have for those who were lucky enough to view the exhibit. ( )