From theories of conception and concepts of species to museum displays of male genitalia and the politics of breastmilk, The Secrets of Generation is an interdisciplinary examination of the many aspects of reproduction in the eighteenth century.

Exploring the theme of generation from the perspective of histories of medicine, literature, biology, technology, and culture, this collection offers a range of cutting-edge approaches. Its twenty-four contributors, scholars from across Europe and North America, bring an international perspective to discuss reproduction in British, French, American, German, and Italian contexts.

The definitive collection on eighteenth-century generation and its many milieus, The Secrets of Generation will be an essential resource for studying this topic for years to come.

Raymond Stephanson is a professor emeritus in the Department of English at the University of Saskatchewan.

Raymond Stephanson's profile page

Darren N. Wagner is a SSHRC postdoctoral fellow at McGill University. He received his doctorate in history from the University of York.

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‘Raymond Stephanson and Darren Wagner have persuaded an extraordinarily knowledgeable and interesting set of contributors to cover a huge range of topics concerning generation and reproduction of that period…The collection is full of gems.’

Studies in English Literature vol 56:03:2016

‘This book will be essential reading for those interested in the history of reproduction, but any scholar working on the history of the body would do well to consult within its pages.’

Bulletin of the History of Medicine – vol 91:2017

‘This collection offers a compensating richness of suggestive connections between texts and topics not normally encountered together under the aegis of any one discipline.’

Eighteenth Century Fiction vol 29:03:2017

‘This excellent new collection covers essays on how people in Europe (and North America) viewed the mysterious process of creating new life… The wide ranging essays in The Secrets of Generation answer questions you will not have even thought of.’

Isis vol 107:04:2016

‘A sprawling and wonderful collection… Stephanson and Wagner’s collection sets the standard for the next generation of reproductive scholarship.’

Canadian Journal of History vol 51:03:2016