The First Look

Grappling head-on with America's "hidden killer," "The First Look" presents direct statements from breast cancer survivors together with photographs of their postsurgery bodies. This powerful volume counters the fear of the unknown by providing concrete information on what breast cancer survival looks and feels like. Amelia Davis's bold photographs equip those facing surgery with real information on what to expect, on reconstructive options, and on lymphedema, a frequent result of mastectomy. This essential book also provides companions-in-arms for newcomers to the battle against cancer. Behind each photograph, behind each story is a woman who triumphed. Their "battle wounds" serve as reminders of the resilience of the female spirit and as symbols of survival, perseverance, and strength.A diverse portrait of renewal, regeneration, and most of all reality, "The First Look" presents mothers, grandmothers, wives, and daughters ranging in age from twenty-five to seventy-six. Some have undergone reconstructive surgery or been fitted with prostheses; some have not. All have struggled with cancer's wide-ranging impact on their bodies, their relationships, and their daily lives." Posing for this book ...is sort of like 'coming out,'" a twenty-eight-year-old subject of this book reports. By taking a stand to make breast cancer visible rather than hidden, "The First Look" affirms the human body as an art form, not only as it was created, but also as it is reshaped in the course of a life.

Review :
"Inspiring messages from breast cancer survivors are paired with candid photos of their post-surgery bodies." -- New York Review of Books "As breast cancer continues to be epidemic ... what women most fear is how a breast may look after surgery. Davis' black-and-white photographs, coupled with their subjects' stark personal essays, take major strides toward disarming the dread in that first postsurgery look. Some of the women photographed ... have had reconstructive surgery, some haven't, and some have lost both breasts. All of these 'invisible amputees' speak frankly about their fears and trials, joys and triumphs, sharing the most intimate physical and emotional scars in this long overdue, nonpareil book." -- Booklist "[Davis] felt that women who had faced surgery and the loss of their breast should be given a forum to express feelings about the experience and a means for others to see what they themselves saw upon their 'first look' at a postmastectomy body. The pride and determination of these women are evident in the postures and body language of each headless figure. The words vary from elegant and simplistic, erudite and crude, while the photos run the gamut as well, from perfectly reconstructed breasts to unbelievable scars and emptiness. Some of these photos are inspiring; others will make you gasp and wail... No one who sees them will remain unmoved." -- Library Journal "A condition that too often carries with it social marks beyond its physical scars, breast cancer is here spoken about with both clarity and immediacy." -- Doubletake "The honest and detailed accounts provide an overpowering sense of hope and can be appreciated by all women." -- Fit Magazine ADVANCE PRAISE "These images are a powerful reminder of the reality of breast cancer and the beauty of courageous women." -- Susan Love, M.D. "If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this is a book whose time has come. This is an honest portrayal of what is only 'talked' about and a resource women need." -- Dean S. Edell, M.D.