Dr. Benjamin Spock was a distinguished pediatrician and child care expert best known for his best-selling child development guide, Baby and Child Care. Spock became an influential figure in the field of parenting, dispensing parenting tips in the most straight-forward and simplest way possible. http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=583

Apart from his endeavors in the field of child care and parenting, Spock was also involved in politics especially during the outbreak of the Vietnam War and was even put on trial on charges of conspiracy along with other anti-Vietnam War personalities.http://www.answers.com/topic/benjamin-spock

Born Benjamin Mclane Spock on the second of May 1903, in New Haven, Connecticut, the renowned child care expert is the eldest among the six children of Mildred and Benjamin Ives Spock. http://social.jrank.org/pages/605/Spock-Benjamin-1903-1998.html Spock attended prestigious private schools for his primary, secondary and tertiary educations.

In 1925, Spock graduated with a degree in English. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Spock-Benjamin.html In that same year, Spock pursued his medical ambitions attending Yale’s medical program. In 1927, Spock transferred to the Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Sc-St/Spock-Benjamin.html

Two years later, Spock finished his medical studies thus, followed an internship in the field of pediatrics. http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=583 http://social.jrank.org/pages/605/Spock-Benjamin-1903-1998.html

After being exposed to the various questions asked by parents regarding child care, Spock’s interest in the field of parenting further escalated. In 1946, Spock wrote The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care – more popularly known as the "Baby and Child Care book." http://history1900s.about.com/od/1940s/qt/drspock.htm

The book contains invaluable knowledge on how to effectively and responsibly raise children. http://history1900s.about.com/od/1940s/qt/drspock.htm It is considered as one of the most widely-read parenting books of all-time, having sold more than 50 million copies worldwide and having been translated into 39 languages. http://www.answers.com/topic/common-sense-book-of-baby-and-child-care http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=583

The Baby and Child Care book elevated Spock’s status as “America’s favorite doctor.” http://www.vision.org/visionmedia/article.aspx?id=583

Spock’s simple yet effective non-authoritative parenting became a huge success and eventually paved the way for the publishing of several other books during the course of his medical career. Spock published the books, A Better World for Our Children, Spock on Parenting, Caring for Your Disabled Child and A Baby’s First Year, among others. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/ewb_14/ewb_14_06093.html In addition, Spock with the help his second wife Mary Morgan Councille, wrote his autobiography in 1989, entitled Spock on Spock. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/ewb_14/ewb_14_06093.html

In 1967, Spock retired from the public limelight. However, he would re-enter public life mainly through politics in the early parts of the 1970s. http://www.novelguide.com/a/discover/ewb_14/ewb_14_06093.html