The Work of Human Hands [Hardcover]

G. Wayne Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 1993

A report on a day in the life of trailblazing surgeon Dr. Hardy Hendren provides an unprecedented tour through the halls of Children's Hospital in Boston--the nation's premier pediatric medical center. 20,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Known as the top pediatric center in the U.S., Children's Hospital in Boston--and its world-famous chief surgeon Hardy Hendren--is the focus of this well-researched study by Miller ( Thunder Rise ), a staff writer for the Providence Journal-Bulletin, where his award-winning series on the hospital appeared. The book discusses advances in pediatrics, especially those made in Boston; new procedures devised by Hendren and notable predecessors and colleagues; and the patients whose lives they saved. All of this is engrossing. However, the narrative jumps back and forth in time distractingly, and recreates often superfluous dialogue and inner thoughts of the protagonists. Of great interest are the firsthand accounts of complex corrective or reconstructive surgery, often performed on the same patient and involving one or more systems (cardiovascular, lower intestinal, genital, etc.). Photos not seen by PW . Author tour.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Miller sets out to give us a biography of Hardy Hendren, a legend in pediatric surgery at Boston's renowned Children's Hospital. What we actually get is a wonderful collage of American surgical history centered on but not limited to Hendren's life and work. Miller also shares with us the lives of Hendren's patients and their families. Throughout the book, Miller follows the Moore family from the time they discover that the child Mrs. Moore is carrying will have birth defects to Hendren's marathon operation (one of many that baby Lucy will have) to repair her coacal malformation. Thanks to Hendren's work, Lucy and more than 100 children like her will have a chance at a normal life. At a time when so many books are telling us what is wrong with American medicine, it's nice to see one that tells us what's good about those who provide our care. Recommended for all medical collections.
- KellyJo Houtz Parish, Harrison Memorial Hosp., Bremerton, Wash.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 359 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (February 16, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679402640
• ISBN-13: 978-0679402640
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,253,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Visit www.gwaynemiller.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Get to Know an Accomplished Physician, March 16, 2001

By 

Cathy Mealey (Wakefield, ma USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Work of Human Hands (Hardcover)

I went in search of this out-of-print book after seeing a biography about Dr. Hendren on our local "Chronicle" television program. This is a stimulating and thought-provoking book for those interested in the "art" of surgery, particularly pediatric surgery, as well as the medical profession. Dr. Hendren is a generous philanthropist, sharing his medical talent with children facing medical challenges around the world. It is a fair and balanced portrait of one surgeon's life at the outstanding Children's Hospital in Boston.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant person and doctor, April 5, 2006

By 

Ash Pap - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Work of Human Hands (Paperback)

This book has a real sentimental value to me because Dr. Hardy Hendren is my doctor. I had a kidney condition when I was born and the hospital I was at did not know was what wrong with me but when my parents brought me to the Boston Children's Hospital where Dr. Henden works at, he knew what to do and preformed my surgery. The book is brilliant because of the man it is about.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring story of a giant of medicine, July 17, 2005

By 

Mark Wallace (Mission Viejo, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Work of Human Hands (Hardcover)

It's not easy to find words adequate to do this book justice. It's primarily the biography of Dr. Hardy Hendren, recently retired chief of surgery at Children's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Hendren has performed operations that seem to be nothing short of miraculous. The book is a tribute to his indomitable spirit, and an inspiration to anyone looking for examples of what a man can accomplish when he puts his mind to it. I don't throw words such as "towering" or "genius" around lightly, but even those words seem inadequate when applied to Dr. Hendren. Read the book, and be inspired.

I agree with an earlier reviewer that the book seems to get side-tracked occasionally with descriptions of other surgeons at Children's Hospital. However, I found this a microscopic negative compared to the overall value of the book. Hence the five stars.