Customer Reviews

Hearts; of surgeons and transplants, miracles and disasters along the cardiac frontier

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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I deducted one star for the main theme of the book being difficult to find - that being the feud between Drs. DeBakey and Cooley.

Otherwise, it is a very interesting tale of the early days of open-heart and transplant surgery. The procedure itself was almost abandoned after its disaster-ridden debut in the late 1960s, but the high death rate was probably because, like with any new medical procedure, the practitioners really didn't know what they were doing. Unlike most other medical breakthroughs, these doctors were in the world spotlight, as were many of their patients.

My brother and his wife once lived in Houston, and I described some things in the book to them. They said not much has changed in all these years.

Both physicians are still living and practicing, Cooley in his 80s and DeBakey in his 90s although neither do surgery any more.

I first read this book in about 1980. I reread it maybe every 3-5 years. I have loved Thomas Thompson's writing, ever since I read the interview he did with Lee Harvey Oswald's wife, for Life Magazine, the night of the assassination.
"Hearts" is interesting, sad at times, but really brings the heart transplant era alive for medical and non-medical readers alike. I would highly recommend it. It pulls you in immediately and follows several patients through entire pre-surgery, surgery, and many months of post-op.

Living near houston and spending a good bit of time at the centers discussed in this text I find that I am able to step back a bit and take a look at what is right in front of my face. If you are preparing for a transplant it is a good idea to absorb this book and learn as much as you can, there is so much to know, and still do. This really touches close to home for me.