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Blood: An Epic History of Medicine and Commerce Paperback – March 7, 2000

by Douglas Starr (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 87 ratings
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Powerfully involving narrative and incisive detail, clarity and inherent drama: Blood offers in abundance the qualities that define the best popular science writing. Here is the sweeping story of a substance that has been feared, revered, mythologized, and used in magic and medicine from earliest times--a substance that has become the center of a huge, secretive, and often dangerous worldwide commerce.

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Blood was described by judges as "a gripping page-turner, a significant contribution to the history of medicine and technology and a cautionary tale. Meticulously reported and exhaustively documented."

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  1. Print length
    496 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Harper Perennial
  4. Publication date
    March 7, 2000
  5. Dimensions
    6.12 x 1.24 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780688176495
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0688176495
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize"A gripping page-turner, a significant contribution to the history of medicine and technology and a cautionary tale."--Los Angeles Times Book Prize judges' citation"[A] cast-of-thousands continent-spanning saga, complete with heroic physicians and dastardly entrepreneurs. . . . Starr's history . . . inspires a more profound appreciation for a substance we sometimes take for granted."--"Houston Chronicle"Riveting. . . . A fascinating history. . . . A rich story admirably told."--Richard Bernstein, "New York Times"This rewarding book, filled with sharp science, has everything from a brief survey of bloodletting to an account of the massive mobilization of donated blood for the Allied invasion of Normandy. But its real subject is the postwar rise of the ?blood-services complex, ' which controls the global market for blood products."--"The New Yorker"Reads like a thriller. Starr is a wonderful storyteller as well as a sober historian."--"Dallas Morning News""Blood is a story of human frailty and courage, a book from which any reader could learn."--"New England Journal of Medicine"Starr's lively history . . . courses with greed, altruism, and woozily vivid detail."--"Entertainment Weekly (?A? rating)"Meticulously researched, elegantly told."--"Newsday"Starr writes like a wildly enthusiastic high school biology teacher who arrives each day bristling with excitement, leaping about before the chalkboard, cracking jokes, and zealously banging his fist on his desk. Even the most indifferent brats pay attention, and so too will readers. . . . Starr has created what amounts to a history of the human race perceived through the filter of blood as medicalproduct."--"Village Voice Literary Supplement""Blood should be included in all first- and second-year medical curricula."--"Scientific American"Thoroughly researched and often shocking."--"Washington Post Book World

About the Author

Douglas Starr is an Associate Professor of Journalism and Codirector of the Graduate program in Science Journalism at Boston University. A former newspaper reporter and field biologist, he has written on the environment, medicine, and science for a variety of publications including Smithsonian, Audubon, and Sports Illustrated. Starr lives near Boston with his wife and two sons.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0688176496
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harper Perennial; 1st edition (March 7, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 496 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780688176495
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0688176495
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.29 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.12 x 1.24 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 87 ratings

About the author

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Douglas Starr

Douglas Starr

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Douglas Starr is a veteran journalist and Emeritus Professor of Science Journalism at Boston University. His book, The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science (Knopf, 2010), tells the story of the 19th-century pioneers of forensic science and the notorious serial killer they caught and convicted with scientific techniques. The book won the Gold Dagger award in the UK, was a finalist for the Edgar Allen Poe award in the US, and appeared on the New York Times Book Review’s “Editor’s Choice” list and the True Crime bestseller lists of the Wall Street Journal and Library Journal. His previous book, BLOOD: An Epic History of Medicine and Commerce (Knopf, 1998), tells the four-century saga of how human blood became a commodity. The book was published in seven languages, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and was named to the “Best Books of the Year” lists of Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal. A PBS series based on the book, Red Gold, aired on more than 300 PBS stations. Professor Starr’s writings about science, the history of science and science in public policy have appeared in many venues, including The New Yorker, WIRED, SLATE, the New Republic, Discover, Science, Smithsonian, Public Television, National Public Radio, the Los Angeles Times, and the Boston Sunday Globe Magazine.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
87 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars As someone that has worked in the blood resource industry ...
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2017
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As someone that has worked in the blood resource industry (in both non-profit community blood banking and for-profit source plasma collection companies) since the mid 90's, I find this book to be extremely valuable. I have been sharing copies with people new to the industry, particularly those managing new facilities, since 2001. I've reread this book at least once a year and glean new information each time through. It's a very powerful piece and reaffirms the need for a quality mindset in day to day aspects of operations.
One person found this helpful
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Shannen
4.0 out of 5 stars All About Transfusions - not blood in general
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2018
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This book was very informative and interesting but it seemed focused primarily on transfusions. While that is fascinating and it provides a nice overview of the development of this process, I wanted more. I was really invested in the early chapters where they talked about managing the physical aspects of transfusions (from better equipment to blood typing and the chemistry to store blood and keep it from clotting) and started to lose interest in the middle when it went on and on about plasma products. It picked up again at the end a bit more (and all that plasma product talk became more relevant) when it went into the spread of hepatitis and AIDS.
What I would have liked to see was more about blood itself and not just its byproducts and use in transfusions, but information about how it became so widely used to test so many things in the body and when they started using these tests, how that fit in with the overall history we were being given. We're given a little info on testing related to AIDS and hepatitis but not to other diseases that can be determined by a blood test or other levels of things in the blood that can tell us about our health. Likewise we are told about the evolution of transfusion equipment but not about basic phlebotomy practices (switching from syringes to the evacuated tube system for example). I'd also like to read about the use of blood in forensics; how viable the samples they get are and how much they can learn from them. But the book focuses singularly on transfusions and blood products as if this is all we've ever done with blood, without even a passing mention to other branches of development.
4 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful story of the best and the worst of humanity
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2001
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The author takes an incredible journey through the history of blood. You will be amazed at how key experiments throughout the years have forever changed out feelings towards the tissue we call blood. You will root "for the good guys" as they pioneer medical research! But then you will cry when you see what modern business do once they got a hold of blood as a "product." You will see how greed,jealosy, and denial killed thousands and ruined the lives of many others. All because companies and some doctors would not listen to reason. Truly heartbreaking indeed.
The author composes a beautiful symphony of history which is very easy to read and very difficult to put down. This book has certainly changed the way I think about business and medicine.
4 people found this helpful
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Richard R. Potter
5.0 out of 5 stars Really great overview of the blood "industry."
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2012
Verified Purchase
The reporter does a great job of giving us a history of blood transfusions from the earliest days to the present. The components of blood can be used for so many different products and who knew they the U.S. supplies the world with Plasma.
All about the emotional and political implications of blood donation.
One person found this helpful
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zizo313
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2015
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A nice book to read but can be shorter and smaller and more to the point
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moltomezzo
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2015
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An in depth look at the history of blood and blood product transfusion, I find "Blood" to be fascinating. Having worked in health care I have some knowledge, but this is a whole new perspective. Great read.
One person found this helpful
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Nathan J. Churchill
4.0 out of 5 stars njchurchill
Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2009
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Lots of words on the subject of blood. Pretty good. Never finished it, too long.
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Allons-y
5.0 out of 5 stars Glad I read it
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2015
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Absolutely fabulous book. As an immunohematology student, I loved reading this. Very interesting.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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PAC
5.0 out of 5 stars un régal
Reviewed in France on April 19, 2017
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un journaliste qui livre un travail d'investigation minutieuse et documentée à la manière des Hommes du Président. Un sujet très (trop !) rarement abordé que celui du lobby du sang. Je recommande vivement (dommage qu'il n'existe pas de version en français)
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Pabloker
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
Reviewed in Spain on October 21, 2016
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El autor escribe de una manera atrapante la historia del uso de la sangre en la medicina. Ofrece un trasfondo sólido para conocer cómo se ha utilizado a través del tiempo este fluido tan valioso. Lo recomiendo.
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Daniel Kolasinski
5.0 out of 5 stars Bloody Marvellous
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2013
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An entertaining account of blood from a cultural and medical perspective that's studded with individual stories and historical context. I found it extremely interesting, learning a great deal about the challenges faced by the medical profession when developing blood transfusion into a reliable, lifesaving process and beyond. The scope of this book is enormous but I particularly enjoyed the insight into how medicine moved from quackery to a scientific discipline.

The book is not that easy to get hold of in the UK - I had to buy 2nd hand, however, I am glad I did and would happily recommend this excellent book to others.

It is very readable and littered with facts that will make you more interesting to people with an interest in blood-facts.
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tracy
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly written book - it really is an epic story ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2016
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Brilliantly written book - it really is an epic story from right at the beginning from Harvey and blood circulation to HIV blood transfusion scandals of modern day. Would look for more by this author.
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Su Gorman
5.0 out of 5 stars Delighted to find a copy
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 15, 2014
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Fair price condition accurately described. Delighted to find a copy.
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