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Thomas Thompson
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Hearts: Of Surgeons and Transplants, Miracles and Disasters Along the Cardiac Frontier Kindle Edition

by Thomas Thompson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 222 ratings
Pioneer heart surgeons and bitter rivals: The “thoroughly engrossing” true story of doctors Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley (The New York Times Book Review).

By 1970, the Texas Medical Center in Houston was the leading heart institute in the world, home to the field’s two most distinguished surgeons: Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey and his young and ambitious disciple, Dr. Denton Arthur Cooley. Their combined mastery in occlusive disease, coronary artery bypass surgery, angioplasty, and heart transplants was unparalleled. For years they worked across the same operating table focused on, and fighting toward, the same lifesaving goals.
 
But what began as a personal friendship and a mutually respectful professional partnership soon deteriorated into a jealous and embittered feud. Though their discord was a cause célèbre among colleagues, it would take award-winning investigative journalist Thomas Thompson to uncover the stunning betrayals and simmering resentments that fueled one of the most famous rivalries in the history of medicine.
 
Weaving the story of DeBakey and Cooley with the stories of patients suffering life-threatening medical conditions, Thompson paints a fascinating portrait of the risks and rewards of cutting-edge science. From devastating tragedies to miraculous breakthroughs, Hearts is a richly detailed and utterly “compelling” account of the turmoil and tension behind one of the greatest medical achievements of the twentieth century (Time).
 
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  1. Print length
    360 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Open Road Media
  4. Publication date
    December 13, 2016
  5. File size
    4.9 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Compelling.” —Time
 
“A thoroughly engrossing, utterly believable, and, in its effect, sickening account of heart surgery as it is practiced in Texas, where everything from the Astrodome to the Manned Spacecraft Center is a wretched excess . . . [Thompson] has a remarkable feeling for unflattering detail and devastating quotations.” —TheNew York Times Book Review
 
“Compelling . . . A careful piece of reporting that takes the reader into the lives of its characters, and into the operating rooms where those lives are hung in the balance . . . Thompson has conveyed his impressions dramatically, and they make for lively reading.” —The New York Times
 
Praise for Thomas Thompson
“Thompson is a dogged reporter and a tireless detective and, most of all, a keen observer of human nature.” —Houston Chronicle
 
“A writer of tremendous power and achievement.” —Detroit Free Press
 “A master journalist.” —Los Angeles Herald Examiner

About the Author

Thomas Thompson (1933–1982) was a bestselling author and one of the finest investigative journalists of his era. Born in Forth Worth, Texas, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and began his career at the Houston Press. He joined Life as an editor and staff writer in 1961 and covered many major news stories for the magazine, including the assassination of John F. Kennedy. As Paris bureau chief, Thompson reported on the Six-Day War and was held captive by the Egyptian government along with other Western journalists. His first two books—Hearts (1971), about the rivalry between two famous Houston cardiovascular surgeons, and Richie (1973), the account of a Long Island father who killed his drug-addicted son—established Thompson’s reputation as an originator, along with Truman Capote, of the “nonfiction novel.” In 1976, Thompson published Blood and Money, an investigation into the deaths of Texas socialite Joan Robinson Hill and her husband, John Hill. It sold four million copies in fourteen languages and won the Edgar Award and the Texas Institute of Letters prize for best nonfiction book. To research Serpentine (1979), an account of convicted international serial killer Charles Sobhraj, Thompson flew around the world three times and spent two years in Asia. His other books include Lost! (1975), a true story of shipwreck and survival, and the novel Celebrity (1982), a six-month national bestseller. Among numerous other honors, Thompson received the National Headliner Award for investigative reporting and the Sigma Delta Chi medallion for distinguished magazine writing.
 

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N2T9U5X
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Open Road Media (December 13, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 13, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 360 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 222 ratings

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Thomas Thompson

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
222 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the book's historical account of heart surgery, with one review noting how it spans the era of major cardiac surgical innovations. Moreover, the writing quality receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting the author's rare access to the subject matter. Additionally, customers appreciate the character study, with one review specifically mentioning the portrayal of human passions.

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8 customers mention "History"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical content of the book, with one review noting how it spans the era of major cardiac surgical innovations.

"...The book spans the era of major cardiac surgical innovations and technologies as well as the different personalities that played key roles in..." Read more

"...Very informative and excitingly told history. The only drawback is the author’s not knowing when it’s time to sew things up...." Read more

"The author has written an excellent book about the great heart surgeons of Houston...." Read more

"Great historical accounting of heart surgery at the Texas Medical Center and all the challenging work done there and its vicinity." Read more

4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one noting it is well told by someone with rare access.

"...Very well written and a fast read. Good!" Read more

"...Well told by someone with rare access. An epilogue summarizing progress since the end of that initial transplant era would be a good addition." Read more

"...I was relieved to find another in the same condition. A good and readable history of an amazing era in medical history." Read more

"Like all Thompson's books, this is another page-turner. A wonderfully written tome to the early days of Drs. DeBakey & Cooley." Read more

3 customers mention "Character study"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character study in the book, with one mentioning the tremendous egos and another highlighting the portrayal of human passions.

"...The tremendous egos, sensibilities, weaknesses, foibles, and pettiness is mixed with truly noble and human passions." Read more

"This is a terrific character study of two of the groundbreaking heart surgeons in medicine...." Read more

"Fascinating insight into two unique characters during a critical time in medical history. Well told by someone with rare access...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • richard caso
    5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book that would make an excellent read for aspiring ...
    Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent book that would make an excellent read for aspiring physicians, especially surgeons. The book spans the era of major cardiac surgical innovations and technologies as well as the different personalities that played key roles in blazing a trail for further development and refinement in coronary bypass surgery and in heart transplantation. The tremendous egos, sensibilities, weaknesses, foibles, and pettiness is mixed with truly noble and human passions.
    One person found this helpful
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  • J. Rodeck
    4.0 out of 5 stars *Hearts* is *The Right Stuff* of the medical frontier.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    *Hearts* is *The Right Stuff* of the medical frontier. The focus is on open heart surgery in the early days of coronary bypass and transplants in Texas. Very informative and excitingly told history. The only drawback is the author’s not knowing when it’s time to sew things up.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    “We all try to avoid cholesterol, but what the lay public doesn’t realize is that two-thirds to three-fourths of it is manufactured within the body and not brought by diet. The pure form of this is definitely inherited.“
    One person found this helpful
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  • Robert
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hearts
    Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Great for people who have had open heart surgery or cardiac surgeons. Very well written and a fast read. Good!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Medical Story
    Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    The author has written an excellent book about the great heart surgeons of Houston. Anyone who has ever had any dealings with doctors would enjoy reading this book. Consider
    One person found this helpful
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  • Too many books, never enuf time!
    3.0 out of 5 stars AS DESCRIBED
    Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    The book was as described, but I was just surprised it was dropped into an envelope and just mailed,
    there was no protection. Is this the new way they are doing it now????
    One person found this helpful
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  • Guy Choate
    5.0 out of 5 stars This is a terrific character study of two of the groundbreaking heart surgeons ...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is a terrific character study of two of the groundbreaking heart surgeons in medicine. This is somewhat dated but the character studies are amazing.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Douglas C. Smith
    4.0 out of 5 stars A rare insight into the world of high stakes medicine
    Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Fascinating insight into two unique characters during a critical time in medical history. Well told by someone with rare access. An epilogue summarizing progress since the end of that initial transplant era would be a good addition.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • bob kucer
    5.0 out of 5 stars They just couldn't all get along!
    Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Great historical accounting of heart surgery at the Texas Medical Center and all the challenging work done there and its vicinity.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lydia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in Canada on July 9, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    This very informative book is about the early days of cardiovascular surgeries and some of the "heroes" of those times - doctors, nurses and patients. Highly recommended.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A must read especially for trainees in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It gives excellent detail of the evolution of Heart Transplant. Would have been nicer if the book had then progressed into modern era. Highly recommended.
    Report

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