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Heart: A History Hardcover – September 18, 2018
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The bestselling author of Intern and Doctored tells the story of the thing that makes us tick
For centuries, the human heart seemed beyond our understanding: an inscrutable shuddering mass that was somehow the driver of emotion and the seat of the soul. As the cardiologist and bestselling author Sandeep Jauhar shows in Heart: A History, it was only recently that we demolished age-old taboos and devised the transformative procedures that have changed the way we live.
Deftly alternating between key historical episodes and his own work, Jauhar tells the colorful and little-known story of the doctors who risked their careers and the patients who risked their lives to know and heal our most vital organ. He introduces us to Daniel Hale Williams, the African American doctor who performed the world’s first open heart surgery in Gilded Age Chicago. We meet C. Walton Lillehei, who connected a patient’s circulatory system to a healthy donor’s, paving the way for the heart-lung machine. And we encounter Wilson Greatbatch, who saved millions by inventing the pacemaker―by accident. Jauhar deftly braids these tales of discovery, hubris, and sorrow with moving accounts of his family’s history of heart ailments and the patients he’s treated over many years. He also confronts the limits of medical technology, arguing that future progress will depend more on how we choose to live than on the devices we invent. Affecting, engaging, and beautifully written, Heart: A History takes the full measure of the only organ that can move itself.
- Print length288 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherFarrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication dateSeptember 18, 2018
- Dimensions6.36 x 1.01 x 9.15 inches
- ISBN-100374168652
- ISBN-13978-0374168650
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A PBS NEWSHOUR-NEW YORK TIMES BOOK CLUB PICK
A Mail on Sunday Book of the Year
A Science Friday Best Science Book of 2018
A Los Angeles Public Library Best Nonfiction Book of 2018
Shortlisted for the 2019 Wellcome Book Prize
"[Sandeep Jauhar's] gripping new book, Heart a History, had me nearly as enthralled with this pulsating body part as [Jauhar] seems to be. The tone―a physician excited about his specialty―takes a sharp turn from his first two memoirs . . . Jauhar hooks the reader of Heart from the first few pages." ―Randi Hutter Epstein, The New York Times Book Review
"At once intimate and detached. And over the ensuing pages, [Jauhar] is our trusty guide through a compelling story about what makes each and every one of us tick. Both primer and ode, Heart is a fascinating education for those of us who harbor this most hallowed organ but know little about it. " ―Katie Hafner, The Washington Post
"The cardiologist Sandeep Jauhar has become a Dante of modern medicine, with his earlier memoirs, “Intern” (2008) and “Doctored” (2014), casting the progress from training to career as a path studded with suffering, indignity and ethical hazard. His latest book, “Heart: A History,” is something of a “Paradiso,” pointing to the field’s brightest and noblest stars while recognizing just how much darkness is still left in the firmament . . . Poignant and chattily erudite." ―Laura Kolbe, The Wall Street Journal
"Beautifully written, informative, and thought-provoking . . . Jauhar is a gifted storyteller who paints portraits deftly and with few words. He is a master of the verbal miniature . . . [his] engaging prose makes us as happy to spend time with him, his patients, and his family as we are to read about William Harvey or heart transplant pioneer Christiaan Barnard." ―Suzanne Koven, The Los Angeles Review of Books
"Sandeep Jauhar, a New York cardiologist and the author of two medical memoirs, has written a book of unusual depth and richness about a subject that concerns us all . . . Heart: A History is elegantly conceived and still more elegantly executed, with a narrative that flits effortlessly between medieval Persia and contemporary America, medical scholarship and personal anecdote . . . Jauhar writes with a vital, pulsating energy." ―Thomas Morris, The Times Literary Supplement
"Cardiologist Sandeep Jauhar’s exploration of that marvellous muscle, the heart, meshes cutting-edge science, memoir and history . . . A moving narrative echoing to the beat of 'this organ, prime mover and citadel’." ―Barbara Kiser, Nature
"Jauhar’s history is full of colorful stories and fascinating facts...but it also has a lot of heart.” ―Zócalo Public Square
“Much of this intimate and assured history focuses on developments in the medical understanding and treatment of the heart . . . Jauhar convincingly argues that a paradigm shift is required in cardiovascular medicine to give psycho-social factors more prominence. ‘To treat our hearts, we must repair our societies and minds.’” ―The Sydney Morning Herald
"Part-memoir, part-history of his medical specialty, Heart links the physical organ with the emotional one. Jauhar pairs engaging descriptions of how the heart works with tales of creativity and self-experimentation that enabled treatments for infarctions, arrhythmias and myopathies." ―Kate Womersley, The Spectator
“This is both a history of surgical interventions to heal the heart, and a personal meditation on illness, family, loss, and living. [Jauhar], who has lost several family members to heart disease, takes time to examine both the work of doctors trying to fix hearts and the lives of people living with heart disease, for a book that is touching and ultimately, hopeful.” ―Los Angeles Public Library, “Best of 2018”
"Heart is a fascinating exploration into the roots of early medicine and cardiology . . . Heart traverses the past, present and future of the field in which he currently practices . . . Where the book really shines . . . is Jauhar’s weaving of a tender personal narrative . . . Heart invites us into both his personal and professional connection to cardiac disease, while also helping address mysteries that have long perplexed doctors, as well as the patients they care for." ―Amitha Kalaichandran, The Global and Mail
“A fascinating, gripping book on the history of the human heart that will bring you closer to your heart than ever before―this is truly a bold and beautiful book on cardiology.” ―Swapna Raghu Sanand, Financial Express (India)
“Readers’ jaws will drop and drop again at stories of daring researchers experimenting on themselves and pioneering surgeons leaving a trail of dead patients, many of them children, as they perfected machines, devices, and techniques that often work miracles, fixing fatally malformed hearts, correcting defects, and, when they succeed, extending lives.” ―Kirkus
“Jauhar pairs medical history with revelations of his own family’s tragic encounters with heart disease, delivering a deftly written and heartfelt (literally) contemplation of our most precious and often-misunderstood internal organ.” ―Carl Hays, Booklist
“Beautifully written, with prose that reads almost like poetry in places.” ―Susamma Joy Kurian, The Week
“A thumping tribute to the protagonists ― some legendary some unsung ― of medicine, who over the years have innovated and persevered to find cures for cardiac ailments through landmark breakthroughs in their field.” ―Business Standard
“Fascinating and moving in equal parts.” ―The Telegraph (India)
“This captivating investigation deftly communicates the beauty, mystery, and scientific wonder of the human heart.” ―Library Journal
“Jauhar’s writing blends pathos and playfulness and is suffused with an elegiac tension, haunted as it is by the specter of his own mortality . . . Jauhar invites the reader into the resonant chambers of his heart, narrating the history of an organ while also offering a stirring personal tour of his sorrows.” ―Raj Telhan, American Scholar
"Cardiologist Jauhar (Intern) moves beautifully between 'dual tracks' of 'learning about the heart... but also what was in my heart,' . . . Covering enough physiology to make scientific details easily understood, Jauhar emphasizes how brave, desperate, and sometimes foolhardy experiments led to important developments, such as the heart-lung machine . . . Jauhar is thoughtful, self-reflective, and profoundly respectful of doctors and patients alike; readers will respond by opening their own hearts a little bit, to both grief and wonder." ―Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)
“My friend Sandeep Jauhar has shown us again why he is one of our most diligent teachers. For Jauhar, Heart: A History is a personal journey. Besieged with a tragic history of heart disease, he sets out to change his preordained fate. Along the way, we learn not only the history of the heart, but what we can do to prolong our own heart health.” ―Sanjay Gupta, MD, Chief Medical Correspondent at CNN and Faculty Neurosurgeon at Emory Clinic
“Sandeep Jauhar writes with the eye of a doctor and the heart of a poet. His latest book, Heart: A History, is a superb tribute to our most vital organ.” ―Marilyn Yalom, Stanford University, author of The Amorous Heart: An Unconventional History of Love
“An engaging walk through the history of modern cardiology with an authoritative guide. Sandeep Jauhar draws on personal experience, family history, his training and clinical work, and his knowledge of his field to craft an account of the heart―what we know about it and how we came to that understanding―that is at once intimate and comprehensive.” ―Peter D. Kramer, author of Listening to Prozac and Ordinarily Well
“In Heart: A History, Sandeep Jauhar, one of the most talented physician-writers of our era, takes us on an enlightening, uplifting journey through the major milestones and advances of heart disease―while at the same time anchoring his intimate personal experiences.” ―Eric Topol, Scripps Research Institute, author of The Patient Will See You Now
“Sandeep Jauhar expertly weaves little-known tales from medical history into his own personal and professional experiences to create a richly detailed book about the human heart. Thoroughly engrossing and full of historical gems.” ―Lindsey Fitzharris, author of The Butchering Art
“Engaging . . . Jauhar brings literary flair . . . narrating the history of cardiology through stories of daring innovations, painstaking research, and chance discoveries.” ―K. Srinath Reddy, Indian Express
"This is a vital book. A charming, honest and unflinching exploration of a most fascinating organ: the heart. Cardiologist and author Sandeep Jauhar beautifully weaves medical research with philosophy, science with personal stories―of patients and doctors, including his very own. The depth of his knowledge is remarkable but the breadth of his compassion even more so." ―Elif Shafak, Chair, 2019 Wellcome Book Prize
"Jauhar weaves his own personal and family story into his history of the heart...very effectively... This gives a certain dramatic tension to the book, as it tells the fascinating and rather wonderful history of cardiology... Jauhar tells us that “the human heart became an obsession with me” and his book, about the heart, comes from the heart. It is a subject in which he is entirely expert, and is written with great eloquence." ―Henry Marsh, New Statesman
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition (September 18, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0374168652
- ISBN-13 : 978-0374168650
- Item Weight : 1.1 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.36 x 1.01 x 9.15 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #790,277 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #489 in Cardiovascular Diseases (Books)
- #489 in Cardiology (Books)
- #1,731 in Medical Professional Biographies
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Sandeep Jauhar has written several bestselling books, all published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
MY FATHER'S BRAIN, his latest book, is a memoir of his relationship with his father as he succumbed to dementia. In the book, Jauhar sets his father’s descent into Alzheimer’s alongside his own journey toward understanding his father’s disease. It was named a best book of 2023 by The New Yorker, and is a Smithsonian top ten science book of 2023.
Jauhar's first book, INTERN, was an international bestseller and was optioned by NBC for a dramatic TV series.
His second book, DOCTORED, was a NYT bestseller and was named a NY Post Best Book of 2014.
HEART: A HISTORY, his last book, was named a best book of 2018 by Science Friday, UK's The Mail on Sunday, and the Los Angeles Public Library, and was the PBS NewsHour/NYT book club pick for January 2019; it was also a finalist for the Wellcome Book Prize.
A practicing physician, Jauhar writes regularly for the opinion section of the NY Times. His TED Talk on the emotional heart was one of the ten most-watched of 2019. To learn more about his work, visit his website or follow him on Twitter.
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Customers find the book thought-provoking, enlightening, and fascinating. They describe the writing quality as well-written and readable. Readers also say the book is a pleasure to read and worth their time.
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Customers find the book thought-provoking, enlightening, and heart-touching. They say it's well-researched, contains many fascinating facts about the heart and heart disease. Readers also mention the book shines light on the human experience.
"Easy to read and informative." Read more
"...why. Dr Jauhar's prose, although sometimes fitful, keeps our attention throughout, by switching from one particular human story to the next -..." Read more
"...It is simultaneously easy to read and a deep dive into the subject...." Read more
"...This well researched book contains many fascinating facts about the heart and heart disease in a manner that is accessible to readers from a wide..." Read more
Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written, readable, and enjoyable. They say it covers a lot of territory in a readable style. Readers also mention the author's sensitivity shines through and is never confusing.
"Easy to read and informative." Read more
"...It is simultaneously easy to read and a deep dive into the subject...." Read more
"...He is a gifted physician author whose latest book will appeal not only to those interested in science and medicine, but anybody looking to gain some..." Read more
"...However, I, as a heart patient, thought it was very interesting and well written. I learned a lot from reading it." Read more
Customers find the book wonderful, fascinating, and a pleasure to read. They say it's worth their time and an outstanding account in the tradition of doctors with passion.
"This is an extraordinary book that illuminates on where and how doctors started on detecting and fixing problems with heart...." Read more
"...The story is well told, making it a pleasure to read...." Read more
"...Well done." Read more
"...training period and his brother make this book entirely readable and enjoyable...." Read more
Customers find the book provides an excellent history of the development of heart disease. They say it's a great look back at the past century and how we look at the heart.
"...He deftly combines history, biography, science, medicine, and philosophy with his own personal and professional experiences (as a cardiologist) in a..." Read more
"This book provides an excellent history of the development of heart disease and surgery in an easy to understand way." Read more
"...This book outlines just that. It was a great look back at the past century (plus some) and how we look at the heart and the electrophysiology of the..." Read more
"...A great historical account better than any I have heretofore read." Read more
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Unlocking the mystery of the heart: body and soul
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But after starting on Heart : A History I am grateful that Sandeep was more diligent in his path to understand this (after the brain) this poorly understood organ - the seat of emotion, where human civilization has sprung from.
He has brought the physicist's eye to understand the mechanisms that work and fail - the cause and effect on human health and emotional wellness.
Although the conclusions are, by now, well known - we need to eat, smoke less, exercise more and just go with the flow more in this bewildering world, we learn more on the reasons why.
Dr Jauhar's prose, although sometimes fitful, keeps our attention throughout, by switching from one particular human story to the next - putting each in context of its times and our own.
if I were to nitpick, I thought he could add more on the neat physical mechanisms that make this amazing piece of evolutionary engineering work. Leonardo da Vinci, for example, apparently was the first to realize how the aortic valve controlled blood flow one-way out of the heart - by creating vortices that closed the valve after each pump stroke - Walter Isaacson claims that scientists didnt recognize this until 500 years after the Renaissance.
He also glossed over some important observations. for instance, the well known tendency for hypertension among African Americans is also common to South Asians who face less racism and inner city turmoil, so if not a genetic explanation, could it be that these peoples had adjusted to hotter climates where sweat simply loses salt, stabilizing blood pressure at a lower level ?
Also, I wish he explained more on why the heart is considered the seat of emotion - yes, takotsubo cardiomyopathy - the weakening of the heart muscles when subject to adrenaline from stress may be part of the picture. But then why do people who exercise regularly, get regular doses of adrenaline, actually have healthier stronger hearts ?
there were also a few too many personal anecdotes in the narrative, but that still doesnt take away much from this heart felt achievement. i remember a quip about Benjamin Franklin who 'quit science to be side-tracked into administration' . well I am glad Sandeep Jauhar quit physics to be sidetracked into medicine!
As a practicing cardiologist and heart failure specialist, Dr. Jauhar is, himself, an expert, and in Heart, he pays homage to the giants who came before him, to the experts who learned their fields and took the next step… And one of the most exciting parts of reading Heart: A History is that it sets the stage for all of us to take that next step together. Dr. Jauhar takes us through the history of how we cracked the chest, fixed the plumbing, tamed electrical instability, and made enormous strides in protecting our hearts from threats like high cholesterol.
But despite being called “A History,” Sandeep Jauhar’s book is also a look into the future. He prepares us for where the field is going next: how much we still have to learn about the interactions between our metaphorical heart, our emotions, and our mechanical pump. Moreover, he takes us from his own family’s history, his own genes, and his own coronary calcifications, to the larger picture of how all of our individual hearts are influenced by the world around us, e.g. by our friends, by our families, by our communities, and by our socioeconomic status.
Dr. Jauhar is a gifted writer. I recommend you read his Heart: A History, and that you give it as a gift this Holiday season to someone whose heart you care about.
Top reviews from other countries
A great read for medical and non medical folks alike.
Reviewed in Australia on November 22, 2021