Fragile Lives: A Heart Surgeon’s Stories of Life and Death on the Operating Table
As seen:
By Stephen Westaby, and and, Gordon Griffin
avg rating
1 review
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY PRIZE
THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.2 BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE BMA PRESIDENT’S AWARD 2017 An incredible memoir from one of the world’s most eminent heart surgeons, recalling some of the most remarkable and poignant cases he’s worked on. Grim Reaper sits on the heart surgeon’s shoulder. A slip of the hand and life ebbs away. The balance between life and death is so delicate, and the heart surgeon walks that rope between the two. In the operating room there is no time for doubt. It is flesh, blood, rib-retractors and pumping the vital organ with your bare hand to squeeze the life back into it. An off-day can have dire consequences – this job has a steep learning curve, and the cost is measured in human life. Cardiac surgery is not for the faint of heart. Professor Stephen Westaby took chances and pushed the boundaries of heart surgery. He saved hundreds of lives over the course of a thirty-five year career and now, in his astounding memoir, Westaby details some of his most remarkable and poignant cases – such as the baby who had suffered multiple heart attacks by six months old, a woman who lived the nightmare of locked-in syndrome, and a man whose life was powered by a battery for eight years. A powerful, important and incredibly moving book, Fragile Lives offers an exceptional insight into the exhilarating and sometimes tragic world of heart surgery, and how it feels to hold someone’s life in your hands. TweetReviews
Macclesfield Library Reading Group
The Macclesfield Library group read ‘Fragile Lives’ by Stephen Westaby for our April meeting which you very kindly provided by Harper Collins through the Reading Agency website. On unveiling the book at our April meeting a number of members were unsure and felt uneasy about the subject – at our meeting last night (4th May 2017) to discuss the book – everyone loved it! All 10 members said they thoroughly enjoyed the book and found it absolutely fascinating. Below are some of the group’s thoughts:
‘step into the boots of a heart surgeon- discover his humble beginnings and his pioneering developments. Extremely readable and absolutely fascinating’
‘surprisingly engaging’
‘fascinating and an easy read’
‘ Working class boy made good’
‘ Heart surgeon at the ‘cutting edge’
‘was willing each patient on whilst reading the book, wanting to see everyone survive but life
isn’t Hollywood’
‘fascinating to be a fly on the wall observing the life of a charismatic English heart surgeon- a great book and very readable’
‘an amazing insight into the world of heart surgery’
‘a wonderful insight into a fascinating man’
‘a well written, graphic and honest account of the life of surgeons. An easy read but an interesting one- I enjoyed the technical jargon’
We usually read fiction and reading this will definitely make us choose more non-fiction.
