Bill Schutt

I’d read a few of the stories contained in here in other books (most memorably the one of the doctor who touches his own heart,) but they were all still worth hearing again and to have so many all centered on the heart in one place was great. Plus, while I was reading it, the genetically modified pig heart finally did get used in a human body and worked… making me feel like I was all up to date on the cutting edge.. everything was easy to understand without any noticeable condescension or extreme dumbing down. Really enjoyed it… (meer)

a really entertaining overview of cannibalism in nature, including human cannibalism and some things, like eating the placenta, which might not quite be cannibalism, but skirt the issue. Entertainigly presented, with a minimum amount of gore , considering the subject matter and occasional glimpses of humor. my only beef was that human ( or genus Homo anyway) cannibalism was dealt with in about 13 of 19 chapters. I'd have preferred more on the rest of the animal kingdom, though I admit the cultural , religious and even artistic ( placent print , anyone) aspects were very interesting.… (meer)

Engaging and entertaining without being gratuitous or sensational. The first bit focuses on species other than our own that cannibalize each other, while the second part focuses on cannibalism in all its iterations in our own species. So much of what you might have heard growing up of tribes in remote places eating people could be wrong. Not necessarily, but we have a long history of accusing the "other" of partaking in a practice so vial that any abhorrent treatment of them could be justified (looking at you Columbus). I enjoyed the chapter on religious practices, and was horrified to hear how the Catholic church was complicit in yet another atrocity, this time against the Jews in regards to the treatment of the Eucharist.
Such a fascinating natural history, definitely recommend, just not while you eat...… (meer)

I have never forgotten my high school biology teacher Mr. Gasiorowski. His enthusiasm for his subject was evident. When he explained how cells divide, his eyes lit up and he was animated and excited. He told unforgettable stories about encountering the animals we studied. He made learning fun.

I found that kind of excitement in Bill Schutt, and the stories he shares in Pump are entertaining while they educate. Schutt takes us into the hearts of living things, from those living fossils the horseshoe crab to pythons, explaining the mechanics of how hearts work. We learn about broken heart syndrome, how a tropical amoeba may have damaged Charles Darwin’s heart, leading to his death, and a condensed history of medicine and the evolving understanding of the human heart.

In 288 pages, it was a quick read, with illustrations to facilitate understanding.

The future of medicine could involve some very interesting options, such as using vegetable cellulose as a scaffolding for regenerating organs.

It was a fun read. I can imagine Dr. G recommending it to our biology class, as he did other books, and I would have enjoyed it as much then as I did today.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Now available in paperback.… (meer)