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The Anatomist: A True Story of Gray's Anatomy
The classic medical text known as Gray’s Anatomy is one of the most famous books ever written. Now, on the 150th anniversary of its publication, acclaimed science writer and master of narrative nonfiction Bill Hayes has written the fascinating, never-before-told true story of how this seminal volume came to be. A blend of history, science, culture, and Hayes’s own personal experiences, The Anatomist is this author’s most accomplished and affecting work to date.
With passion and wit, Hayes explores the significance of Gray’s Anatomy and explains why it came to symbolize a turning point in medical history. But he does much, much more. Uncovering a treasure trove of forgotten letters and diaries, he illuminates the astonishing relationship between the fiercely gifted young anatomist Henry Gray and his younger collaborator H. V. Carter, whose exquisite anatomical illustrations are masterpieces of art and close observation. Tracing the triumphs and tragedies of these two extraordinary men, Hayes brings an equally extraordinary era–the mid 1800s–unforgettably to life.
But the journey Hayes takes us on is not only outward but inward–through the blood and tissue and organs of the human body–for The Anatomist chronicles Hayes’s year as a student of classical gross anatomy, performing with his own hands the dissections and examinations detailed by Henry Gray 150 years ago. As Hayes’s acquaintance with death deepens, he finds his understanding and appreciation of life deepening in unexpected and profoundly moving ways. The Anatomist is more than just the story of a book. It is the story of the human body, a story whose beginning and end we all know and share but that, like all great stories, is infinitely rich in between.
With passion and wit, Hayes explores the significance of Gray’s Anatomy and explains why it came to symbolize a turning point in medical history. But he does much, much more. Uncovering a treasure trove of forgotten letters and diaries, he illuminates the astonishing relationship between the fiercely gifted young anatomist Henry Gray and his younger collaborator H. V. Carter, whose exquisite anatomical illustrations are masterpieces of art and close observation. Tracing the triumphs and tragedies of these two extraordinary men, Hayes brings an equally extraordinary era–the mid 1800s–unforgettably to life.
But the journey Hayes takes us on is not only outward but inward–through the blood and tissue and organs of the human body–for The Anatomist chronicles Hayes’s year as a student of classical gross anatomy, performing with his own hands the dissections and examinations detailed by Henry Gray 150 years ago. As Hayes’s acquaintance with death deepens, he finds his understanding and appreciation of life deepening in unexpected and profoundly moving ways. The Anatomist is more than just the story of a book. It is the story of the human body, a story whose beginning and end we all know and share but that, like all great stories, is infinitely rich in between.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
45 people are currently reading
1361 people want to read
About the author
Bill Hayes
31 books431 followersThe recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in nonfiction, Bill Hayes is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and the author of several books.
A photographer as well as a writer, his photos have appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Granta, New York Times, and on CBS Evening News. His portraits of his partner, the late Oliver Sacks, appear in the recent collection of Dr. Sacks’s suite of final essays Gratitude.
Hayes has been a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome, the recipient of a Leon Levy Foundation grant, and a Resident Writer at Blue Mountain Center. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Stanford, NYU, UCSF, University of Virginia, and the New York Academy of Medicine.
A photographer as well as a writer, his photos have appeared in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Granta, New York Times, and on CBS Evening News. His portraits of his partner, the late Oliver Sacks, appear in the recent collection of Dr. Sacks’s suite of final essays Gratitude.
Hayes has been a Visiting Scholar at the American Academy in Rome, the recipient of a Leon Levy Foundation grant, and a Resident Writer at Blue Mountain Center. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Stanford, NYU, UCSF, University of Virginia, and the New York Academy of Medicine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
October 10, 2021
“For my part, I take my stand in human anatomy.” (3.5 stars)
This is a book that annoyed me occasionally while I was reading it, and yet I enjoyed it. Had it been a longer book my opinion might be different, but for what it is, the length is just about right. In THE ANATOMIST, author Bill Hayes examines the lives (what little is known) of Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter, the author and illustrator of the famous anatomy book, GRAY’s ANATOMY.
It is an interesting read, and Mr. Hayes seems to have done his homework to prepare to write this text. But, too often for my tastes THE ANATOMIST is too much about Bill Hayes. He slips himself center stage at the most awkward moments. It is almost as if he cannot help himself. Hayes’ healthy ego is a distraction, especially in chapter 11 of this text.
The greatest strength and weakness of this book come from the same place.
The source for much of the material and research for this book are the diaries and letters of Henry Vandyke Carter. Mr. Hayes does a very nice job of analyzing the nature of diary writing, and often makes good observations about such personal writing that are excellent to ponder, even outside the realm of the subject of this book. Consider what Hayes says about when diaries stop being produced. “A diary does not come to a neat, tidy ending. The diarist just doesn’t show up one day.” Anyone who has kept a journal or diary knows the truth of that statement.
On the flip side, too often Hayes will assume what an entry by Carter really means. He seems to base this on his personal opinion/desires as opposed to what the circumstances at that time might suggest. I realize conjecture is hard to avoid in a work like this, but even when I agreed with Hayes’ assumptions it annoyed me. It just seemed unfair to his subjects, and it happens a little too often in this text.
An especially lovely section is when Hayes makes a enchanting and sentimental corollary between connective tissue on our bodies, and what ‘connection’ means in our everyday lives. It is a delightful observation that occurs on page 173 in the hardcover edition of this book.
Another device that works well is the division of text between the lives of the authors of the famous anatomy book, and Mr. Hayes learning about anatomy and doing lots of dissection with cadavers at UCSF.
Here are some lines that jumped out at me:
• “Knowledge is endless, and the most experienced person will find that he still has much to learn.”
• “There is no better gauge of a friendship, I believe, than the ability to do nothing together…”
• “I think that one of the strangest things about losing a longtime partner: the very person you most want to talk to about your loss is the person who is gone.”
THE ANATOMIST ends very well. I think the last paragraph is almost a darn perfect manner in which to end this text. I don’t think this book is anything brilliant, but I unexpectedly enjoyed this read.
This is a book that annoyed me occasionally while I was reading it, and yet I enjoyed it. Had it been a longer book my opinion might be different, but for what it is, the length is just about right. In THE ANATOMIST, author Bill Hayes examines the lives (what little is known) of Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter, the author and illustrator of the famous anatomy book, GRAY’s ANATOMY.
It is an interesting read, and Mr. Hayes seems to have done his homework to prepare to write this text. But, too often for my tastes THE ANATOMIST is too much about Bill Hayes. He slips himself center stage at the most awkward moments. It is almost as if he cannot help himself. Hayes’ healthy ego is a distraction, especially in chapter 11 of this text.
The greatest strength and weakness of this book come from the same place.
The source for much of the material and research for this book are the diaries and letters of Henry Vandyke Carter. Mr. Hayes does a very nice job of analyzing the nature of diary writing, and often makes good observations about such personal writing that are excellent to ponder, even outside the realm of the subject of this book. Consider what Hayes says about when diaries stop being produced. “A diary does not come to a neat, tidy ending. The diarist just doesn’t show up one day.” Anyone who has kept a journal or diary knows the truth of that statement.
On the flip side, too often Hayes will assume what an entry by Carter really means. He seems to base this on his personal opinion/desires as opposed to what the circumstances at that time might suggest. I realize conjecture is hard to avoid in a work like this, but even when I agreed with Hayes’ assumptions it annoyed me. It just seemed unfair to his subjects, and it happens a little too often in this text.
An especially lovely section is when Hayes makes a enchanting and sentimental corollary between connective tissue on our bodies, and what ‘connection’ means in our everyday lives. It is a delightful observation that occurs on page 173 in the hardcover edition of this book.
Another device that works well is the division of text between the lives of the authors of the famous anatomy book, and Mr. Hayes learning about anatomy and doing lots of dissection with cadavers at UCSF.
Here are some lines that jumped out at me:
• “Knowledge is endless, and the most experienced person will find that he still has much to learn.”
• “There is no better gauge of a friendship, I believe, than the ability to do nothing together…”
• “I think that one of the strangest things about losing a longtime partner: the very person you most want to talk to about your loss is the person who is gone.”
THE ANATOMIST ends very well. I think the last paragraph is almost a darn perfect manner in which to end this text. I don’t think this book is anything brilliant, but I unexpectedly enjoyed this read.
February 19, 2018
There's very little information about the Dr. Gray of Gray's Anatomy that survives, which is problematic for a biographer. There's more about Gray's illustrator, Dr. Carter, but not *that* much more. And so, to fill the pages, we get author Bill Hayes' personal life and his investigations into Gray and Carter.
Sometimes this was a good thing. Even better than good: the parts where Hayes takes and re-takes anatomy with students of different medical professions were great. I've been able to spend a limited amount of time in a cadaver lab (fortunately, not as a demonstration specimen), and appreciated Hayes' detailed view of the goings-on. But, all in all, I wasn't nearly as interested in Hayes' adventures, neuroses, and feelings as he is.
Sometimes this was a good thing. Even better than good: the parts where Hayes takes and re-takes anatomy with students of different medical professions were great. I've been able to spend a limited amount of time in a cadaver lab (fortunately, not as a demonstration specimen), and appreciated Hayes' detailed view of the goings-on. But, all in all, I wasn't nearly as interested in Hayes' adventures, neuroses, and feelings as he is.
March 7, 2013
As a former kinesiology student, I was excited for this book. One of my professors swore by Gray’s, and I seem to remember a few evenings spent in the library poring over the detailed diagrams, quizzing myself on veins and arteries. Okay, maybe I wasn’t in the library. And I probably failed my own quizzes. I wasn’t the best student. Regardless, Gray’s is such a standard text for anatomy and physiology students that I was intrigued by the possibility of an interesting story behind the book. I’ve always enjoyed creation/behind-the-scenes stories (other people do, too: this article made the rounds on the internet back in January), and I really dig medical history. I mean, I have The Chirurgeon’s Apprentice bookmarked on both my home and work computers, so this book was right up my alley.
The first surprise was that there isn’t much known about Henry Gray beyond the dates of major milestones (birth, graduation, etc.). You’d think that wouldn’t make for much of a book, but Hayes found a way, by focusing on Gray’s illustrator, H.V. Carter. As it turns out, Carter was a regular (if brief) diarist, and Hayes uses the diaries as well as other reference materials to piece together not just Carter’s story, but the story of Gray’s. Unfortunately, Carter’s entries are often extremely brief, and Hayes seems to read a fair amount between the lines. I like a little speculation as much as the next person, but the contrast between the entries Hayes quotes and the material he pulls from each word made me slightly uncomfortable. It is likely that there were large parts of the journals that Hayes relied on and didn’t quote, but in a biography I prefer details to be clearly referenced, or at least supported by something that can be quoted directly and extensively, if at all possible. I’m all about the block quotes.
The Anatomist would have been a solid 3/5 book, except that Hayes worked his way through Gray’s by observing and participating in anatomy courses. After watching television shows where dead bodies are a dime a dozen and hearing the now-ubiquitous references to med students literally lending a hand to friends, it was nice to read about their reactions to their cadavers. Coupled with the lack of material Hayes had on Gray and the inference he had to do with regards to Carter, the sections of the book focusing on the anatomy classes felt a bit like padding. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hayes’ reactions to exploring the human body, to seeing Carter’s drawings in flesh and bone, but it felt a bit as if Hayes had committed to the book, but needed to find more material. It was good material, but felt like an odd fit.
Overall, The Anatomist was a solid read, and if you have an interest in anatomy or medical history it is worth a look.
More reviews at Books Fizz.
The first surprise was that there isn’t much known about Henry Gray beyond the dates of major milestones (birth, graduation, etc.). You’d think that wouldn’t make for much of a book, but Hayes found a way, by focusing on Gray’s illustrator, H.V. Carter. As it turns out, Carter was a regular (if brief) diarist, and Hayes uses the diaries as well as other reference materials to piece together not just Carter’s story, but the story of Gray’s. Unfortunately, Carter’s entries are often extremely brief, and Hayes seems to read a fair amount between the lines. I like a little speculation as much as the next person, but the contrast between the entries Hayes quotes and the material he pulls from each word made me slightly uncomfortable. It is likely that there were large parts of the journals that Hayes relied on and didn’t quote, but in a biography I prefer details to be clearly referenced, or at least supported by something that can be quoted directly and extensively, if at all possible. I’m all about the block quotes.
The Anatomist would have been a solid 3/5 book, except that Hayes worked his way through Gray’s by observing and participating in anatomy courses. After watching television shows where dead bodies are a dime a dozen and hearing the now-ubiquitous references to med students literally lending a hand to friends, it was nice to read about their reactions to their cadavers. Coupled with the lack of material Hayes had on Gray and the inference he had to do with regards to Carter, the sections of the book focusing on the anatomy classes felt a bit like padding. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hayes’ reactions to exploring the human body, to seeing Carter’s drawings in flesh and bone, but it felt a bit as if Hayes had committed to the book, but needed to find more material. It was good material, but felt like an odd fit.
Overall, The Anatomist was a solid read, and if you have an interest in anatomy or medical history it is worth a look.
More reviews at Books Fizz.
January 22, 2012
“The Anatomist” is an unusual combination of biography, history, memoir and anatomy. Hayes wonders one day who the Grey of “Grey’s Anatomy” was and how he came to write the volume that has been a standard text for over a century. He finds little about Grey- none of his personal papers or effects survives- but he does find that Grey had a partner- the illustrator of the book.
I’d always assumed that Grey had illustrated his book- frankly, I’d never given it a thought. His illustrator turns out to have been another physician, Henry V. Carter. Carter, son of an artist, was trained in drawing before he turned to doctoring. Carter and Grey shared a passion for dissection and anatomy, and were good friends before it ever occurred to Grey to create a new text. A dedicated diarist, Carter has left us a good record of his time with Grey and his anatomy classes, allowing Hayes to fill in a lot of the blanks as to the creation of the text.
In between his discoveries about Carter and Grey, Hayes tells us about the anatomy classes he took. He is allowed to participate in three anatomy classes for medical students and physical therapists in training, including doing dissection. This allows him to get some idea of what Grey and Carter went through to get their educations- although the carefully preserved cadavers of today are a far cry from the putrescent ones that anatomy students had to deal with in Victorian times. Hayes comes away with a new appreciation for the human body and how it all works.
Hayes made no stunning new discoveries, but the path his detective work took him on was interesting. It’s not a great book, but it’s a good one. I actually found myself more interested in the author’s work in the anatomy lab than in the story he’d started out to tell; he is able to give detailed descriptions of the process of dissection without being gross.
I’d always assumed that Grey had illustrated his book- frankly, I’d never given it a thought. His illustrator turns out to have been another physician, Henry V. Carter. Carter, son of an artist, was trained in drawing before he turned to doctoring. Carter and Grey shared a passion for dissection and anatomy, and were good friends before it ever occurred to Grey to create a new text. A dedicated diarist, Carter has left us a good record of his time with Grey and his anatomy classes, allowing Hayes to fill in a lot of the blanks as to the creation of the text.
In between his discoveries about Carter and Grey, Hayes tells us about the anatomy classes he took. He is allowed to participate in three anatomy classes for medical students and physical therapists in training, including doing dissection. This allows him to get some idea of what Grey and Carter went through to get their educations- although the carefully preserved cadavers of today are a far cry from the putrescent ones that anatomy students had to deal with in Victorian times. Hayes comes away with a new appreciation for the human body and how it all works.
Hayes made no stunning new discoveries, but the path his detective work took him on was interesting. It’s not a great book, but it’s a good one. I actually found myself more interested in the author’s work in the anatomy lab than in the story he’d started out to tell; he is able to give detailed descriptions of the process of dissection without being gross.
March 4, 2017
I was thrilled when, as a teen, I received a copy of Gray's Anatomy as a Christmas gift. It has since disappeared in one of my frequent personal weeding cycles, but I still remember my fascination with the illustrations -- trying to figure out how each muscle/bone/organ corresponded with my own. So I was properly excited to find The Anatomist.
In this wonderful book, Hayes attempts to flesh out the life of Henry Gray and his famous work on anatomy. Gray left very little footprint behind, however, and it is through his illustrator, H.V. Carter, that we learn about the origins of Anatomy. As Hayes searches for clues into the lives of these two men, he attends several modern-day anatomy classes and workshops. I loved this aspect of the book, because it clearly shows how important Anatomy still is and how embedded it is in our medical schools.
Part memoir, part biography, part pop narrative non-fiction -- Hayes' book delighted this reader!
In this wonderful book, Hayes attempts to flesh out the life of Henry Gray and his famous work on anatomy. Gray left very little footprint behind, however, and it is through his illustrator, H.V. Carter, that we learn about the origins of Anatomy. As Hayes searches for clues into the lives of these two men, he attends several modern-day anatomy classes and workshops. I loved this aspect of the book, because it clearly shows how important Anatomy still is and how embedded it is in our medical schools.
Part memoir, part biography, part pop narrative non-fiction -- Hayes' book delighted this reader!
August 10, 2022
Interesting but do not read it to find out about Gray of Gray’s anatomy. There is very little of him in here. There is a lot on the artist/ doctor who illustrated the anatomy. That is interesting. Then there is the containing story, in which the author audits an anatomy course, and, according to him… out dissects all the other students. All in all… an entertaining read
October 18, 2019
Every librarian in the world knows that "Gray's Anatomy" is a main-stay of reference collections. So who knows anything about Henry Gray?
Bill Hayes decided to investigate the author and illustrator of the classic tome, and in so doing, he attends anatomy classes. He also does the most amazing amount of original document research I have ever seen. The result is a very readable, fascinating book.
If you don't own a "Gray's Anatomy," you will be going out to buy one after reading Hayes' book.
Bill Hayes decided to investigate the author and illustrator of the classic tome, and in so doing, he attends anatomy classes. He also does the most amazing amount of original document research I have ever seen. The result is a very readable, fascinating book.
If you don't own a "Gray's Anatomy," you will be going out to buy one after reading Hayes' book.
June 30, 2018
The human body is mostly a mystery to many, including me (I'm not exactly the most medically knowledgeable in my family.) However Gray's Anatomy, or at least the namesake drama, is a common household name as a source of knowledge. But what do we know about the origins of this book and the life of the eponymous "Gray"? The answer; not a lot. This is the investigation that Bill Hayes undertakes through two parallel methods. First by studying historical artifacts to learn about Gray, and even more about the illustrator Henry VanDycke Carter and secondly through immersion in the topic in the present by taking three different human anatomy classes. This is an impressive tome that will educate and entertain a wide variety of people from attending physicians and anatomy instructors to first year medical students beginning their journey of exploring human anatomy to people like me who sometimes wonder "Where and what exactly IS my spleen?"
May 11, 2025
From Monday through Wednesday I read The Anatomist. I wanted to learn more about Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter and the book most of us know as Gray’s Anatomy, though the TV show has tarnished that name a bit. Hayes weaves his cadaver lab tales into anatomical history so vividly that the prose feels almost alive under your fingers.
Although the book is a deep dive into Gray and Carter’s Victorian-era partnership, I found myself drawing something unexpectedly intimate from it. For days I pictured people I know as miniaturised prosections. Every meeting became a careful dissection. I feel that way about love. You unravel someone so neatly that each revisit feels like scalpel and forceps at work. How many times can you take someone apart before the fascination fades?
Hayes writes with unguarded honesty. His reflections on flesh linger like the scent of formaldehyde. Part history and part memoir, The Anatomist unsettles you and refuses to let go. Highly recommended for anyone ready to explore the visceral edges of curiosity and connection.
Although the book is a deep dive into Gray and Carter’s Victorian-era partnership, I found myself drawing something unexpectedly intimate from it. For days I pictured people I know as miniaturised prosections. Every meeting became a careful dissection. I feel that way about love. You unravel someone so neatly that each revisit feels like scalpel and forceps at work. How many times can you take someone apart before the fascination fades?
Hayes writes with unguarded honesty. His reflections on flesh linger like the scent of formaldehyde. Part history and part memoir, The Anatomist unsettles you and refuses to let go. Highly recommended for anyone ready to explore the visceral edges of curiosity and connection.
September 27, 2021
Interesting history, but not that interested in the subject matter
January 21, 2022
Bill is fit, and he knows it.
Bill has taken anatomy, and he knows it.
Bill has taken anatomy, and he knows it.
February 8, 2008
I was excited to read this book about the Gray of Gray's Anatomy, and it was good if a bit disappointing. The disappointment is that it is more the story of Bill Hayes (the author) trying to find out about Gray and Carter (who did the illustrations for Grays Anatomy) than it was about Gray himself. He follows in their footsteps, taking anatomy classes at UCSF and participating in dissections, etc.; and he describes these in detail. It's interesting, but it's about him, and not about Gray. Granted, there apparently is little info out there about Gray himself, and Hayes does ferret out what he can; and there's more info on Carter's life (diaries, etc) so he's included more about Carter than about Gray. It reads like an "i-search' paper - the writer's search to find out about Gray.
January 18, 2011
I actually wanted to know about Henry Gray, but as it turns out Henry Vandyck Carter's story was very entertaining. Since he was the illustrator of Gray's Anatomy it is strangely fitting that he be the one who is more easily researched/remembered. Who remembers the written words in an anatomy book? Do not read unless you want a fire lit under your curiosity about the inner workings of the human body!
March 10, 2018
Everyone who feels they have to slog through a human anatomy course to get where they want to go - medicine, dentistry, nursing, physical therapy, art school, whatever - should read this gem first. You will learn why you need to memorize all those difficult names and relationships of our body parts and how exciting an exercise that can be. Wish this had been available when I started Medical School about a hundred years ago!
February 10, 2008
There's relatively little data on the life of Henry Gray, so to provide a foil the author takes an anatomy class and here provides you a tourist's eye view into the lab. I thought at first I liked the dichotomy. Unfortunately, when in his own voice, he proved to a pretty annoying guy.
October 25, 2010
A cross between a biography of Henry Gray and Henry Carter, and the author's experience researching the project.
February 5, 2024
If he only included more illustrations, I would give Bill Hayes' The Anatomist five stars instead of four. A book about Gray's Anatomy should have a lot more illustrations than it does. The Anatomist is a book about Gray's Anatomy, a book about a book. That doesn't sound thrilling but Hayes' ability to describe the human condition makes this book a page turner.
Three story lines are woven together - Hayes' personal story as a mature writer doing research by taking anatomy classes with medical students, the short life of Henry Gray (1827 – 1861), and the life of Gray's medical illustrator, H.V. Carter (1831 – 1897). There isn't much information on Gray because his personal papers were burned when he died of smallpox in London at the age of 34. We do know that he was an ambitious academic. Carter's life was better documented with letters and diaries. We get to know Carter as a young man concerned with the conflict between science and religion, and a surprising romantic life when he travels to India to work as a surgeon.
The biographical information provides context but the book is at its best when Hayes is in the anatomy lab with the cadavers. He genuinely likes the young students and the instructors, he takes you through dissections with bodily descriptions that make you feel like you are in the lab.
Gray's Anatomy was published in 1858. The book is still being used today but the time given to the study of Anatomy in medical school is getting shorter. Technology, in the form of 3D models and simulations, reduces the time needed in labs with cadavers.
I enjoyed Hayes' writing so much that I plan to read two more of his books - Sleep Demons:
An insomniac’s memoir and Sweat: A history of exercise.
Three story lines are woven together - Hayes' personal story as a mature writer doing research by taking anatomy classes with medical students, the short life of Henry Gray (1827 – 1861), and the life of Gray's medical illustrator, H.V. Carter (1831 – 1897). There isn't much information on Gray because his personal papers were burned when he died of smallpox in London at the age of 34. We do know that he was an ambitious academic. Carter's life was better documented with letters and diaries. We get to know Carter as a young man concerned with the conflict between science and religion, and a surprising romantic life when he travels to India to work as a surgeon.
The biographical information provides context but the book is at its best when Hayes is in the anatomy lab with the cadavers. He genuinely likes the young students and the instructors, he takes you through dissections with bodily descriptions that make you feel like you are in the lab.
Gray's Anatomy was published in 1858. The book is still being used today but the time given to the study of Anatomy in medical school is getting shorter. Technology, in the form of 3D models and simulations, reduces the time needed in labs with cadavers.
I enjoyed Hayes' writing so much that I plan to read two more of his books - Sleep Demons:
An insomniac’s memoir and Sweat: A history of exercise.
May 6, 2017
Me gustaría saber más de anatomía y encontré unos videos buenos de youtube sólo que no he tenido tiempo de verlos (es una clase de como 40 sesiones). Por eso agarré este libro, nomás del título.
El autor sigue la pista del famoso manual de Anatomía de Henry Gray y, ya que hay poco material disponible, investiga sobre todo al ilustrador del libro mientras toma clases de anatomía.
Es un libro casual donde va mezclando lo que encuentra en el diario del ilustrador (Carter) con las ilustraciones de Gray's Anatomy, con su vida personal de bibliotecas e investigación y sus clases de anatomía, aunque no es un libro que te da conocimiento profundo, se me hizo entretenido y me dieron ganas de ir a una clase de disección por las descripciones de sus clases
El autor sigue la pista del famoso manual de Anatomía de Henry Gray y, ya que hay poco material disponible, investiga sobre todo al ilustrador del libro mientras toma clases de anatomía.
Es un libro casual donde va mezclando lo que encuentra en el diario del ilustrador (Carter) con las ilustraciones de Gray's Anatomy, con su vida personal de bibliotecas e investigación y sus clases de anatomía, aunque no es un libro que te da conocimiento profundo, se me hizo entretenido y me dieron ganas de ir a una clase de disección por las descripciones de sus clases
July 29, 2018
I totally understand that there are few existing records on Henry Gray and I loved that Hayes succeeded in getting so much background on the actual illustrator, Henry Vandyke Gray (no relation), I could have live without Haye's own memoir of attending anatomy classes.
However, the last few pages, when Hayes shares the loss of his partner and his contrast in feelings on that. That what he'd been dealing with in class were bodies and it's a whole new ballgame when it's someone you love that you lose were touching and sort of brought his own portion of the memoir/biography together. Not enough of an excuse though for pages and pages of his own classes and it wasn't that they grossed me out, it seemed to serve more as filler in book that was still rather short.
However, the last few pages, when Hayes shares the loss of his partner and his contrast in feelings on that. That what he'd been dealing with in class were bodies and it's a whole new ballgame when it's someone you love that you lose were touching and sort of brought his own portion of the memoir/biography together. Not enough of an excuse though for pages and pages of his own classes and it wasn't that they grossed me out, it seemed to serve more as filler in book that was still rather short.
November 4, 2023
A perfect blend of anatomy and author, who’s passion is contagious. I didn’t want this book to be over. I felt like I was solving a mystery with Hayes. It was so fascinating what was unknown about the two Henry’s that he was able to uncover. The earnestness of his hunt shown through his findings and his time spent in the lab with students. His approach to life seems very intentional and genuine. I appreciate his observations and his vulnerability. I spent a year in a cadaver lab and it felt homey to read about. The end left me sobbing. Grateful for this book and the perspective it left me with on our bodies and life. Thanks for doing the heavy lifting on this mystery of Gray and Carter, two talents that went somehow unappreciated even with how blown up their book became over time.
February 3, 2019
to me this felt like the perfect marriage between The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic - and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World and Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers--medical history alongside a first-person perspective. certainly, i would recommend this to anyone interested in medical history, narrative non-fiction, and grey's anatomy fans because why not.
at the risking of sounding cheesy, this book was fascinating and educational (now i know where my c7 vertebra is located--it's the first bump at the base of your neck). but it was also deeply human. the fact that so little detail about henry gray's life survives made for the best type of book: not quite a biography but a story about anatomy. and with anatomy comes the human body and what happens to it, how we live and die eventually. which also made this a book about humanity.
after reading this, i feel gray would have preferred the greater focus on the human body than himself.
at the risking of sounding cheesy, this book was fascinating and educational (now i know where my c7 vertebra is located--it's the first bump at the base of your neck). but it was also deeply human. the fact that so little detail about henry gray's life survives made for the best type of book: not quite a biography but a story about anatomy. and with anatomy comes the human body and what happens to it, how we live and die eventually. which also made this a book about humanity.
after reading this, i feel gray would have preferred the greater focus on the human body than himself.
May 15, 2018
There isn't much out there in regards to those who wrote 'Gray's Anatomy - H.V. Carter and H. Gray and the writer makes that very clear. So it's a clever thing to write of the pair from his own perspective as he's going through anatomy himself. Hayes gives the biography a great deal of legitimacy doing that. Not to mention, reading his style is more like discussing the subject with a friend taking the same course; it's an easy and congenial read and it imparts information in a way that's more conversational than instructive making it pleasant to read.
June 8, 2017
As a medical student I have - and have had - various anatomical texts and none has surpassed the esteem I hold to "Gray's Anatomy". This book tells the surprising tale of how the anatomy text, "Gray's Anatomy", came to be and follows the life of both author and illustrator. It is a well written book and I would definitely recommend it to other in or even going into the medical field at any level.
January 2, 2018
Excellent book- brought me back to my anatomy classes and as a medical artist thought it particularly compelling. Wish he had interviewed a few medical artists- he missed a potential treasure trove of information there. That being said the book was well researched and complete; I lacked nothing at the end.
June 1, 2018
This is exactly the kind of book that my nerdy little heart loves, what I like to call sci-non-fi. A deep dive into anatomy, anchored by personal connections--the author's own experience, and the lives of Henry Gray & Henry Carter. 3 stars only because it's not my absolute favorite. But definitely an enjoyable read.
January 4, 2019
Worth the read
Bill Hayes has a wonderful way of helping science come alive. Have studied Grey's Anatomy, so I was curious. Never paid attention to the fact that a different person was the illustrator. A bit surprising that half the book was about H.V. Carter, but also interesting. Impressive, how hard these men worked!
Bill Hayes has a wonderful way of helping science come alive. Have studied Grey's Anatomy, so I was curious. Never paid attention to the fact that a different person was the illustrator. A bit surprising that half the book was about H.V. Carter, but also interesting. Impressive, how hard these men worked!
January 26, 2020
A gorgeous book. I loved the juxtaposition of the author's own exploration of the human body by taking dissection classes and his research into the lives of both Henry's (Henries?).
The book is wonderfully written and definitely made me pay more attention to my own body which I too often treat just as an afterthought, something to carry my mind in.
The book is wonderfully written and definitely made me pay more attention to my own body which I too often treat just as an afterthought, something to carry my mind in.
January 14, 2022
Loved loved LOVED THIS BOOK! Beautifully organized. The author writes from his own perspective as he embarks to learn human anatomy, while drawing in diaries and written accounts of history. I may be biased, since I also have that undeniable love and interest in the history of human anatomy- but this book was easily my favorite read in 2020.
April 3, 2025
This excellent account delves into the history of Gray's Anatomy and Henry Carter, offering a profound exploration of our complex relationship with the human body. It reflects on the practice of dissection and its practical and emotional challenges, inviting readers to ponder many thought-provoking aspects of this crucial field of “human anatomy” and medicines .
January 9, 2026
“ But you don’t learn about death from dead bodies. Just as you learn about the body by dissecting one, you learn about death by experiencing a death, by losing someone you love”
This book was recommended to me by one of my medical professors after I had read the book Stiff. This is an amazing journey about H.V. Carter and Henry Grey and one of the best written books I’ve read in a while.
This book was recommended to me by one of my medical professors after I had read the book Stiff. This is an amazing journey about H.V. Carter and Henry Grey and one of the best written books I’ve read in a while.
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