What do you think?
Rate this book
Extreme Medicine: How Exploration Transformed Medicine in the Twentieth Century
Little more than one hundred years ago, maps of the world still boasted white space: places where no human had ever trod. Within a few short decades the most hostile of the world’s environments had all been conquered. Likewise, in the twentieth century, medicine transformed human life. Doctors took what was routinely fatal and made it survivable. As modernity brought us ever more into different kinds of extremis, doctors pushed the bounds of medical advances and human endurance. Extreme exploration challenged the body in ways that only the vanguard of science could answer. Doctors, scientists, and explorers all share a defining trait: they push on in the face of grim odds. Because of their extreme exploration we not only understand our physiology better; we have also made enormous strides in the science of healing.
Drawing on his own experience as an anesthesiologist, intensive care expert, and NASA adviser, Dr. Kevin Fong examines how cuttingedge medicine pushes the envelope of human survival by studying the human body’s response when tested by physical extremes. Extreme Medicine explores different limits of endurance and the lens each offers on one of the systems of the body. The challenges of Arctic exploration created opportunities for breakthroughs in open heart surgery; battlefield doctors pioneered techniques for skin grafts, heart surgery, and trauma care; underwater and outer space exploration have revolutionized our understanding of breathing, gravity, and much more. Avant-garde medicine is fundamentally changing our ideas about the nature of life and death.
Through astonishing accounts of extraordinary events and pioneering medicine, Fong illustrates the sheer audacity of medical practice at extreme limits, where human life is balanced on a knife’s edge. Extreme Medicine is a gripping debut about the science of healing, but also about exploration in its broadest sense—and about how, by probing the very limits of our biology, we may ultimately return with a better appreciation of how our bodies work, of what life is, and what it means to be human.
Drawing on his own experience as an anesthesiologist, intensive care expert, and NASA adviser, Dr. Kevin Fong examines how cuttingedge medicine pushes the envelope of human survival by studying the human body’s response when tested by physical extremes. Extreme Medicine explores different limits of endurance and the lens each offers on one of the systems of the body. The challenges of Arctic exploration created opportunities for breakthroughs in open heart surgery; battlefield doctors pioneered techniques for skin grafts, heart surgery, and trauma care; underwater and outer space exploration have revolutionized our understanding of breathing, gravity, and much more. Avant-garde medicine is fundamentally changing our ideas about the nature of life and death.
Through astonishing accounts of extraordinary events and pioneering medicine, Fong illustrates the sheer audacity of medical practice at extreme limits, where human life is balanced on a knife’s edge. Extreme Medicine is a gripping debut about the science of healing, but also about exploration in its broadest sense—and about how, by probing the very limits of our biology, we may ultimately return with a better appreciation of how our bodies work, of what life is, and what it means to be human.
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2014
97 people are currently reading
2629 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
January 17, 2016
If you are interested in modern medical history, not dawn-of-anaesthesia type , where we are now, where we are going and why we might never get there, but will keep on trying, then you will enjoy the book as much as I did.
Each of the chapters, whether on ice, fire, heart, trauma, intensive care, water, or Mars (and a few others) is a mixture of history, science, personal experience, anecdotes and conjecture, but factually-based, on the future.
Unusually for a science book it is actually gripping, you want to know what happens next in the stories. Kevin Fong is an excellent writer and knows his extensive subject matter so well there is no need for repetition or waffle.
There is a small synchronicity with the author and me. One of those six degrees things. Dr. Fong is a specialist in anaesthesia and intensive care. A close family member originated the concept of intensive care units and was a consultant anaethetist and has medals named after him in these specialities. This doesn't influence what I think of the book, but does make me smile.
Notes on reading, mostly on why we aren't going to Mars any time soon. Or until much later probably.
Each of the chapters, whether on ice, fire, heart, trauma, intensive care, water, or Mars (and a few others) is a mixture of history, science, personal experience, anecdotes and conjecture, but factually-based, on the future.
Unusually for a science book it is actually gripping, you want to know what happens next in the stories. Kevin Fong is an excellent writer and knows his extensive subject matter so well there is no need for repetition or waffle.
There is a small synchronicity with the author and me. One of those six degrees things. Dr. Fong is a specialist in anaesthesia and intensive care. A close family member originated the concept of intensive care units and was a consultant anaethetist and has medals named after him in these specialities. This doesn't influence what I think of the book, but does make me smile.
Notes on reading, mostly on why we aren't going to Mars any time soon. Or until much later probably.
July 8, 2015
I always think of medicine as the ultimate caring profession, and imagine that people become doctors because they want to look after people. Well this book shows the other side of medicine, the lure of the science of medicine. Kevin Fong, the author, is utterly enthralled by the workings of the human body, and conveys his wonder and excitement brilliantly as a writer.
As part of his medical training he studied space medicine at NASA. He is fascinated by all medical experiences that happen under extreme conditions. That is what the book is all about. Extreme circumstances that have challenged existing ways of doing things. Doctors who have come up with breakthroughs, new ideas, or introduced new protocols, often against great odds and under incredibly stressful circumstances.
The book starts with an amazing story that almost defies belief.
Other areas touched upon include the origins of trauma care practices - designed by Dr James Styner, after a plane crash involving his family, the journey and challenges of the Sars epidemic, face transplants, the phenomenon of holding one's breath whilst diving under water, the challenges of lack of gravity in space travel, and the possibility of us one day travelling to Mars.
All in all a hugely stimulating read. I learnt a lot about the amazing wonders of the human body....so excitingly conveyed by Dr. Fong, with his descriptions of mankind at the very edge of survival.
As part of his medical training he studied space medicine at NASA. He is fascinated by all medical experiences that happen under extreme conditions. That is what the book is all about. Extreme circumstances that have challenged existing ways of doing things. Doctors who have come up with breakthroughs, new ideas, or introduced new protocols, often against great odds and under incredibly stressful circumstances.
The book starts with an amazing story that almost defies belief.
Other areas touched upon include the origins of trauma care practices - designed by Dr James Styner, after a plane crash involving his family, the journey and challenges of the Sars epidemic, face transplants, the phenomenon of holding one's breath whilst diving under water, the challenges of lack of gravity in space travel, and the possibility of us one day travelling to Mars.
All in all a hugely stimulating read. I learnt a lot about the amazing wonders of the human body....so excitingly conveyed by Dr. Fong, with his descriptions of mankind at the very edge of survival.
August 21, 2015
At the Battle of Waterloo, Wellington noticed a French doctor in the midst of combat, attending casualties and moving them quickly by horse and cart from the battlefield to the rear. Upon discovering that it was Dominique-Jean Larrey – chief surgeon to Napoléon Bonaparte – the British general ordered his men not to fire in the doctor’s direction and, according to legend, lifted his hat in salute.
In medicine, the importance of speed has long been recognized. Larrey, present on the battlefields of the late eighteenth century, had witnessed heavy-artillery units wheeling and then retreating rapidly from the advancing enemy while casualties were left behind unattended. Only after hostilities ceased were the wounded collected and transported to field hospitals; introducing significant delays before definitive surgery could begin. And in an age of more powerful fire-arms and artillery, surgery often meant the amputation of more than one shattered limb.
I’m currently going through a phase of reading remarkable books and this one is indeed no exception.
What I love about Dr Keven Fong is his enthusiasm and dedication to medicine. It literally pulsates throughout the book.
The amazing part is that he gives examples of what has happened to particular people and to such extreme lengths. In fact, from all accounts, I’m amazed to hear that they are still alive.
The most incredible case has to be that of a Norwegian doctor, twenty-nine year old Anna, who was out skiing off-piste with two colleagues (sheer madness in itself) and who was trapped under the ice in 1999 but miraculously in an air pocket. Her two colleagues immediately contacted the emergency services. Eighty minutes in fact since Anna had first fallen into the water. “She had stopped breathing and was without a pulse”. Now this is riveting stuff! Anyway, like a miracle it all worked out. This was all about hypothermia and the comparison was made with Scott who in 1912 at the South Pole finally succumbed to this. In the interim, remarkable progress in medicine ensured that individuals such as Anna, would amazingly survive to see another day.
We then read and learn about all these dreadful situations that can occur with people, such as fire, problems with the heart, trauma, intensive care, water and we even venture into Mars.
Even a face transplant, due to fire, is discussed and the complications that are involved there to stop the face being rejected. I was so immersed in this reading.
But the most sobering aspect that struck me about this book was when I read:
There is such a thing as life after death. It’s called transplant medicine. After death a patient’s heart, lungs, liver and kidneys can be donated to give the gift of life. Many lives can be saved or improved by that single act of generosity. But death must come first.
There is no other word for this. This is gripping and compulsive reading. But could I work in intensive care or be an anaesthetist or a surgeon? No, but I applaud them one hundred percent for their dedication and to never knowing whether or not they have actually made the correct choice in their diagnoses or surgical approach. That does show dedication!
Read it and you will learn how wonderful our medical explorers are changing our world.
In medicine, the importance of speed has long been recognized. Larrey, present on the battlefields of the late eighteenth century, had witnessed heavy-artillery units wheeling and then retreating rapidly from the advancing enemy while casualties were left behind unattended. Only after hostilities ceased were the wounded collected and transported to field hospitals; introducing significant delays before definitive surgery could begin. And in an age of more powerful fire-arms and artillery, surgery often meant the amputation of more than one shattered limb.
I’m currently going through a phase of reading remarkable books and this one is indeed no exception.
What I love about Dr Keven Fong is his enthusiasm and dedication to medicine. It literally pulsates throughout the book.
The amazing part is that he gives examples of what has happened to particular people and to such extreme lengths. In fact, from all accounts, I’m amazed to hear that they are still alive.
The most incredible case has to be that of a Norwegian doctor, twenty-nine year old Anna, who was out skiing off-piste with two colleagues (sheer madness in itself) and who was trapped under the ice in 1999 but miraculously in an air pocket. Her two colleagues immediately contacted the emergency services. Eighty minutes in fact since Anna had first fallen into the water. “She had stopped breathing and was without a pulse”. Now this is riveting stuff! Anyway, like a miracle it all worked out. This was all about hypothermia and the comparison was made with Scott who in 1912 at the South Pole finally succumbed to this. In the interim, remarkable progress in medicine ensured that individuals such as Anna, would amazingly survive to see another day.
We then read and learn about all these dreadful situations that can occur with people, such as fire, problems with the heart, trauma, intensive care, water and we even venture into Mars.
Even a face transplant, due to fire, is discussed and the complications that are involved there to stop the face being rejected. I was so immersed in this reading.
But the most sobering aspect that struck me about this book was when I read:
There is such a thing as life after death. It’s called transplant medicine. After death a patient’s heart, lungs, liver and kidneys can be donated to give the gift of life. Many lives can be saved or improved by that single act of generosity. But death must come first.
There is no other word for this. This is gripping and compulsive reading. But could I work in intensive care or be an anaesthetist or a surgeon? No, but I applaud them one hundred percent for their dedication and to never knowing whether or not they have actually made the correct choice in their diagnoses or surgical approach. That does show dedication!
Read it and you will learn how wonderful our medical explorers are changing our world.
November 21, 2014
This book most clearly demonstrates the problem with the current publishing industries obsession with the (colon + subtitle) combo. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a total sucker for the subtitle. The more complicated, the better it is. It’s a sickness I know. But there is an inherent danger in the subtitle, just as there is in a the book jacket, or the blurb. That danger is the cardinal sin of MISLEADING. Take, for instance, this title: “Extreme Medicine: How Exploration Transformed Medicine in the Twentieth Century its not even a very long subtitle, but it entirely sets up the reader for disappointment, because they are not getting the book that they thought they were getting.
This subtitle leads you to believe that we are going to learn what additions to medicine mankind found by travelling through the arctic, through unknown jungles, through deserts and through are journey into space.
That is not the book that you are getting. Someone COULD write a book about that, and some probably HAS, but it is NOT this book.
This book is about a different type of adventure, and different type of exploration, and that is exploration purely within the medical field. It’s about how plastic surgery became a field of medicine because people wanted to help the disfigured pilots of WWII who were burned terribly in their cockpits. It’s about how we learned we could put people “on ice” to stave of brain damage during surgery. It’s about the invention of ICU and elderly care.
And it really is quite fascinating. It is a very interesting book that makes you appreciate the trials and error and fortitude of doctors and their patients as they tried something new, some questionable, in the hopes of improving the lives of those around them. It’s about EXTREME medicine. How DO we keep people alive in space long enough for them to get to Mars and back (my favorite chapter), how do we do open heart surgery, etc.
They should have left the name at Extreme Medicine, because that’s what it is about.
Now as for the actual book I found it very enlightening (and not just because I found out that the British pronounce respiratory differently than Americans, or Magellan, etc.). The part about WWII pilots was really breathtaking. The questions posed about how far we are going, and how that has shaped our culture were great, but, in my opinion could have been delved into further, though I understand was not the intention of this book. Still, at times, the personal stories the author inserted seemed misplaced, the narrative became at times a bit disjointed. Nothing too bad really, but you could become confused when we suddenly jumped back to how a patient was doing when they hadn’t been discussed in nearly forty pages.
It’s a solid three stars. I learned a lot, and I felt it was engaging for the most part. I tried not to be disappointed when I realized this book wasn’t what I thought it was about. Bad marketing is the shits. It wasn’t so captivating that I would just recommend it to anyone though. I felt that I could have read a whole book on any one chapter that he did- this book just seemed like a good introduction to me. If you are interested in the subject this book provides a wide overview but will likely leave you wanting more
This subtitle leads you to believe that we are going to learn what additions to medicine mankind found by travelling through the arctic, through unknown jungles, through deserts and through are journey into space.
That is not the book that you are getting. Someone COULD write a book about that, and some probably HAS, but it is NOT this book.
This book is about a different type of adventure, and different type of exploration, and that is exploration purely within the medical field. It’s about how plastic surgery became a field of medicine because people wanted to help the disfigured pilots of WWII who were burned terribly in their cockpits. It’s about how we learned we could put people “on ice” to stave of brain damage during surgery. It’s about the invention of ICU and elderly care.
And it really is quite fascinating. It is a very interesting book that makes you appreciate the trials and error and fortitude of doctors and their patients as they tried something new, some questionable, in the hopes of improving the lives of those around them. It’s about EXTREME medicine. How DO we keep people alive in space long enough for them to get to Mars and back (my favorite chapter), how do we do open heart surgery, etc.
They should have left the name at Extreme Medicine, because that’s what it is about.
Now as for the actual book I found it very enlightening (and not just because I found out that the British pronounce respiratory differently than Americans, or Magellan, etc.). The part about WWII pilots was really breathtaking. The questions posed about how far we are going, and how that has shaped our culture were great, but, in my opinion could have been delved into further, though I understand was not the intention of this book. Still, at times, the personal stories the author inserted seemed misplaced, the narrative became at times a bit disjointed. Nothing too bad really, but you could become confused when we suddenly jumped back to how a patient was doing when they hadn’t been discussed in nearly forty pages.
It’s a solid three stars. I learned a lot, and I felt it was engaging for the most part. I tried not to be disappointed when I realized this book wasn’t what I thought it was about. Bad marketing is the shits. It wasn’t so captivating that I would just recommend it to anyone though. I felt that I could have read a whole book on any one chapter that he did- this book just seemed like a good introduction to me. If you are interested in the subject this book provides a wide overview but will likely leave you wanting more
September 8, 2019
"In the twentieth century our exploration of the limits of the human body and those of the physical world revolutionized the way we saw ourselves and the lengths to which we were prepared to go to protect human life."
.
From EXTREME MEDICINE: How Exploration Transformed Medicine in the Twentieth Century by Kevin Fong, MD | 2014 #ScienceSeptember
As a medical doctor with a background in astrophysics, Kevin Fong is uniquely qualified to discuss extreme environments, traumas, and the effects on the human body. He started a specialty center at University College in London called The Center for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine.
In this book, he retraces some great feats of adventure in the 20th century - aerospace missions, artic expeditions, underwater explorations - and shares how doctors have learned how to treat extreme temperature fluctuations, pressure changes, intensive burns/wounds. Some of the most intriguing chapters were of the alpine skiier who fell through the ice, submerged for 80 minutes, and lived, and the history of WWII fighter pilots with severe burns and the birth of plastic surgery / skin grafting.
Fong also looks torward a future of extraplanetary medicine - how does one administer an IV in space when there's no gravity?
Top caliber science with great storytelling: this is a special combination indeed. The book was riveting!
.
From EXTREME MEDICINE: How Exploration Transformed Medicine in the Twentieth Century by Kevin Fong, MD | 2014 #ScienceSeptember
As a medical doctor with a background in astrophysics, Kevin Fong is uniquely qualified to discuss extreme environments, traumas, and the effects on the human body. He started a specialty center at University College in London called The Center for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine.
In this book, he retraces some great feats of adventure in the 20th century - aerospace missions, artic expeditions, underwater explorations - and shares how doctors have learned how to treat extreme temperature fluctuations, pressure changes, intensive burns/wounds. Some of the most intriguing chapters were of the alpine skiier who fell through the ice, submerged for 80 minutes, and lived, and the history of WWII fighter pilots with severe burns and the birth of plastic surgery / skin grafting.
Fong also looks torward a future of extraplanetary medicine - how does one administer an IV in space when there's no gravity?
Top caliber science with great storytelling: this is a special combination indeed. The book was riveting!
October 7, 2014
As a former expeditionary emergency medical technician, I found this book to be BRILLIANT. I believe it was written for aspiring, practicing, and retired doctors, but ANYONE with a curiosity about extreme medical practices and expeditionary history will LOVE this text. It explains the most cutting edge, extreme modern medical practices by detailing their histories, all of which in this book were born out of exploration. From the South Pole expeditions leading to the story of the most extreme hypothermic case on record who has survived, to the fighter pilots of WWII's European theater courageously enduring horrific attempts at "plastic surgery" after unimaginable burns leading to today's face transplants, this book has given me the historical context to just begin to truly appreciate modern medicine's most miraculous practices. The development of heart surgery was so intense and required enduring the statistics and stories of all the brave volunteers who knowingly gave their lives so others in the future could survive... their courage and self sacrifice brought tears to my eyes. The chapters' titles hint at the genre of practices explained through their historical developments: ICE, FIRE, HEART, TRAUMA, INTENSIVE CARE, WATER, ORBIT, MARS, FINAL FRONTIERS. As an EMT who's worked in both hospital and expeditionary settings, I personally found the chapters about trauma and intensive care especially interesting. I learned things about water and diving I had no idea about, such as why you better exit a sinking helicopter (or car) in seven seconds or less (after it breaks the surface and starts sinking) or else all odds are against your survival. The author's personal experiences with NASA and medicine in weightlessness and space was very engaging and helped me understand my own issues with sea and air sickness. Final Frontiers detailed modern medicine's challenges with helping our bodies cope with entropy, extreme aging, and dying. Like a historical expeditionary explorer, I look forward to humanity's future explorations and the medical practices that are born from such. Very highly recommended to anyone, especially those with backgrounds in medicine, survival training, and/or exploration.
September 28, 2019
TL;DR: Tipičan overachieverski (završio astrofiziku, zatim medicinu) potomak azijskih imigranata koji je pokušao da napiše knjigu o medicinskim dostignućima ali je maestralno fejlovao.
Kontekst: Gudridz mi predložio jednom; neka hvala Gudridže, preskakaću buduće preporuke.
Knjiga: Kevin Fong u stvari nije napisao knjigu o tome kako su fiziološki ekstremne situacije i tehnološki napreci promenili ljudsko preživljavanje, nego o sebi - kuka kako mu je bilo teško da nađe studentski pogram koji bi ga primio, pa kako je težak život mladog lekara, pa kako mora da radi 12-13h sati dnevno (ono, niko ga nije tukao po ušima da specijalizira anesteziologiju, mogao je lepo uzeti dermatologiju ili psihijatriju). Na stranu njegova akademska dostignuća (svaka čast), on jednostavno ne ume da piše (nivo pisanja: učenik prvog razreda gimnazije koga je do sada hvalila profesorka srpskog iz osnovne, samo zato jer se frizira kod njegove tetke u salonu). Sve je napisano u sadašnjem vremenu, patetične metafore su za da se ispovraćaš, nipodaštavanje ostalih medicinskih oblasti (što stvarno nije lepo), i Kevin nije siguran koja je njegova ciljna publika, jer čas koristi hardkor medicinski žargon, a čas objašnjava osnovne medicinske pojmove kao za decu od pet godina. Vikipedijini članci su zanimljiviji od ove knjige.
Zaključak: Stvarno je loša i dosadna knjiga.
Kontekst: Gudridz mi predložio jednom; neka hvala Gudridže, preskakaću buduće preporuke.
Knjiga: Kevin Fong u stvari nije napisao knjigu o tome kako su fiziološki ekstremne situacije i tehnološki napreci promenili ljudsko preživljavanje, nego o sebi - kuka kako mu je bilo teško da nađe studentski pogram koji bi ga primio, pa kako je težak život mladog lekara, pa kako mora da radi 12-13h sati dnevno (ono, niko ga nije tukao po ušima da specijalizira anesteziologiju, mogao je lepo uzeti dermatologiju ili psihijatriju). Na stranu njegova akademska dostignuća (svaka čast), on jednostavno ne ume da piše (nivo pisanja: učenik prvog razreda gimnazije koga je do sada hvalila profesorka srpskog iz osnovne, samo zato jer se frizira kod njegove tetke u salonu). Sve je napisano u sadašnjem vremenu, patetične metafore su za da se ispovraćaš, nipodaštavanje ostalih medicinskih oblasti (što stvarno nije lepo), i Kevin nije siguran koja je njegova ciljna publika, jer čas koristi hardkor medicinski žargon, a čas objašnjava osnovne medicinske pojmove kao za decu od pet godina. Vikipedijini članci su zanimljiviji od ove knjige.
Zaključak: Stvarno je loša i dosadna knjiga.
April 1, 2021
3.5 stars. Full disclosure, I probably would have loved this more if I didn’t get so squeamish at parts! I always take a chance when I read medical books like this. Sometimes they are fine for me (like the chapter on hypothermia) and sometimes I can’t handle it (like the chapter on hearts/blood). Still worth reading, I’m just pathetic. ✌🏼
December 12, 2025
The most entertaining yet informative book that I read this year, by far. Very informative about both the history of medicine (everything from anaesthesia to face transplants) and the future (travel to mars) with anecdotes from the author's medical training and practice.
August 29, 2022
4.5
I liked this book better on a second read. This author is trained as an astrophysicist and a medical doctor--an unusual combination. In this book he discusses the similarity of advances in human exploration of the physical world with those in medicine stating that both involve errors and mishaps inherent in learning new things. In both fields there will be great risk in attempting to process into the unknown, but accepting that is the only way to evolve.
I've been aware of the challenges embedded in new frontiers, but the examples and clarity Dr. Fong put forth in this short book made this thesis more clear and meaningful.
I liked this book better on a second read. This author is trained as an astrophysicist and a medical doctor--an unusual combination. In this book he discusses the similarity of advances in human exploration of the physical world with those in medicine stating that both involve errors and mishaps inherent in learning new things. In both fields there will be great risk in attempting to process into the unknown, but accepting that is the only way to evolve.
I've been aware of the challenges embedded in new frontiers, but the examples and clarity Dr. Fong put forth in this short book made this thesis more clear and meaningful.
May 20, 2025
“… that answers the question of why we should explore at all. To be able to explore, we must continue to survive. But the reverse is also true. To survive, we must continue to explore.”
took me forever to get through this. bit too in-depth on some of the medicinal aspects of exploration, but it’s in the title so i’ve only myself to blame. planning on giving this to a coworker, less so out of generosity and more due to my apathy for this book.
took me forever to get through this. bit too in-depth on some of the medicinal aspects of exploration, but it’s in the title so i’ve only myself to blame. planning on giving this to a coworker, less so out of generosity and more due to my apathy for this book.
November 29, 2021
This book is practically the same thing as listening to one of the many doctors I’ve worked for, spew out a massive nerd spew of random information vaguely reflecting a point they’re trying to convey.
July 2, 2020
Interesting book and entertaining writing style. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about space flights
July 3, 2022
COOL STUFF
January 25, 2025
Incredible book. So much good information broken down into an interesting and engaging read.
August 29, 2024
Reminded me of Stiff by Mary Roach but a medical proider version
November 1, 2025
3.5 good concept!
July 12, 2016
Ugh. I couldn't even finish it. A potentially great subject was crushed by the author's fecundity. His editing was inconsistent (spelling World War Two) three different ways within the same chapter). He fawned over the subject of medicine, elevating doctors to a god-like status. This is something that particularly annoyed me. The cavalier attitude towards people's lives- treating it like a Star Trek episode. Boldly exploring peoples' bodies like foreign planets regardless of the consequences. He also writes in a way that makes me think he loves the sound his fingers make as they lightly tap the keys of his computer. In a nutshell, the book had the potential for greatness but fell under the lackluster writing of someone who's too wordy and smart to write for the common person.
September 25, 2014
This fairly short book covers a lot of medical ground demonstrating just how far medicine has come in the 20th century and can be expected to advance. Connecting exploration from polar regions of the earth to spaceflight including what challenges for human travel to Mars, this book covers major barriers such as severe burns, intensive care, and aging. Included are medical advances which originated in the World Wars' traumatic injuries. A lot of medical advantages that were unheard of 100 years ago, we almost take for granted these days. This book explains the challenges involved with a great infusion of wonder. This is one of the most uplifting books I've read in a long time.
![Profile Image for [Jamie].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1737662960i%2F141228044._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 28, 2025
I'm not sure why I expected this book to be more a collection of extreme survival stories leading to medical innovations. Some interesting stuff covered here, doesn't go too in depth. Hearing the description of people who don't know how to take care of bad burn wounds is pretty brutal.
Compared to other medical books I've read, this is pretty mid. Sorry.
But Kevin Fong is a straight badass and one smart son-of-a-gun to have pursued astrophysics and emergency medicine. His unique perspective from this is really what makes the book interesting enough to keep listening to it.
Compared to other medical books I've read, this is pretty mid. Sorry.
But Kevin Fong is a straight badass and one smart son-of-a-gun to have pursued astrophysics and emergency medicine. His unique perspective from this is really what makes the book interesting enough to keep listening to it.
March 23, 2014
I was very, very disappointed with this book. The subject of each of the chapters is something that typically would have fascinated me, but this book fell far short of my expectations. The writing was dry and tedious. I felt like I was reading nine teasers/excerpts of longer books, not one complete book. The author really needed to spend more time focusing on each of the subjects.
June 21, 2014
Very well written and informative, but somehow lacking 'depth'. The medical situations are well-covered, but I would have liked greater background information in places, particularly with regard to early exploration. The section on 'Ice' was only 20 pages long, and of those, only 5 were concerned with early Antarctic exploration.
However, three stars is 'I liked it' which I did.
However, three stars is 'I liked it' which I did.
February 25, 2017
Looking down the road, space exploration and the benefits it yields - in medicine, should not be overlooked. It's a "can't put down page turner", gripping, well researched and most of all well narrated. Recommended!
January 20, 2022
This was a very interesting book written for the curious layman, bringing together trauma experienced in extremes (which marked the names of the chapters: Ice, Fire, Water, Orbit, Mars, etc. Go Captain Planet! LOL), medicine and exploration.
What I found interesting was the author's background: he has advanced degrees in medicine, astrophysics and engineering! And he was kind enough to explain the functions of both bodily processes and satellites and machinery in terms that any person could understand, even humorously at times ("And then, in one of the most effective rapid weight-loss programs the world has ever known, I go from being 336 pounds to weighing nothing," Fong writes of his weightlessness training in "The Vomit Comet.").
Fong wrote in the introduction that his book is "about life: its fragility, its fractal beauty, and its resilience." And it truly was! Along the way, I enjoyed learning about the origins of plastic surgery, of the British infantryman who survived being shot in the heart in World War I for at least 23 years afterwards, as well as the ABCs of trauma care codified by the incredibly brave James Styner, who overcame great personal tragedy and did his best to make sure no one would go through what his family went through.
Reading the chapter on SARS, the first pandemic of the century in 2003, strikes differently in the middle of this current pandemic, and reminds us how, while the public did not experience that many fatalities compared with COVID 19, it was only due to the sacrifices of the healthcare workers like Dr. Carlo Urbani who literally shielded us with their lives. It was very chilling to read of the similarities of SARS and COVID... SARS was also a coronavirus that jumped from civet cats to humans, and it was first detected in China as well.
"The fight against epidemics... is won not by high-tech interventions but by public-health measures... indeed, the polio epidemic, which gave birth to the specialty of intensive care, was defeated not by ventilators, adrenaline pumps, or dialysis machines but by a program of vaccination - a campaign so effective that today the polio virus stands on the brink of eradication from the world."
It speaks much about the need for public education when Fong wrote this in 2012, but that as late as 2019, there were still polio outbreaks in the Philippines, despite the polio vaccine being readily available.
Books like Fong's bring comfort because they provide much-needed perspective, and hope. But doctors and scientists can only do so much. We should do our part and listen to them, and set aside all politics, all ego when we do so.
What I found interesting was the author's background: he has advanced degrees in medicine, astrophysics and engineering! And he was kind enough to explain the functions of both bodily processes and satellites and machinery in terms that any person could understand, even humorously at times ("And then, in one of the most effective rapid weight-loss programs the world has ever known, I go from being 336 pounds to weighing nothing," Fong writes of his weightlessness training in "The Vomit Comet.").
Fong wrote in the introduction that his book is "about life: its fragility, its fractal beauty, and its resilience." And it truly was! Along the way, I enjoyed learning about the origins of plastic surgery, of the British infantryman who survived being shot in the heart in World War I for at least 23 years afterwards, as well as the ABCs of trauma care codified by the incredibly brave James Styner, who overcame great personal tragedy and did his best to make sure no one would go through what his family went through.
Reading the chapter on SARS, the first pandemic of the century in 2003, strikes differently in the middle of this current pandemic, and reminds us how, while the public did not experience that many fatalities compared with COVID 19, it was only due to the sacrifices of the healthcare workers like Dr. Carlo Urbani who literally shielded us with their lives. It was very chilling to read of the similarities of SARS and COVID... SARS was also a coronavirus that jumped from civet cats to humans, and it was first detected in China as well.
"The fight against epidemics... is won not by high-tech interventions but by public-health measures... indeed, the polio epidemic, which gave birth to the specialty of intensive care, was defeated not by ventilators, adrenaline pumps, or dialysis machines but by a program of vaccination - a campaign so effective that today the polio virus stands on the brink of eradication from the world."
It speaks much about the need for public education when Fong wrote this in 2012, but that as late as 2019, there were still polio outbreaks in the Philippines, despite the polio vaccine being readily available.
Books like Fong's bring comfort because they provide much-needed perspective, and hope. But doctors and scientists can only do so much. We should do our part and listen to them, and set aside all politics, all ego when we do so.
May 5, 2023
"Extreme Medicine" by Kevin Fong is an incredibly compelling book that explores the fascinating intersection between medicine and some of the world's most extreme environments, including space, the deep sea, and mountaintops.
Dr. Fong, a physician with expertise in space medicine and anesthesia, brings his firsthand experience and extensive research to the table as he delves into the challenges and innovations required to provide medical care in these extreme settings. He deftly weaves together history, science, and personal anecdotes to create a captivating narrative that is both informative and engaging.
One of the strengths of the book is the way that Fong highlights the ingenuity and resourcefulness of medical professionals working in these extreme environments. From improvised medical procedures in space to the development of specialized diving equipment, Fong demonstrates how medical innovation has been driven by the need to address the unique challenges posed by these environments.
Overall, "Extreme Medicine" is a well-written and thoroughly researched book that is both informative and entertaining. It will appeal to anyone interested in medicine, science, exploration, or adventure, and provides a fresh perspective on the incredible lengths that medical professionals will go to in order to provide care in some of the most challenging environments on Earth and beyond.
Here's an interesting snippet from the book:
"To be able to explore, we must continue to survive. But the reverse is also true. To survive, we must explore.
We advance in science, medicine, and exploration in fits and starts. There is no real plan—at least not one that anyone has ever stuck to for very long. We happen upon our discoveries largely by accident, making the most of them as and when they arise. We meet disaster in the same way. We explore simply because we must. And that is what makes us human."
Dr. Fong, a physician with expertise in space medicine and anesthesia, brings his firsthand experience and extensive research to the table as he delves into the challenges and innovations required to provide medical care in these extreme settings. He deftly weaves together history, science, and personal anecdotes to create a captivating narrative that is both informative and engaging.
One of the strengths of the book is the way that Fong highlights the ingenuity and resourcefulness of medical professionals working in these extreme environments. From improvised medical procedures in space to the development of specialized diving equipment, Fong demonstrates how medical innovation has been driven by the need to address the unique challenges posed by these environments.
Overall, "Extreme Medicine" is a well-written and thoroughly researched book that is both informative and entertaining. It will appeal to anyone interested in medicine, science, exploration, or adventure, and provides a fresh perspective on the incredible lengths that medical professionals will go to in order to provide care in some of the most challenging environments on Earth and beyond.
Here's an interesting snippet from the book:
"To be able to explore, we must continue to survive. But the reverse is also true. To survive, we must explore.
We advance in science, medicine, and exploration in fits and starts. There is no real plan—at least not one that anyone has ever stuck to for very long. We happen upon our discoveries largely by accident, making the most of them as and when they arise. We meet disaster in the same way. We explore simply because we must. And that is what makes us human."
April 15, 2020
I enjoyed it for the most part, but I also had a hard time figuring exactly what the book was trying to be about.
The subtitle makes a big point of emphasizing "exploration", but then he talks about burn victims, heart surgery, trauma surgery, etc. which doesn't really fit within that theme.
Now, if he had said "What we've learned about how the human body reacts to extremes and how to treat it", that might have fit the contents a bit more.
As it is, the selection of topics felt a little bit random and unfocused as if he just picked any medical topics he could think of as opposed to having a clear concept.
That said, Fong is a good writer and I enjoyed that he delved into the scientific explanation for many of the phenomena.
I learned quite a bit about human biology and the history of medicine.
I think the last two chapters dealing with space were the most interesting to me. I didn't know about all the concerns about zero-gravity and the radiation for a Mars mission. For some reason I thought those were solved problems, but obviously a lot of research needs to be done.
The subtitle makes a big point of emphasizing "exploration", but then he talks about burn victims, heart surgery, trauma surgery, etc. which doesn't really fit within that theme.
Now, if he had said "What we've learned about how the human body reacts to extremes and how to treat it", that might have fit the contents a bit more.
As it is, the selection of topics felt a little bit random and unfocused as if he just picked any medical topics he could think of as opposed to having a clear concept.
That said, Fong is a good writer and I enjoyed that he delved into the scientific explanation for many of the phenomena.
I learned quite a bit about human biology and the history of medicine.
I think the last two chapters dealing with space were the most interesting to me. I didn't know about all the concerns about zero-gravity and the radiation for a Mars mission. For some reason I thought those were solved problems, but obviously a lot of research needs to be done.
January 4, 2025
Interesting and enlightening true stories about how dramatic accidents and injuries have influenced the development of many medical approaches.
Fong describes the underwater survival that can occur when the water is very cold, and how that information inspired the cooling of the body to increase chances of patients undergoing some surgeries. He describes polio epidemics and the evolution of positive pressure ventilation from the "iron lung" as well as the development of intensive care units.
He discusses how the development of cosmetic surgery and skin grafting arose in response to severely burned English fighter pilots during WWII.
He also describes the development of advanced trauma life support by a physician whose family suffered a serious car accident in a rural area, and it took hours for appropriate interventions to become available.
The author's description of the physiological changes in deep diving and space were also interesting, especially the problems related to weightlessness in space.
He uses many true stories of trauma and injury which adds interest to the scientific information, which is written for the lay person.
Fong describes the underwater survival that can occur when the water is very cold, and how that information inspired the cooling of the body to increase chances of patients undergoing some surgeries. He describes polio epidemics and the evolution of positive pressure ventilation from the "iron lung" as well as the development of intensive care units.
He discusses how the development of cosmetic surgery and skin grafting arose in response to severely burned English fighter pilots during WWII.
He also describes the development of advanced trauma life support by a physician whose family suffered a serious car accident in a rural area, and it took hours for appropriate interventions to become available.
The author's description of the physiological changes in deep diving and space were also interesting, especially the problems related to weightlessness in space.
He uses many true stories of trauma and injury which adds interest to the scientific information, which is written for the lay person.
December 18, 2017
(NB: this is the US version of the British title "Extremes: Life, Death and the Limits of the Human Body". The chapter names are identical, and it's roughly the same length.)
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Dr F has a very snappy way of writing, which makes it an effortless read. He also exhibits a healthy British dry sense of humour (despite the whole "Kevin Fong, M.D." thang - he's a Brit).
I read that some readers were a bit miffed that it wasn't all 'takes of daring do' from the likes of Livingston, Hilary, Armstrong and Fiennes, and given the front cover I can sort of see why. It didn't bother me, though, and reading about how medicine has been influenced in its attempts to cope with Polio, pilots burnt in WWII, skiing accidents, terror attacks and even plain old age was very interesting. He covers a potential trip to Mars and simulated helicopter crashes in some detail.
I often enjoy Kevin's TV appearances, and look forward to his 2018 book about air ambulance medicine.
He's a credit to the University of London.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. Dr F has a very snappy way of writing, which makes it an effortless read. He also exhibits a healthy British dry sense of humour (despite the whole "Kevin Fong, M.D." thang - he's a Brit).
I read that some readers were a bit miffed that it wasn't all 'takes of daring do' from the likes of Livingston, Hilary, Armstrong and Fiennes, and given the front cover I can sort of see why. It didn't bother me, though, and reading about how medicine has been influenced in its attempts to cope with Polio, pilots burnt in WWII, skiing accidents, terror attacks and even plain old age was very interesting. He covers a potential trip to Mars and simulated helicopter crashes in some detail.
I often enjoy Kevin's TV appearances, and look forward to his 2018 book about air ambulance medicine.
He's a credit to the University of London.
January 18, 2021
The epitome of this book is that the human race is only able to explore by adapting ways to survive and conversely that to survive the human race must explore. Medicine has learned most of its lessons about human physiology by taking leaps of faith into novel explorations and endeavors. The author demonstrates this in many examples such as, how we better understand hypothermia by failed missions to Antarctica, that we have expanded heart surgery by numerous failed surgeries for rheumatic heart disease, and that we understand the impacts of space due to changes in astronauts physiology upon return to earth. Overall, this book is a call for continued human exploration in all aspects since we never know how a failed or seemingly insignificant leap of faith today will impact the future of the human race tomorrow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Dr. Kevin Fong is not just a doctor - he also has a degree in astrophysics and worked at NASA. His impressive resume and penchant for adventure makes him a uniquely suitable author for a book that tracks the advancement of medicine with human exploration. He writes about how Arctic expeditions led doctors to use near-hypothermia to stave off death in heart procedures, pilots’ terrible burns in WWII cockpits led to the development of plastic surgery, and many more fascinating stories. Fong is a fantastic writer and dumbs down the science just enough. He’s hopeful and confident in our scientific abilities - mentioning that a 103-year-old patient of his was born in a time before the Wright Brothers, no one had yet climbed Everest, and horse-drawn carriages were in London streets. Read this book!
Dr. Kevin Fong is not just a doctor - he also has a degree in astrophysics and worked at NASA. His impressive resume and penchant for adventure makes him a uniquely suitable author for a book that tracks the advancement of medicine with human exploration. He writes about how Arctic expeditions led doctors to use near-hypothermia to stave off death in heart procedures, pilots’ terrible burns in WWII cockpits led to the development of plastic surgery, and many more fascinating stories. Fong is a fantastic writer and dumbs down the science just enough. He’s hopeful and confident in our scientific abilities - mentioning that a 103-year-old patient of his was born in a time before the Wright Brothers, no one had yet climbed Everest, and horse-drawn carriages were in London streets. Read this book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews