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Hearts: Of Surgeons and Transplants, Miracles and Disasters Along the Cardiac Frontier
Pioneer heart surgeons and bitter The “thoroughly engrossing” true story of doctors Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley (The New York Times Book Review).
By 1970, the Texas Medical Center in Houston was the leading heart institute in the world, home to the field’s two most distinguished Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey and his young and ambitious disciple, Dr. Denton Arthur Cooley. Their combined mastery in occlusive disease, coronary artery bypass surgery, angioplasty, and heart transplants was unparalleled. For years they worked across the same operating table focused on, and fighting toward, the same lifesaving goals.
But what began as a personal friendship and a mutually respectful professional partnership soon deteriorated into a jealous and embittered feud. Though their discord was a cause célèbre among colleagues, it would take award-winning investigative journalist Thomas Thompson to uncover the stunning betrayals and simmering resentments that fueled one of the most famous rivalries in the history of medicine.
Weaving the story of DeBakey and Cooley with the stories of patients suffering life-threatening medical conditions, Thompson paints a fascinating portrait of the risks and rewards of cutting-edge science. From devastating tragedies to miraculous breakthroughs, Hearts is a richly detailed and utterly “compelling” account of the turmoil and tension behind one of the greatest medical achievements of the twentieth century (Time).
By 1970, the Texas Medical Center in Houston was the leading heart institute in the world, home to the field’s two most distinguished Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey and his young and ambitious disciple, Dr. Denton Arthur Cooley. Their combined mastery in occlusive disease, coronary artery bypass surgery, angioplasty, and heart transplants was unparalleled. For years they worked across the same operating table focused on, and fighting toward, the same lifesaving goals.
But what began as a personal friendship and a mutually respectful professional partnership soon deteriorated into a jealous and embittered feud. Though their discord was a cause célèbre among colleagues, it would take award-winning investigative journalist Thomas Thompson to uncover the stunning betrayals and simmering resentments that fueled one of the most famous rivalries in the history of medicine.
Weaving the story of DeBakey and Cooley with the stories of patients suffering life-threatening medical conditions, Thompson paints a fascinating portrait of the risks and rewards of cutting-edge science. From devastating tragedies to miraculous breakthroughs, Hearts is a richly detailed and utterly “compelling” account of the turmoil and tension behind one of the greatest medical achievements of the twentieth century (Time).
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1971
181 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Thompson
216 books83 followersHe was born in Texas and graduated from the University of Texas in 1955. He then worked as a reporter and editor at the Houston Press.
Thompson joined Life Magazine in 1961 and became an editor and staff writer. While at Life he covered the JFK assassination and was the first writer to locate Lee Harvey Oswald's home and wife. Among his stories were coverage of the making of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, in which he revealed the group's extensive drug use; an in-depth look at Frank Sinatra and his alleged Mafia ties; and the 40th and 50th birthdays of Elizabeth Taylor.
His book Hearts (1971) concerned the rivalry between Houston surgeons Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley at the dawn of the heart transplant era. Richie: The Ultimate Tragedy Between One Decent Man and the Son He Loved (1973) was the story of a Long Island man who killed his drug-addicted son. This was made into a TV-movie called The Death of Richie. Thompson's most successful book was Blood and Money (1976). It was based on a true story of scandal and murder. The book sold four million copies in fourteen languages. Thompson also wrote Serpentine (1979), the story of convicted murderer Charles Sobhraj. Thompson wrote one novel, Celebrity (1982), which was on the national best-seller list for six months. That novel became the basis for a five hour mini series in 1984.
Thompson received the National Headliner Award for investigative reporting. He was also the 1977 Edgar Award winner for Blood and Money.
"Thompson first wrote Western stories for pulp magazines in 1940 after stints as a sailor, a nightclub entertainer, a secretary and a furniture salesman. He later published hundreds of articles in national general-interest magazines and wrote 25 Western novels, including “Range Drifter,” “Shadow of the Butte” and “Bitter Water.” (latimes.com)
He was a co-founder and president in 1957 of Western Writers of America and later received two of that group’s Spur Awards for his writing. Thompson was a life member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame."
Thompson's family believed that the liver disease that caused his death was contracted in the Far East while investigating the Charles Sobhraj saga. When he became ill, Thomas was teaching writing at the University of Southern California.
Thompson joined Life Magazine in 1961 and became an editor and staff writer. While at Life he covered the JFK assassination and was the first writer to locate Lee Harvey Oswald's home and wife. Among his stories were coverage of the making of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, in which he revealed the group's extensive drug use; an in-depth look at Frank Sinatra and his alleged Mafia ties; and the 40th and 50th birthdays of Elizabeth Taylor.
His book Hearts (1971) concerned the rivalry between Houston surgeons Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley at the dawn of the heart transplant era. Richie: The Ultimate Tragedy Between One Decent Man and the Son He Loved (1973) was the story of a Long Island man who killed his drug-addicted son. This was made into a TV-movie called The Death of Richie. Thompson's most successful book was Blood and Money (1976). It was based on a true story of scandal and murder. The book sold four million copies in fourteen languages. Thompson also wrote Serpentine (1979), the story of convicted murderer Charles Sobhraj. Thompson wrote one novel, Celebrity (1982), which was on the national best-seller list for six months. That novel became the basis for a five hour mini series in 1984.
Thompson received the National Headliner Award for investigative reporting. He was also the 1977 Edgar Award winner for Blood and Money.
"Thompson first wrote Western stories for pulp magazines in 1940 after stints as a sailor, a nightclub entertainer, a secretary and a furniture salesman. He later published hundreds of articles in national general-interest magazines and wrote 25 Western novels, including “Range Drifter,” “Shadow of the Butte” and “Bitter Water.” (latimes.com)
He was a co-founder and president in 1957 of Western Writers of America and later received two of that group’s Spur Awards for his writing. Thompson was a life member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame."
Thompson's family believed that the liver disease that caused his death was contracted in the Far East while investigating the Charles Sobhraj saga. When he became ill, Thomas was teaching writing at the University of Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 12, 2020
4.5
Although I have read everything Thomas Thompson has written, I was reluctant to pick Hearts up. But I did and found it hard to put down. And that’s the genius of Thompson. He through the magic of his writing makes all his books fascinating
Although I have read everything Thomas Thompson has written, I was reluctant to pick Hearts up. But I did and found it hard to put down. And that’s the genius of Thompson. He through the magic of his writing makes all his books fascinating
June 30, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
I read this as a buddy read with my sister-in-law. She is a retired nurse and she loves medical fact and fiction. Needless to say, she whipped through this book in 3 or 4 days while I took my normal almost 3 weeks.
But I digress. Thomas Thompson was well known for his investigative journalism and wrote a number of bestsellers. Hearts was his first book. The book is a tell all of early surgical intervention in treating heart disease. In the early ‘60’s, the two most famous doctors performing innovative and never tried before surgical heart procedures were Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley. In fact, Dr. Cooley was actually Mike DeBakey’s protégé. But the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas was too small to accommodate the super-egos of two extraordinary surgeons. So Denton moved next door to St. Luke’s and the two of them shared an intense rivalry that lasted their entire professional careers.
In 1968, they both began performing heart transplants which was then new and innovative and controversial. Needless to say, most of those first recipients died within days. There is a summary of heart transplants as of March 1, 1971 at the end of the book. A total of 167 transplants up til then with 24 survivors.
Of course, since 1971, the advances made in medicine and medical procedures is astounding and some of the material was just a bit outdated. But it was well worth the time invested to read.
The ATY Goodreads Challenge - 2024
Prompt #45 - a book that is not a novel
I read this as a buddy read with my sister-in-law. She is a retired nurse and she loves medical fact and fiction. Needless to say, she whipped through this book in 3 or 4 days while I took my normal almost 3 weeks.
But I digress. Thomas Thompson was well known for his investigative journalism and wrote a number of bestsellers. Hearts was his first book. The book is a tell all of early surgical intervention in treating heart disease. In the early ‘60’s, the two most famous doctors performing innovative and never tried before surgical heart procedures were Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley. In fact, Dr. Cooley was actually Mike DeBakey’s protégé. But the Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas was too small to accommodate the super-egos of two extraordinary surgeons. So Denton moved next door to St. Luke’s and the two of them shared an intense rivalry that lasted their entire professional careers.
In 1968, they both began performing heart transplants which was then new and innovative and controversial. Needless to say, most of those first recipients died within days. There is a summary of heart transplants as of March 1, 1971 at the end of the book. A total of 167 transplants up til then with 24 survivors.
Of course, since 1971, the advances made in medicine and medical procedures is astounding and some of the material was just a bit outdated. But it was well worth the time invested to read.
The ATY Goodreads Challenge - 2024
Prompt #45 - a book that is not a novel
October 14, 2020
Good follow-up to BLOOD AND MONEY, but such a different book. Still, a great history of heart surgery, and of the evolving role of the surgeon himself, as typified by Houston's two great rivals, the two men who led the world of cardiac surgery at the time (1972), Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley. DeBakey's name seems to always come first around town, as it does in the book. He was the senior of the two. But Cooley was probably the better surgeon.
Their style and appearance may have been as different as night and day, but the two had so much in common: both great and leading heart surgeons, with incredible talent and work ethic, and world-class skills not only in surgery but in building hospitals, raising funds, generating publicity.
I enjoyed this book not only as a great medical story, and a time capsule of a critical two-year window in the history of heart surgery and heart transplants, but also as an entertaining and informative history of Houston in general, and the famed "Texas Medical Center" specifically.
Speaking of Houston, I never knew it was a BYOB town. Thompson remembers working as a reporter when no public establishment was allowed to serve alcohol (so members-only clubs sprung up all over town). You could drink in a restaurant, and they would supply the ice and the glasses, but you had to bring your own bottle. That's a far cry from today--one recent Houston Press article called Houston the world capitol of topless dancing.
I shared this story on Facebook:
Quotes:
"Next to a minister who drinks, there is nothing more comforting to a sinner than a doctor who smokes."
"I used to love to read. It was my supreme joy, and now I have no time to read.... A person who has no time to read has no time to come close to anybody or anything. When you commit yourself to becoming a heart surgeon, you must divorce all human relationships---wife, family, patients..."
--Dr. Grady L. Hallman, partner to Denton Cooley, as quoted in HEARTS, by Thomas Thompson, 1971.
(Hallman's 2017 obituary says he enjoyed 62 years of marriage to his wife Martha. --And my brother says Hallman was a wonderful, kind doctor to intern with while in medical school.)
"There's simply no area of surgery where you can lose patients on the table as you do in heart work. Gunshots, traffic-crash victims--these patients may crater on you. But with elective surgery, YOU'RE the guy who makes the decision to operate, and when YOU fix the heart, and it doesn't start up again, then YOU'RE the guy who killed him. When it happens to me, I go out and sit somewhere and weep."
--Don Bricker, M.D., as quoted in HEARTS, by Thomas Thompson.
Their style and appearance may have been as different as night and day, but the two had so much in common: both great and leading heart surgeons, with incredible talent and work ethic, and world-class skills not only in surgery but in building hospitals, raising funds, generating publicity.
I enjoyed this book not only as a great medical story, and a time capsule of a critical two-year window in the history of heart surgery and heart transplants, but also as an entertaining and informative history of Houston in general, and the famed "Texas Medical Center" specifically.
Speaking of Houston, I never knew it was a BYOB town. Thompson remembers working as a reporter when no public establishment was allowed to serve alcohol (so members-only clubs sprung up all over town). You could drink in a restaurant, and they would supply the ice and the glasses, but you had to bring your own bottle. That's a far cry from today--one recent Houston Press article called Houston the world capitol of topless dancing.
I shared this story on Facebook:
When Drs. DeBakey and Cooley ran the biggest rivalry since the Hatfields and McCoys, entire hospital staffs took sides in the great heart surgeon showdown. Such is the subject of Thomas Thompson's 1972 book, HEARTS.
Still, I was taken by surprise when one brief portion of the book was devoted to analyzing which hospital had been more deeply gouged by American Gypsies. The hospitals had become the pilgrimage of choice for wealthy heart patients from around the world, but each time a Gypsy royal took sick they came to Houston in caravans of dozens and dozens of family members. And they broke all the hospital rules. "We're paying for this bed, if Grandma wants to sleep in it too, she will." They stole wheelchairs and televisions and sold them. They checked out of hospitals without paying, arguing "We paid for him to be cured. Now he's dead. So we're not paying." The children ran wild through the rooms and halls of Methodist and St. Luke's, racing wheelchairs, and raising and lowering beds everywhere they went.
In the end, the author decided St. Luke's endured the worst, evidenced by much of the above, by tents pitched on every bare spot of grass, and, as a sort of coup de grace, one surgeon leaving work near midnight found a Gypsy family roasting a chicken on the hood of his Cadillac.
Quotes:
"Next to a minister who drinks, there is nothing more comforting to a sinner than a doctor who smokes."
"I used to love to read. It was my supreme joy, and now I have no time to read.... A person who has no time to read has no time to come close to anybody or anything. When you commit yourself to becoming a heart surgeon, you must divorce all human relationships---wife, family, patients..."
--Dr. Grady L. Hallman, partner to Denton Cooley, as quoted in HEARTS, by Thomas Thompson, 1971.
(Hallman's 2017 obituary says he enjoyed 62 years of marriage to his wife Martha. --And my brother says Hallman was a wonderful, kind doctor to intern with while in medical school.)
"There's simply no area of surgery where you can lose patients on the table as you do in heart work. Gunshots, traffic-crash victims--these patients may crater on you. But with elective surgery, YOU'RE the guy who makes the decision to operate, and when YOU fix the heart, and it doesn't start up again, then YOU'RE the guy who killed him. When it happens to me, I go out and sit somewhere and weep."
--Don Bricker, M.D., as quoted in HEARTS, by Thomas Thompson.
August 30, 2018
This is a fascinating history of the beginnings of heart transplants. This is the second nonfiction book I’ve read by Thomas Thompson. Both books read like a novel. The research and access this author had makes this not only informative but touching as we meet some of the early transplant candidates. The “new” surgery, Coronary Artery Bypass surgery is also discussed. These Drs were incredibly gifted. They were tops in the world and people travelled from everywhere to have surgery in Houston Texas. They operated on kids as well as adults. This is a very personal account of a subject that could have been very dry.
September 7, 2020
A well researched and well-written chronology of the advent of open heart surgery in Houston in the late 60s, early 70s, with a focus on the rivalry between the two top surgeons, whose skills are matched only by their competitiveness and ego, it would seem. They were definitely geniuses and extremely gifted in their craft, pioneers of amazing surgical feats, and designers of grafts and devices still in
use today, though perhaps less often, this discipline having undergone so many changes. (The book has no run-on sentences, I assure you.)
This was a bit before my time in the O.R. offering these procedures (with the exception of transplants), but I could certainly identify with many of the situations. I applaud Thompson's research and reporting, and his personal references gleaned from his time as an observer and student of this amazing time in surgical history.
A great read.
use today, though perhaps less often, this discipline having undergone so many changes. (The book has no run-on sentences, I assure you.)
This was a bit before my time in the O.R. offering these procedures (with the exception of transplants), but I could certainly identify with many of the situations. I applaud Thompson's research and reporting, and his personal references gleaned from his time as an observer and student of this amazing time in surgical history.
A great read.
March 2, 2016
This book left me feeling defeated and exhilarated, hopeful and weary. The story is amazing; these surgeons were so courageous and prolific in their work. The book was chock full of typos, so the editing could have been better, but you can sort of feel the urgency in it, so it isn't too distracting. Definitely a book that makes me want to read more books!
April 8, 2017
GOOD PERSPECTIVES ON EARLY CV .SURGERY
When i graduated from nurng school in 1967, Methodist in HOuston wss a leader in.CV surgery My critical care instructor trained there and Dr Debakey was the bomb It is ery interesting to learn more about the programs and personalities involved.
When i graduated from nurng school in 1967, Methodist in HOuston wss a leader in.CV surgery My critical care instructor trained there and Dr Debakey was the bomb It is ery interesting to learn more about the programs and personalities involved.
August 28, 2017
Naturally this is very dated, printed in 1971, but it forms a good picture of what was going on in the field of heart surgery in Houston, Texas, in the 1960s, at a time when science was bounding forward. (Not that science is moving slowly now, but there was a leap forward then.) There were high hopes for heart transplants, bounded by rejection of transplanted hearts, to the point that they stopped transplanting hearts at that time. Nowadays heart transplants do happen, but I doubt there has ever been such a rush to replace hearts with other human hearts as there was during the "transplant year". The two main characters form an illustrative contrast. I've been in hospitals several times to give birth, and have some experience being there with my children and husband. I have not read much about the healthcare industry more recent than the 1950s; this was interesting to me given that this book shows changes that presage the current state of affairs, but are in many ways "traditionally" closer to the 1940s and 50s. It seems a little odd that hospitals could be "traditional" in outlook and power structure, given that the whole notion of hospitals in a modern sense has only been around for a couple hundred years. We owe a lot to the past!
June 16, 2024
Being a new nurse in the early 70s, I was aware of Michael DeBakey but honestly not sure I ever heard of Denton Cooley.
I found this book to be quite interesting. As it delved into the world of hearts and heart surgery. The ins and outs, the rivalry and the sometimes immoral practices were for the most part understandable. The arrogance of the surgeon, the self- belief that he was a God was depicted quite accurately by the author and their behavior. But basically it was the incompatibility of two enormous egos of DeBakey and Cooley that lead to their split and the formation of Houston as a mecca for heart surgery.
The early challenges faced with heart transplantation was especially educational. What I didn't realize was how there was not the level of matching that occurs today.
The author did an excellent job of viewing the subject from all angles and explaining the intricacies in a manner the everyone can understand.
I found this book to be quite interesting. As it delved into the world of hearts and heart surgery. The ins and outs, the rivalry and the sometimes immoral practices were for the most part understandable. The arrogance of the surgeon, the self- belief that he was a God was depicted quite accurately by the author and their behavior. But basically it was the incompatibility of two enormous egos of DeBakey and Cooley that lead to their split and the formation of Houston as a mecca for heart surgery.
The early challenges faced with heart transplantation was especially educational. What I didn't realize was how there was not the level of matching that occurs today.
The author did an excellent job of viewing the subject from all angles and explaining the intricacies in a manner the everyone can understand.
July 21, 2022
*Hearts* is *The Right Stuff* of the medical frontier. The focus is on open heart surgery in the early days of coronary bypass and transplants in Texas. Very informative and excitingly told history. The only drawback is the author’s not knowing when it’s time to sew things up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“We all try to avoid cholesterol, but what the lay public doesn’t realize is that two-thirds to three-fourths of it is manufactured within the body and not brought by diet. The pure form of this is definitely inherited.“
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“We all try to avoid cholesterol, but what the lay public doesn’t realize is that two-thirds to three-fourths of it is manufactured within the body and not brought by diet. The pure form of this is definitely inherited.“
May 27, 2022
This is a fascinating book about the heart "industry" in Houston, TX in the 1960's. The two main characters being DeBakey and Cooley, both of whom are obsessive about their craft and rather impersonal people (My personal biggest complaint of doctors). The author got incredible access to both medical centers being able to talk to patients, doctors, nurses and loved ones and tells their story in a extremely compelling manner
September 25, 2018
Medical Story
The author has written an excellent book about the great heart surgeons of Houston. Anyone who has ever had any dealings with doctors would enjoy reading this book. Consider
The author has written an excellent book about the great heart surgeons of Houston. Anyone who has ever had any dealings with doctors would enjoy reading this book. Consider
September 1, 2019
Hearts
Great for people who have had open heart surgery or cardiac surgeons. Very well written and a fast read. Good!
Great for people who have had open heart surgery or cardiac surgeons. Very well written and a fast read. Good!
July 17, 2025
Amazing!
Interesting history of a practice we take for granted today. We have many pioneers to thank and they're not all in the medical community.
Interesting history of a practice we take for granted today. We have many pioneers to thank and they're not all in the medical community.
September 1, 2025
Great writing by the author, amazing story about two of the greatest pioneering heart surgeons in the country. It pulled at many different emotions.
October 18, 2025
AS former OR nurse, I enjoyed reading about the early days of heart transplants and treatment of coronary heart disease.
July 22, 2024
Having worked in hospitals for years, the egos of the cardiac surgeons in this book didn’t surprise me. I applaud the number of lives that were saved and enhanced by doctors Cooley and DeBakey. I am also concerned by the recklessness of some of their procedures and the lack of bedside manner with their patients. All in all a very informative book on the history of cardiac surgery.
February 9, 2020
Thompson writes about the first years of the surgical innovations that allowed medical giants & competitors Cooley & DeBakey to perform near miracles. The innovations at DeBakey's Baylor Medical & Cooley's Texas Heart Institute allowed cardiac surgery to perfect valvular & aneurysm repairs, coronary bypasses, pediatric heart reconstructions, sought after heart transplants & the elusive artificial heart machine. Thompson explores the tense competition between mentor DeBakey & his protege Cooley, their respective innovations, their dedicated teams of scientists, cardiologists, anesthesiologists, surgical residents, nursing staff as they developed new medical standards of operation & care for the transplant patient. Outside the actual surgery, very few in the medical field knew how to take care of heart transplant recipients. Ultimately, the field of transplantation medicine grew in post-surgical the setting of medical complications, infections & sadly rejections. Regardless, neither surgeon would not have succeeded in pursuing these innovations without of the scores of patients that were drawn to them seeking hope to their relieve their ailing broken hearts. These patients were also the innovators - their courage to be among the firsts in this new medical field deserves to be highlighted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 10, 2016
Very educational if you want to be a surgeon or have heart issues....some of it is very disconcerting...not sure I would trust new surgeons anymore...it is nonfiction, but none of the main characters come out very heroic...I am not sure I would want to be a doctor after reading this...although I am very grateful for them, and one can see how much is sacrificed in these high- octane lives.if you have a healthy heart, be thankful and take care of it...l
March 11, 2016
I love this author. It's been ages since I read this particular book, but I remember being really fascinated to see that doctors are capable of the same jealousies, small-mindedness, etc. as the rest of us. Enjoyed it.
August 2, 2022
This is the second book I’ve read on this subject.This is
More centered on the competing lives of these geniuses and is amazingly a very good read for non medical people. I found the book complex and exciting.
More centered on the competing lives of these geniuses and is amazingly a very good read for non medical people. I found the book complex and exciting.
November 11, 2015
Very interesting story about two heart doctors who competed against each other.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews