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Borrowing Life: How Scientists, Surgeons, and a War Hero Made the First Successful Organ Transplant a Reality
Against a global backdrop of wartime suffering and postwar hope, Borrowing Life gathers the personal histories of the men and women behind the team that enabled and performed the modern medical miracle of the world's first successful organ transplant.
Performed at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in 1954, the first successful kidney transplant was the culmination of years of grit, compassion, and the pursuit of excellence by a remarkable medical team--Nobel Prize-winning surgeon Joseph Murray, his boss and fellow surgeon Francis Moore, and British scientist and fellow Nobel laureate Peter Medawar. Drawing on the lives of these members of the Greatest Generation, Borrowing Life creates a compelling narrative that begins in wartime and tracks decades of the ups and downs, personal and professional, of these inspiring men and their achievements, which continue to benefit humankind in so many ways.
Performed at Boston's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in 1954, the first successful kidney transplant was the culmination of years of grit, compassion, and the pursuit of excellence by a remarkable medical team--Nobel Prize-winning surgeon Joseph Murray, his boss and fellow surgeon Francis Moore, and British scientist and fellow Nobel laureate Peter Medawar. Drawing on the lives of these members of the Greatest Generation, Borrowing Life creates a compelling narrative that begins in wartime and tracks decades of the ups and downs, personal and professional, of these inspiring men and their achievements, which continue to benefit humankind in so many ways.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 14, 2020
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May 1, 2020https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EAy...
I am the author and this video is a short "lecture" on that I learned writing this narrative history. I consider writing BORROWING LIFE one of the highlights of my long career of 50 plus years writing novels, NPR commentaries, and now creative nonfiction. Would Borrowing Life be appropriate for highschoolers? College students? I'm eager to hear from you after you've turned the last page. I learned long ago that the measure of a book is whether or not you are the same person after you turn the last page. I was not the same person after writing the last page! To spend time with these inspiring men and women through their written words, and through what the surgeon's children told me, was a transforming experience.
January 21, 2024
As a living kidney donor, I am so excited to read my first book about transplant surgery! There’s maybe a little too much into the lives of all the people but I’m really enjoying this. Overall a story very touching and close to my heart and remaining kidney. 4.1 stars
February 7, 2021
During and after WWII the science of transplanting made huge progress. Shelley Mickle follows several of the people who were making that progress possible: a medical scientist, a surgeon, and a patient. Skin grafts were front and center in the breakthroughs regarding the difficulties of transplant surgery. The rejection of foreign cells was the major obstacle to successful transplants, and once this was overcome, to an extent, it was possible to apply transplant science to other organs. What makes this narrative a bit different than others on the same topic is that Mickle includes the stories of the families as well, since these accomplishments were not achieved by individuals, but by groups of people, including the families. Very readable and informative!
March 14, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
March 23, 2020
I knew close to nothing about the first organ transplant before reading this. I would have guessed a general timeline of the first transplant, but beyond that... this was all new and very interesting material! I love this kind of book because there is so much to learn and think about.
The author does an excellent job of making non-fiction read like a story. She has a wide array of 'characters'- many of the people who have influenced the timeline of events before and after the first transplant. I found myself telling my husband details within every chapter: "Hey! Did you know this?.... I have to tell you something! Woah! What about this?..."
It was fun being able to share tidbits with him and gave us something completely out of the norm to talk about. I do think that this book is written in a way that would appeal to many readers- both people that know quite a bit about the topic, as well as people who are coming into it without any idea of what they are going to read.
There were aspects of the material that were repetitive. The fact that people pre-WW2 would have considered such a medical feat to be science fiction and impossible, the characteristics of the doctors and problems that could go wrong. The author, Shelly Frasier Mickle, really did her research and was able to provide many accounts from relatives of the scientists and doctors involved. She also has a fun acknowledgement at the end of the book that talks about why she got involved with writing this book in particular.
Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is such a wonderful and informative read- I highly recommend it!
The author does an excellent job of making non-fiction read like a story. She has a wide array of 'characters'- many of the people who have influenced the timeline of events before and after the first transplant. I found myself telling my husband details within every chapter: "Hey! Did you know this?.... I have to tell you something! Woah! What about this?..."
It was fun being able to share tidbits with him and gave us something completely out of the norm to talk about. I do think that this book is written in a way that would appeal to many readers- both people that know quite a bit about the topic, as well as people who are coming into it without any idea of what they are going to read.
There were aspects of the material that were repetitive. The fact that people pre-WW2 would have considered such a medical feat to be science fiction and impossible, the characteristics of the doctors and problems that could go wrong. The author, Shelly Frasier Mickle, really did her research and was able to provide many accounts from relatives of the scientists and doctors involved. She also has a fun acknowledgement at the end of the book that talks about why she got involved with writing this book in particular.
Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is such a wonderful and informative read- I highly recommend it!
January 10, 2022
Borrowing life follows the story of several men related to the first successful kidney transplant in the United States. The Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston during the year 1954 was the first successful surgery between surgeon Joseph Murray and Frances Moore along with scientist Peter Meddawar. This book started out being inspired by a pilot who was badly burned flying the Hump in China where skin grafts were not rejected by the body and led to the patient living a fruitful life. This inspired the scientists to keep on trying and despite many misstep’s were successful with a pair of identical twins. Years later they would find the right concoction of antiviral medication that would allow those who were not twins to successfully have a kidney transplant. This book definitely bounces all over the place between various people that you do need to keep track of but ultimately is very easy to read and goes quickly.
January 8, 2023
A very accessible and informative book about what went in to the miracle of organ transplantation. My mother had a kidney transplant in 2010 and it was a great help to her, although a little scary in our family. This book had been sitting on my shelf for several months when my older sister went onto the heart transplant list. She had her transplant in October and has had ups and downs, but is miles ahead of where she was before. Needless to say, this book held personal interest for me. Still, I think it would be fascinating for anyone interested in medicine, science, history, or even the life of ideas.
The book specifically sets out to follow 4 men who were instrumental in the process of making organ transplants possible. Charles Woods was a member of the Flying Tigers and was severely injured during World War II when the plane he was in crashed in the Himalayas. According to all of the medical knowledge of the time, he should have died from the 3rd degree burns over most of his body and the loss of fluid. However, he lived to return to the US for treatment at Valley Forge, where skin grafts used to cover his wounds were not immediately rejected -- likely due to his immune system being suppressed from the shock of his wounds. This development sparked ideas about organ transplantation, long considered medically impossible, in the mind of young Dr. Joe Murray. Joe treated Charles and always credited him with sparking his desire to find a way to transplant organs. He was a gifted plastic surgeon who treated Charles' burns and scar tissue for years and who particularly loved craniofacial restoration. He won the Nobel Prize in 1990. Dr. Joe Murray left the military and went into private surgical work with Dr. Francis Moore, a hard-charging and devoted surgeon at Brigham Hospital in Boston who was a visionary when it came to the prospect of organ transplantation. Both doctors relied heavily on the work of Peter Medawar who was a doctor of zoology and became the father of immunology through his extensive work determining how the immune system functioned and how that impacted transplanted tissue. He won a Nobel Prize for that work in 1960.
This book manages to give a brief biography of the various men and their wives and discuss what led them to the path they took in life. It also conveys the medical procedures and research work in very accessible terminology and makes it interesting -- more than scientific mumbo-jumbo, it is described in everyday language, simply but elegantly. It also incorporates aspects of history you might not have learned elsewhere, including about the development of the atomic bomb and how radiation played a part in organ transplantation research because of its effects on the immune system. And it brings in the fun tidbits that really make no difference to the story but somehow make these people more real and connected to normal life, like Peter Medawar during his WWII home guard service in Oxford with Tolkien, being chastised for his understanding of literature by Lewis, and still being brave enough to try again with Eliot.
All in all, this was a great read and one I would recommend to people who are not squeamish at the discussion of medical procedures.
The book specifically sets out to follow 4 men who were instrumental in the process of making organ transplants possible. Charles Woods was a member of the Flying Tigers and was severely injured during World War II when the plane he was in crashed in the Himalayas. According to all of the medical knowledge of the time, he should have died from the 3rd degree burns over most of his body and the loss of fluid. However, he lived to return to the US for treatment at Valley Forge, where skin grafts used to cover his wounds were not immediately rejected -- likely due to his immune system being suppressed from the shock of his wounds. This development sparked ideas about organ transplantation, long considered medically impossible, in the mind of young Dr. Joe Murray. Joe treated Charles and always credited him with sparking his desire to find a way to transplant organs. He was a gifted plastic surgeon who treated Charles' burns and scar tissue for years and who particularly loved craniofacial restoration. He won the Nobel Prize in 1990. Dr. Joe Murray left the military and went into private surgical work with Dr. Francis Moore, a hard-charging and devoted surgeon at Brigham Hospital in Boston who was a visionary when it came to the prospect of organ transplantation. Both doctors relied heavily on the work of Peter Medawar who was a doctor of zoology and became the father of immunology through his extensive work determining how the immune system functioned and how that impacted transplanted tissue. He won a Nobel Prize for that work in 1960.
This book manages to give a brief biography of the various men and their wives and discuss what led them to the path they took in life. It also conveys the medical procedures and research work in very accessible terminology and makes it interesting -- more than scientific mumbo-jumbo, it is described in everyday language, simply but elegantly. It also incorporates aspects of history you might not have learned elsewhere, including about the development of the atomic bomb and how radiation played a part in organ transplantation research because of its effects on the immune system. And it brings in the fun tidbits that really make no difference to the story but somehow make these people more real and connected to normal life, like Peter Medawar during his WWII home guard service in Oxford with Tolkien, being chastised for his understanding of literature by Lewis, and still being brave enough to try again with Eliot.
All in all, this was a great read and one I would recommend to people who are not squeamish at the discussion of medical procedures.
May 11, 2020
An object lesson for today's crisis
I am a restless reader who usually prefers the pace and energy of fiction to reading history or biography. So when my wife recommended Borrowing Life, I opened it hesitantly. It took only the first few pages, though, to hook me. This is a tale of medical innovation, discovery, and daring that races ahead at a page turning clip while detailing the history of the early days of organ transplantation both from the viewpoints of the pioneers who accomplished it and the patients who shared the risk of their endeavor. It is a portrait of such intimacy that it feels like being embedded in their lives.
As the story draws together the threads of each of the protagonists' lives, it demonstrates the serendipity with which diverse realms of discovery can come together synergistically to produce monumental advances. The story of organ transplantation is also the story of the origins of our understanding of how the immune system works. And in this story, learning to selectively turn off the body's defenses in order for it to accept something foreign within it is the key to success.
We are now in the midst of a life and death race to learn how to selectively turn on the immune system to fight a lethal invader. This quest builds upon the work described in this book. And the process is remarkably similar, bringing together advances in disciplines as diverse as genetic engineering, virology, immunology, epidemiology, and artificial intelligence. While in this quest countless lives hang in the balance and thousands of scientists are at work on the solution, the challenge is the same as the one that faced just a handful of medical giants three quarters of a century ago. Borrowing Life describes how that work provided hope in its day to people with little hope of survival. Reading it today provided hope that the innovative spirit of mankind will solve the threat that now faces us.
I am a restless reader who usually prefers the pace and energy of fiction to reading history or biography. So when my wife recommended Borrowing Life, I opened it hesitantly. It took only the first few pages, though, to hook me. This is a tale of medical innovation, discovery, and daring that races ahead at a page turning clip while detailing the history of the early days of organ transplantation both from the viewpoints of the pioneers who accomplished it and the patients who shared the risk of their endeavor. It is a portrait of such intimacy that it feels like being embedded in their lives.
As the story draws together the threads of each of the protagonists' lives, it demonstrates the serendipity with which diverse realms of discovery can come together synergistically to produce monumental advances. The story of organ transplantation is also the story of the origins of our understanding of how the immune system works. And in this story, learning to selectively turn off the body's defenses in order for it to accept something foreign within it is the key to success.
We are now in the midst of a life and death race to learn how to selectively turn on the immune system to fight a lethal invader. This quest builds upon the work described in this book. And the process is remarkably similar, bringing together advances in disciplines as diverse as genetic engineering, virology, immunology, epidemiology, and artificial intelligence. While in this quest countless lives hang in the balance and thousands of scientists are at work on the solution, the challenge is the same as the one that faced just a handful of medical giants three quarters of a century ago. Borrowing Life describes how that work provided hope in its day to people with little hope of survival. Reading it today provided hope that the innovative spirit of mankind will solve the threat that now faces us.
April 7, 2020
An absorbing account of the huge effort, intellectual, emotional and physical , that went into creating the first viable human organ transplant, Borrowing Life by Shelley Fraser Mickle is a factual account of one of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine, that also delves into the lives of the men responsible..
Although the surgery in question took place in 1954, the author delves further back to give us the life stories of the surgeons Joseph Murray and Francis Moore as well as Peter Medawar, the British Scientist who dedicated his research to discovering how the immune system was involved in transplant rejection, and Charles Woods, a World War II vet who suffered horrific burns when his plane crashed, and whose numerous skin grafts provided some of the first clues as to what was needed to make a transplant a viable option.
The story is an incredible one of bravery, determination, drive and at times despair, and as a reader I was fully engaged and rooting for the success of these men. As someone who lives in a world where organ transplants though relatively rare are seen as somewhat routine, thinking of a time when they seemed like science fiction and a complete improbability it seems like it should have been a lot further away than 70 years, especially considering the progress that has been made in that time on the back of the work of these men.
I liked that the author clearly did a lot of research and took time to write about the men as a whole, not just as doctors or scientists, but also as husbands and fathers, and that she ensured that the support they received from their wives was also documented. The writing is not at all technical, there is no need to be a medical expert to read or enjoy this book, and enjoy it I certainly did.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Although the surgery in question took place in 1954, the author delves further back to give us the life stories of the surgeons Joseph Murray and Francis Moore as well as Peter Medawar, the British Scientist who dedicated his research to discovering how the immune system was involved in transplant rejection, and Charles Woods, a World War II vet who suffered horrific burns when his plane crashed, and whose numerous skin grafts provided some of the first clues as to what was needed to make a transplant a viable option.
The story is an incredible one of bravery, determination, drive and at times despair, and as a reader I was fully engaged and rooting for the success of these men. As someone who lives in a world where organ transplants though relatively rare are seen as somewhat routine, thinking of a time when they seemed like science fiction and a complete improbability it seems like it should have been a lot further away than 70 years, especially considering the progress that has been made in that time on the back of the work of these men.
I liked that the author clearly did a lot of research and took time to write about the men as a whole, not just as doctors or scientists, but also as husbands and fathers, and that she ensured that the support they received from their wives was also documented. The writing is not at all technical, there is no need to be a medical expert to read or enjoy this book, and enjoy it I certainly did.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
April 7, 2021
Organ transplants have become so common in modern medicine that it is easy to take them for granted, forgetting that there once was a time when such procedures were impossible. We seldom take the time to consider the challenges that faced the doctors and scientists who pioneered organ transplant surgeries, opening the doors for these life saving operations. This book tells their stories, showing us in vivid detail the challenges and obstacles that they had to overcome in their pursuit their goals of "borrowing life" through organ transplants.
The author is an "award-winning novelist" (according to the author bio on the back cover) and her novel writing skills serve her well in narrating this medical history. She focuses primarily on four people: Charles Woods, a WWII pilot who suffered severe burns in a airplane crash and whose response to a skin graft was the spark that got the fires of imagination going; surgeons Joseph Murray and Francis Moore, who would perform the first successful transplant; and Peter Medawar, the British scientist whose research into the immune system made it all possible.
This book is a detailed look at the men who changed medicine in the middle of the twentieth century and their reasons for pushing so hard against the accepted boundaries of conventional medicine. It shows the struggles involved in exploring new science and the setbacks that can be encountered along the way. But it also shares the rewards of finally finding success and creating new ways to save lives.
The author is an "award-winning novelist" (according to the author bio on the back cover) and her novel writing skills serve her well in narrating this medical history. She focuses primarily on four people: Charles Woods, a WWII pilot who suffered severe burns in a airplane crash and whose response to a skin graft was the spark that got the fires of imagination going; surgeons Joseph Murray and Francis Moore, who would perform the first successful transplant; and Peter Medawar, the British scientist whose research into the immune system made it all possible.
This book is a detailed look at the men who changed medicine in the middle of the twentieth century and their reasons for pushing so hard against the accepted boundaries of conventional medicine. It shows the struggles involved in exploring new science and the setbacks that can be encountered along the way. But it also shares the rewards of finally finding success and creating new ways to save lives.
August 6, 2020
Having had 3 liver transplants (none due to alcohol!), I read this book with great interest knowing that had I been born much earlier, I would not be here writing this. The dedication and perseverance of these early pioneers made my 3-transplant life possible. My surgeon was one of the liver transplant pioneers and developed some of the techniques used for my surgeries.
The book was well written, blending the personal stories of these doctors and researchers with the technical challenges of overcoming the immune system to allow for transplants to become a reality. Anyone connected to the transplant world will find this book intriguing.
Remember that life-saving transplants are only made possible by donations. Please consider being an organ donor and discuss this with your family so your wishes are known in the event you pass. I owe my life to 3 different donor families and I am ever grateful!
The book was well written, blending the personal stories of these doctors and researchers with the technical challenges of overcoming the immune system to allow for transplants to become a reality. Anyone connected to the transplant world will find this book intriguing.
Remember that life-saving transplants are only made possible by donations. Please consider being an organ donor and discuss this with your family so your wishes are known in the event you pass. I owe my life to 3 different donor families and I am ever grateful!
June 11, 2024
This was my fist time notating a book. I enjoyed this book so much. It was jsut the right length. It really shows how much a dr is willing to do for patients and the advancements we have found. It is hard to think this was onl 70 years ago when we had the first transplant.
"War was helping to push medicine into the Golden Age. Desperate measures gave rise to innovation."
"love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
When the son of the badly burned pilot saw him for the first time and cringed the pilot said " That's all right, son. You were no raving beauty the first time I saw you, either."
"You can't go to bed together if you're still mad."
Peter tried to challenge J. R. R. Tolkien in an intellectual dual and lost.
"Patients who died were referred to as being 'transfered to ward X' or 'sent to allen steet," it was the road behind Mass Gen where hearses came.
This book showed the ethical dilemma of testing on animals. but without animals in history we would not have a polio vaccination.
The drs won Nobel Prize , created by Alfred Noble.
"War was helping to push medicine into the Golden Age. Desperate measures gave rise to innovation."
"love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction."
When the son of the badly burned pilot saw him for the first time and cringed the pilot said " That's all right, son. You were no raving beauty the first time I saw you, either."
"You can't go to bed together if you're still mad."
Peter tried to challenge J. R. R. Tolkien in an intellectual dual and lost.
"Patients who died were referred to as being 'transfered to ward X' or 'sent to allen steet," it was the road behind Mass Gen where hearses came.
This book showed the ethical dilemma of testing on animals. but without animals in history we would not have a polio vaccination.
The drs won Nobel Prize , created by Alfred Noble.
January 7, 2021
I received this book from a relative because my uncle (Richard Herrick) was the recipient of the first successful organ transplant described in the book. My mother had told me about it when I was younger, but few details were given. I loved reading about the journey the doctors and scientists went through trying to discover what would succeed and what would fail and their perseverance to forge ahead. I've heard from relatives that some people were ethically opposed for the doctors to attempt organ transplants and even issued death threats against the doctors, so I was surprised that wasn't included in the book. Today, everyone is encouraged to register as a potential organ donor.
March 18, 2020
Interesting history, did not like the writing style. The author had an odd focus on the marriages of all the key players, which she tried to turn into dramatic love stories. There was a fair amount of speculation about how life events had shaped people's characters, as well as just plain tangential information. Oddly enough, I finished the book unsure of which transplant was considered the first kidney transplant - was it the one between identical twins Ronald and Richard, or the first successful transplant between unrelated patients, which was described only briefly at the end. The book was more the overall history of how organ transplantation came about than the story of "the first" transplant.
May 12, 2020
This is a fascinating account of the early history of human organ transplantation and the team of doctors and scientists that made it possible. It’s a truly amazing story of dedication and a willingness to take risks in spite of the many setbacks the team faced. The narrative style is chatty and informal but doesn’t dumb down the science, although the emphasis on the “love stories” became a bit cloying after a while. Well-researched, engaging and accessible, I was caught up in the drama of the whole enterprise, and learnt a lot. Highly recommended.
June 22, 2024
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history of medicine and transplants, but who may be intimidated by very dense material. This is written very simply, and focuses on the social aspects of these stories. I am a scientist and it’s refreshing to read something more light on the topic. The work described in the book was monumental, and came at a time that a lot of scientific breakthroughs were occurring (structure of DNA was also first described in 1953). So pick up a copy of this book and dig in!
July 7, 2020
Terrific book to be reading during a viral pandemic! Ms Mickle pulls together the different players and their ideas , the heroes and their trials plus keeping the reader entertained til the final page with all the stories that make their lives so human.Along the way she deftly educates about surgery,immunity, radiation and drug suppression,World War II flights over the “hump”, twins, Nobel laureates and the families of many delightful people . Keep writing,we want to know more
December 29, 2024
A Medical read with a Story
This is a great read of the history of kidney transplants and the stories that led to such amazing science. Mickle does a fine job weaving scientific terms in a way the average reader can understand and appreciate. The background of the pioneering surgeons and scientists was fascinating and adds to the story.
This is a great read of the history of kidney transplants and the stories that led to such amazing science. Mickle does a fine job weaving scientific terms in a way the average reader can understand and appreciate. The background of the pioneering surgeons and scientists was fascinating and adds to the story.
January 7, 2025
As a four-way biography, its interesting, if veering towards a Hagiography... These men could do no wrong, held no sorrows except when expected, and were perfect husbands and fathers, apparently.
While also being over working surgeons and scientists.
I think this was far too much into the perfect people, and too little into the science for what I was after.
While also being over working surgeons and scientists.
I think this was far too much into the perfect people, and too little into the science for what I was after.
September 3, 2020
I didn’t always understand or read thoroughly the medical details in this history (I’m not a science person) but the amazing story of the endeavors and determination of these doctors was so remarkable I kept reading.
March 16, 2025
Interesting but u soon realize that this was in fact abt very smart white men and start to get annoyed asf on how all of their wives just glazed them so hard. Maybe that’s just me cus I read this in one day and not on my own volition but I’ll say this is B B BOOOORING😭😭
April 16, 2020
An interesting history about organ transplant. And personally, it was fun to see appearances of some of my favorite Oxford dons. :)
July 26, 2020
Excellent!!!
September 3, 2020
Interesting book about first kidney transplants and the men who were involved in it. Good story but the writing was simplistic. Interesting facts learned about skin transplantation.
April 6, 2026
if you know anyone has been involved in organ donation, this book is a fascinating history of the incremental knowledge gained in order to accomplish an organ transplant.
February 21, 2020
Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought a true story about the early stages of performing kidney transplants, plastic surgery, and skin grafting would be a story that I would have a hard time putting down, would be completely enthralling, uplifting, educational and just plain awesome, well this one did. I would recommend this book to everyone and I will be telling all my friends about it.
I work in the medical field and am fully aware of the drive and determination our physicians, nurses and staff have, plus their love of what they do, but this book gives us the inside story of the physicians, sharing their childhoods, their college years, married lives, their successes and how they handled their failures. The story just got better and better as it went along, if you feel the medical terminology in the beginning of the book weighs you down, keep with it, this one is worth the wait.
Another completely enjoyable part of this book was the epilogue; I love when the author takes the time to finish up and tell us the rest of the story before they end. This one is tidied up and wrapped with a big red bow, great book!!!! I thank you Ms. Mickle for telling their story and immortalizing these great heroes!
I thank Charlesbridge and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. Well done Ms. Mickle, well done!!! High 5 stars.
I work in the medical field and am fully aware of the drive and determination our physicians, nurses and staff have, plus their love of what they do, but this book gives us the inside story of the physicians, sharing their childhoods, their college years, married lives, their successes and how they handled their failures. The story just got better and better as it went along, if you feel the medical terminology in the beginning of the book weighs you down, keep with it, this one is worth the wait.
Another completely enjoyable part of this book was the epilogue; I love when the author takes the time to finish up and tell us the rest of the story before they end. This one is tidied up and wrapped with a big red bow, great book!!!! I thank you Ms. Mickle for telling their story and immortalizing these great heroes!
I thank Charlesbridge and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. Well done Ms. Mickle, well done!!! High 5 stars.
January 4, 2020
Transferring life from one to another
This story was most interesting. It followed many firsts in medicine and how the doctors worked tirelessly to discover the correct methods of treatment throughout the years, and how one discovery could lead to another.
There were many talented medical specialists working to solve the mysteries of the human body, how it worked, and how to heal it.
The book tells the story of the first primitive dialysis machine and how it evolved. The story of the solder that burnt most of his face off helped the doctors with skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. This work led to a discovery of why the body was rejecting the grafts. The worked to find a way to keep grafts and organs from being rejected.
Than two teams of brave and skilled surgeons took a kidney from one twin brother and transplanted it into the other twin. This being the first Organ transplant.
I recommend this book .
Thanks to Shelley Fraser Mickle, Charlesbridge Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of the book.
This story was most interesting. It followed many firsts in medicine and how the doctors worked tirelessly to discover the correct methods of treatment throughout the years, and how one discovery could lead to another.
There were many talented medical specialists working to solve the mysteries of the human body, how it worked, and how to heal it.
The book tells the story of the first primitive dialysis machine and how it evolved. The story of the solder that burnt most of his face off helped the doctors with skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. This work led to a discovery of why the body was rejecting the grafts. The worked to find a way to keep grafts and organs from being rejected.
Than two teams of brave and skilled surgeons took a kidney from one twin brother and transplanted it into the other twin. This being the first Organ transplant.
I recommend this book .
Thanks to Shelley Fraser Mickle, Charlesbridge Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advance copy of the book.
December 28, 2025
read this for hosa :)
this book was a good telling of the journey that joe, franny, and peter went through up to the point of unrelated kidney transplant.
it kept me intrigued throughout, easy read
however, the parts detailing what the wives relationships were like-i didn’t like because it was kinda depressing? idk i just remember jean feeling like she was useless in the relationship/complaining how she would never be the center of his life. like this really is not necessary for the plot of the story ty
this book was a good telling of the journey that joe, franny, and peter went through up to the point of unrelated kidney transplant.
it kept me intrigued throughout, easy read
however, the parts detailing what the wives relationships were like-i didn’t like because it was kinda depressing? idk i just remember jean feeling like she was useless in the relationship/complaining how she would never be the center of his life. like this really is not necessary for the plot of the story ty
January 19, 2020
Fascinating research and presentation of the history of organ transplant. Had the book only been that, I would have rated it four stars. The personal accounts of the physicians were a bit too "cutesy" for my tastes, and, in my opinion, showed the author to most likely be an unreliable narrator in some places. Still, I give Mickle a great deal of credit for the amount of research done to complete such a book, and a very educational one at that,
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews