Pump: A Natural History of the Heart

by Bill Schutt, Patricia J. Wynne (Illustrator)

"Fascinating . . . Surprising entertainment, combining deep learning with dad jokes . . . [Schutt] is a natural teacher with an easy way with metaphor.”—The Wall Street Journal

In this lively, unexpected look at the hearts of animals—from fish to bats to humans—American Museum of Natural History zoologist Bill Schutt tells an incredible story of evolution and scientific progress.

We join Schutt on a tour from the origins of circulation, still evident in microorganisms today, to the tiny hardworking pumps of worms, to the golf-cart-size hearts of blue whales. We visit beaches where horseshoe crabs are being harvested for their blood, which has properties that can protect humans from deadly illnesses. We learn that when temperatures plummet, some frog hearts can freeze solid for weeks, resuming their beat only after a spring thaw. And we journey with Schutt through human history, too, as philosophers and scientists hypothesize, often wrongly, about what makes our ticker tick. Schutt traces humanity’s cardiac fascination from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, who believed that the heart contains the soul, all the way up to modern-day laboratories, where scientists use animal hearts and even plants as the basis for many of today’s cutting-edge therapies.

Written with verve and authority, weaving evolutionary perspectives with cultural history, Pump shows us this mysterious organ in a completely new light.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, History, Medical, Medicine, Audiobook, Biology

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2021

About the author

Bill Schutt's latest nonfiction book "Bite: An Incisive History of Teeth, from Hagfish to Humans" received a rave review in The New York Times Books https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/13/bo..., a starred review in Kirkus Reviews https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re... and raves from Publisher's Weekly (https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781...) and elsewhere. "Bite" debuted on August 13, 2024 and can be purchased or ordered anywhere books are sold.

Bill is currently working on "Desi the Vampire Bat" his first children's book, as well as a popular science book on the natural history of feet.

Bill Schutt is a long-time research associate at the American Museum of Natural History and Emeritus Professor of Biology at LIU-Post. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, he received his B.A. in Biology at C.W. Post, his MA at SUNY Geneseo, and a Ph.D. in Zoology from Cornell University. He has published over two dozen peer-reviewed articles on topics ranging from terrestrial locomotion in vampire bats to the precarious, arboreal copulatory behavior of a marsupial mouse. Schutt has written for the New York Times and Natural History magazine and his research has also been featured in those publications, Newsday, the Economist, Discover, and others. He is a member of the North American Society for Bat Research.

"Pump: A Natural History of the Heart", published in 2021 was a critical success, with great reviews from Publisher's Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Library Journal, Booklist, Kirk's Reviews and more.

Published in 2017, Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History garnered rave reviews from The New York Times, Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly (Starred Review), The New Yorker, Scientific American and many more. Cannibalism was also a 2017 Goodreads Choice Award Finalist (Science and Technology) and a Chicago Public Library "Best of the Best books of 2017".

Bill Schutt's first book, Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures, was selected as a Best Book of 2008 by Library Journal and Amazon, and was chosen for the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers program.

Schutt's co-authored WWII thriller Hell's Gate (R.J. MacCready novel #1) was published to widespread critical acclaim in 2016 (with starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Library Journal), as was The Himalayan Codex, a year later. The Darwin Strain, the final book in the R.J. MacCready trilogy debuted in Aug. 2019.

Schutt’s TED-Ed video "Cannibalism in the Animal Kingdom" came as the 9th most viewed TED-Ed video of 2018 (and currently has over 3.3 million views). His followup, "A Brief History of Cannibalism", had 1.2 million views in the first two months and came in as the 5th most viewed TED-Ed video of 2019. Schutt's 3rd TED-Ed video, on blood transfusions, had a quarter million views in the first 10 days.

Schutt lives in New York with his wife.

For Interviews & Media, contact  Katrina Tiktinsky - Publicity Assistant, Hachette Book Group, Katrina.Tiktinsky@hbgusa.com

For Speaking Engagements, contact Ashley Himes at Hachette Speakers Bureau, ashley.himes@hbgusa.com

Agent for nonfiction: Gillian MacKenzie - Gillian MacKenzie Agency - gmackenzie@gmalit.com

Agent for Fiction and Young Readers: Elizabeth Rudnick - Gillian MacKenzie Agency - erudnick@gmalit.com

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a lot of fun to write. As usual I learned a tremendous amount and there were some big surprises along the way. I hope my readers enjoy it and that they learn a bit about their own hearts and how to keep it and themselves healthy.

[Olive Fellows (abookolive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun and informative look at hearts in a number of creatures. It might not be for you if you're looking to learn more about the human heart, specifically.

Click here to hear more of my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled me in from the beginning. I loved how it felt like we got to learn along with the author as he did his own research. You could tell he was excited to inform us on all that he knew about the heart. He did a notable job touching all topics heart-related (humans, animals, invertebrates, emotions, spirit, religion, etc.). Some of my favorite parts of the book were when he taught us the history of how certain parts of the anatomy of the heart were discovered and then used medically to transform the way cardiology patients were treated. I was very interested in this book from the start because I work in cardiology research so I'm learning new things about the heart almost daily and how even the smallest imperfections can lead to all sorts of very serious problems throughout the entire body. Reading this has really enhanced my work experience and I would recommend it to anyone even slightly interested in anatomy, especially the heart.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now available in paperback.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strongest in its comparisons of different animals' circulatory systems. I suppose this must all be in Wikipedia, but it was still new to me. In the second half, however, Schutt's coverage of the human heart and circulatory system is extremely shallow, not even at the level of most popular press. This left me feeling disappointed.

> Corals, jellyfish, and comb jellies had already split off from the rest of the invertebrates before the evolution of the muscle-producing mesoderm.

> In the brain, however, the astrocytes restrict that back-and-forth movement, allowing the passage of only some substances (like oxygen, glucose, and alcohol) out of the tiny vessels. As for how that works, the astrocytes have footlike structures, appropriately called perivascular feet, which act as a barrier, covering the capillary walls

> insects lack hearts. How can a circulatory system possibly function without a heart? Well, like the horseshoe crab and many creatures with open circulatory systems, each insect possesses a dorsal vessel that runs along the midline of its entire body. Here, though, the blood vessel itself comes equipped with ostia, the intake valves we recently saw in the horseshoe crab heart. The dorsal vessel, therefore, acts somewhat like a heart, in that nutrient-rich hemolymph enters through the ostia and is expelled by contraction of the vessel’s muscular walls. Once the hemolymph leaves the dorsal vessel, it enters chamber-like hemocoels throughout the body, bringing it into contact with the head and major organs.

> Evolution has solved this problem for the giraffe, though, in the form of thick, tight-fitting skin on their legs. This arrangement works on the same principle as compression stockings worn by humans. Both prevent edema by decreasing the flow of blood into limb vessels

> One interesting side effect of hibernation is that it causes animals to live longer, and to age more slowly. Bats can live for over twenty years in the wild, an unusually long span for such a small mammal

> zebrafish hearts are able to fully regenerate after the amputation of up to 20 percent of their single ventricle

> within three days of consuming a meal, the heart of a Burmese python increases in size by 40 percent. … Not only are they able to digest prey up to half of their own body weight in a period of only four to six days, but they are able to harness that digestion into tissue growth. With the exception of the Burmese python’s brain, which is confined within the skull, “nearly every organ in the body undergoes an extremely rapid growth in size and mass,” Leinwand told me. This change is not merely due to an accumulation of fluid; it consists of actual tissue growth, usually taking place within twenty-four hours after consuming a meal.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karl Ove Knausgaard’s six-volume autobiographical novel cycle “My Struggle” opens: “For the heart, life is simple: it beats for as long as it can. Then it stops.” Pretty straightforward, mission-wise. But Bill Schutt’s “Pump: A Natural History of the Heart” reminds us that the underlying biological mechanisms powering this rhythmic dance of life are in fact quite complex. Anthropocentric readers might understandably come to “Pump” assuming it is about the human heart, but “human” is absent from the title and except for some medically technical explanations of how a person’s ticker does its business, there seem to be more invertebrates than vertebrates in the first half of the book. Generalists will find Schutt’s history of the evolution of the heart to be dauntingly detailed, with textbook-like descriptions (some helpful illustrations are included) of various adaptations that would eventually feature in our own four-chambered hearts (such as muscle contraction). But even though much here seems to be wide of the subject—the mating rituals of horseshoe crabs, cutaneous (i.e., skin) respiration in earthworms, vampiric bats (Schutt, a bat expert, notes that only three of the 1,400 species of bats are bloodsuckers)—the connecting thread soon becomes evident: after creatures first came ashore some 375 million years ago and split off to become reptiles, birds, and mammals, the “pump” changed to accommodate different environments and challenges. The second half of “Pump” is quite different, with science taking a backseat to history, as Schutt recounts how the cardiocentric ideas of ancient philosophers (Aristotle) and physicians (Hippocrates) sent science in the wrong direction for centuries, as the heart was seen as the seat of the soul, the intellect, and the emotions (this notion still holds some figurative sway; Schutt humorously points out that we might otherwise be singing along to Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Brain” or reading Joseph Conrad’s “Brain of Darkness”). The author also serves up some off-the-beaten-path medical science history, first noting the well-known practice of bloodletting using leeches and then the not-so-well-known technique of inserting said leeches into the vagina to form blood blisters that would make new brides twice-over virgins. Only towards the end of the book does Schutt turn his attention to modern advances in cardiology (cardiac catheterization, heart transplants) and looks to the future, coming full circle with reporting on experiments with zebrafish, which are able to regenerate heart tissue—a holy grail for the human heart. “Pump” is being marketed with comparisons to Mary Roach (both writers share a penchant for one-word titles and jokey footnotes) and Bill Bryson (whose recent “The Body” offers an amiable tour). But Roach and Bryson are better-organized writers who don’t swamp readers with technical details. Still, Schutt’s scientific and academic background enrich this ambitious connect-the-evolutionary-dots story of the complex organ at the center of our bodies (and lives). Recommended. (Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advanced digital reader copy).

[Francis Tapon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hallmark of a great book is when it engages a semi-interested reader.
I was semi-interested in the heart.
My wife is extremely interested in the heart, so I read this book with the hope that I can engage with her in some fun conversations.

Although this book is educational, it didn't grip me.
I found myself turning the pages quickly, looking for a juicy and memorable passage.

Still, it's an outstanding book for anyone who wants to learn about the heart that exists in the Animal Kingdom.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very interesting to read about different animals and their hearts. Although some of it was technical Bill has a great sense if humor which helps . As a nurse, I found the history of cardiology enlightening and especially enjoyed the last 50% of the book.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Syed Nouman Hasany · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author neither overwhelms the reader with biological jargon nor does he overdo it with anecdotes; it was a decent mix of both ending up in a worthwhile and enjoyable read. Will probably try other Schutt's books too.

[Jim Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty and entertaining; You will love it if you throughly enjoy bioscience nerd worship. Or, if you are fascinated by the diversity of life, origins, and how we come to understand this big beautiful real world environment called home. I’ve come to appreciate that old saying that ‘Home is really where the heart is’ after reading this wonderful book.

[Allyson Dyar · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my undergraduate degrees is in Biology/Human Anatomy and Physiology and as a requirement of the bachelor’s degree, I had to take Comparative Anatomy.

At the time, I didn’t really enjoy the course but as I read more and more books on various Human Anatomy and Physiology subjects, the more I appreciated what I had learned in the course.

Pump: A Natural History of the Heart takes the reader through the anatomy and some physiology of the heart. Not just human, but all critters -- vertebrate and invertebrate -- because no matter what kind of critter you are, you need to get sustenance to your various cells and organelles. To do this, all your cells need to either directly access the substances or have a circulatory system of some kind to get stuff to your individual cells.

I was particularly taken with the story of the beaching of a blue whale and the fascinating efforts of scientists to harvest the heart, which was huge! There is an illustration of the author sitting next to the displayed heart and he is dwarfed by its size. Since I mentioned the illustration, the book is full of great pencil illustrations by Patricia J Wynne. These drawings really helped me understand the points that Dr Schutt was making (and brought me back to my undergrad days). The rest of the book is just as enchanting.

This isn’t to say that this book is a hard read. Not at all. Dr Schutt takes the complex subject of showing the reader how various species pump or diffuse blood and nutrients throughout the body culminating on how the human heart pumps blood as well as the various instruments that doctors use to monitor and keep the human heart healthy. And he does all these heavy discussions with a liberal dose of humor. (As a side note, I wish I had taken biology courses with Dr Schutt as just about all my teachers in college were dour.)

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the subject, even those, like myself who have had advanced schooling. Dr Schutt is a really gifted writer who took a complex subject and made it fun to read and when you add the illustrations, it made it a joy to read and I suspect, you’ll enjoy it too.

[Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced ebook copy in exchange for my honest and objective opinion which I have given here.]

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a big fan of Schutt's book Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History and also have a particular interest in the heart after my thirty-seven year old (healthy until it happened) cousin ended up having a heart transplant that was successful going on a year and a half. So I was curious what Schutt would add and share about his extensively researched subject.

This book is circuitous storytelling with the bit of humor that I can appreciate in other nonfiction writers like Mary Roach. He doesn't limit his subject to the heart of a human but instead talks about the animal kingdom and many intersecting elements like blood and medical history. I was fascinated by the stories of Baby Fae who was born a year after me who had had a primate heart transplanted in the hopes that a xenotransplant might help the tiniest of patients but what they learned was a bit about the blood types of primates as well as functionality with the doctor concluding if the blood type had been the same, Baby Fae might still be alive. But Schutt then parlays that story into other hearts that we can learn from in terms of growth and/or regeneration like snakes who are constrictors or pigs or newts. And that's just one offshoot that proved fascinating.

Animals who are hibernators have better heart health. The future of organ transplantation is likely growing your own set of extra organs from stem cells. Leeches used to be used in vaginas to make it appear that a woman was a virgin when she might not have been. If you're going outside to shovel snow, you shouldn't eat a big meal ahead of time and should be extra careful if you're a smoker or if you've just had alcohol, too many heart attacks happen during this overexertion because of vasoconstriction. And the list of cool factoids goes on and on.

It's got an organization that isn't apparent to me but does work in highlighting in essay-like format with nifty quotes from past and present about things like how for many years the heart was considered the center of the body. Always a fun ride with Schutt's choice of research and writing. I'm glad I got an advanced copy to read via Netgalley!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book finished in 2022! Woo! Lol. I’ve read Schutt’s other book Dark Banquet (his most recent before Pump, I believe) in which he writes about his focus of academic research for the past 20+ years: bats (along with other blood-sucking creatures and critters, and just interesting tidbits on blood).

I gave great thought to going to medical school, as I’ve always been fascinated by the human body and its different systems and their mechanisms; the way it all fits together to form one functioning whole (I abandoned the idea because there was too much math involved and while I’m not a moron in math, I’m certainly no genius, either).

However, as someone who is still very much interested in maintaining a well-rounded knowledge of all there is to know in life, I very much have enjoyed both of Schutt’s books, which have enabled me to do so.

Pump can be enjoyed by any reader, IMO. Whether you’ve taken advanced biology classes and classes such as A&P 1 & 2, or not. He has a wonderful way of breaking down topics that can be quite complex at times, as well as infusing his book with silly jokes that, from your favorite professor, might typically earn an eye roll from you and the rest of the class (but a very endearing and appreciative one!). He has some lucky students for sure.

I especially enjoyed odd tidbits such as the fact that wood frogs can survive even after their hearts stop beating (due to freezing!). There seems to be no long-term negative consequences from this either, except for their initial reluctance to mating rituals (too tired, most likely?). Also, the Burmese python can go for - a year, I believe? - with no meal, only to then eat something 50% its total body mass and digest it within 4-5 days. The biggest one of these suckers weighed in at about 500 lbs., so they’re not exactly snacking lightly! Of course, all of the human histories of trial and error and inventions along the way were even more fascinating. A solid read I’d recommend to anyone with a mere interest in the subject. Now I just need to read his book on cannibalism (some lovely topics here, Dr. Schutt. Lol).

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the history of the study of the cardiovascular system. Some really fascinating information presented very readably. Great book!

[Paulina (kulturowy_miszmasz) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jako, że jest to książka bardziej naukowa niż popularnonaukowa moim zdaniem, ciężko mi jest o nie dużo powiedzieć. Tematy medyczne zawsze mnie interesowały, więc sięgnęłam po tę książkę z czystej ciekawości. Czasem była trudna i momentami dla mnie nie zrozumiała (moja wiedza z biologii jest taka sobie) ale napewno się czegoś nauczyłam i dowiedziałam, a właśnie ze względu na poszerzenie swojej świadomości i wiedzy sięgam po takie tytuły.
Bardzo ważne jest by nienastawianie się, że ta książka jest o sercu człowieka, bo oczywiście są rozdziały poświęcone temu ale w dużej mierze ta książka przedstawia serce jako narząd u wszystkich organizmów, ja na szczęście wiedziałam o tym przed lekturą (dzięki mojej przyjaciółce) więc dobrze się na nią nastawiłam. Gdybym nie wiedział o tym fakcie mogłabym być lekko rozczarowana. Zatem ostrzegam to nie jest tylko o sercu człowieka!

[Kerrie Hoar · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely fantastic read! With his background in anatomy and physiology, the author brings his knowledge and excellent storytelling abilities to the table with Pump: A Natural History of the Heart. Using the lens of the heart and circulatory system, the author examines not only the history of this incredible body system, but also leads us on a journey through the history of anatomy and medicine.

The book is extremely well-written and well-researched and told at a level that any reader will understand and enjoy. Readers of Bill Bryson and Mary Roach will enjoy Bill Schutt's humor and storytelling ability. L.J. Gasner does a fantastic job as the narrator.

(NETGALLEY AUDIOBOOK –  I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore Schutt's writing. Writing books for lay people about specialist topics is a tricky thing to do; one can err on the side of being too technical or worse, treating the reader as completely ignorant. Schutt manages to discuss cardiology with depth, clarifying concepts succinctly when necessary, and giving readers plenty of notes and sources they can delve into if they so choose. He's also really funny.

This book is exactly what I wanted: thorough, expansive and engaging. What more can one ask for?

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of good information, just got a little monotonous at times.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Pump: A Natural History of the Heart is a well written, layman accessible, information rich look at the heart by Dr. Bill Schutt. Originally released in 2021, this reformat and re-release to coincide with the papaerback release from Algonquin is 288 pages. The book is also available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

I liked so many things about this book. It's well written and laid out logically. The author moves from the actual physiology and function, to a comprehensive (and very entertaining) history of scientific understanding about the organ, and our gradual understanding and exciting future prospects including regenerative medicine (fix it! make it better!). Graphically, it's typeset in a high contrast easy to read typeface with illustrations and drawings scattered throughout. I really loved the drawing of the immense blue whale heart preserved in plastic absolutely *looming* over the author.

Although it's written with the layperson in mind, it's well annotated throughout. The chapter notes will make for engaging further reading. It is, admittedly, a niche book and will appeal especially to readers interested in biology, physiology, and natural history. The language is accessible and informal. The author has a gift at distilling difficult and complex concepts into smaller digestible bits and I can imagine he would be an engaging and worthwhile lecturer.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly informative and interesting read! I feel I learned many interesting facts about all animals, including humans.

[Srijan Chattopadhyay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I was incapable of forming any "Heartfelt" entanglement with this warm sleek book, my cranial grey sludge didn't lose any scope of juicing itself with some astonishing zoological brain-tingling scores of facts.

A whale with its whale of a heart, Limulus, hibernating frogs, icy fish, Darwin damaging parasites and crawling constrictors didn't let my pump be sclerotic with monotony.

Happy learning while reading.

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was quite a lot to read. Fasten your seatbelt!!!

[Debbie Ginsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look and the history, evolution, and workings of a misunderstood organ.

[Shana Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Lisa Lajmo · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciate the research, time, and effort that went into writing this non-fiction work; I went into this book with wrong expectations. I expected this to be an educational yet humorous book about the human heart and how that plays into the human body and psyche.

What I got (for the first 35% of the book) was a dissection of a blue whale heart, respiration of earthworms and how they don’t have hearts, and horseshoe crab orgies and spawning rituals. If you enjoy at length discussions on the cryogenic possibilities of wood frogs, then this book is for you. Granted there is definitely an audience for this book, but again, I am not said audience.

The latter half of the book (sections 11, 12, and 17 in particular) are more what I thought the book would entail. It talks about the human evolution of the heart; from Egyptian rituals to new technology in growing new hearts. It discusses how people who “have heart” are courageous or kind.

Overall, I would give this a 3/5 stars. It was entertaining at times, but overall I just did.not.care about the worms and frogs and digestive tracks and spawning orgies.

Thank you to Workman Audio, Algonquin Books, and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

[Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally I really enjoyed this interesting work. As someone aspiring to work in the healthcare field, I am guilty of occasionally getting tunnel vision and focusing strictly on human anatomy and physiology. It’s easy to forget how fascinating the biological world around us is, and how we may be able to use it to better improve our healthcare. Further fascination comes from the growth of our understanding of our own bodies.

Schutt has a fantastic writing voice. One that drips with the enthusiasm and passion that I am sure he carries with him daily for all these topics. He also manages to add a touch of humor that keeps the book from feeling more like a textbook. That same humor and enthusiasm breaks this book away from being something strictly for a biology or med student, and more of a book for any curious reader wanting to know more and understand the world around them.

Update: (11/27/2022)
I have recently been flipping back through Pump to take notes on some topics I'd like to read further on. During this process, I have continued to find myself fascinated by the broad range of topics covered. Originally, the section on horseshoe crabs had dominated my interest, but now in review the portion of cryobiology has dominated my imagination. A book that has kept me interested this long out after finishing deserves to be read.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new favorite book. From the hilarious and zany medical history to the modern day scientific advancements, my attention was held the entire time by the excellent writing and good humor(s). See what I did there?

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

i heart it

[Paul Sutter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The heart of course is the main part of the human body. You can live without certain limbs and organs, but you certainly would not be living very long without the heart. It is the essence of life in the body.
PUMP A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HEART, does focus on it, but not in the traditional sense in our bodies. It investigates how hearts function within the animal world. You will never look at nature the same again, once you finish this most fascinating book. Even the smallest of insects and other creatures that surround us have most complex hearts, and the manner in which they function is more than amazing.
Perhaps you were never a lover of science in high school, but then again books like this were never part of the curriculum. You may be surprised at some of the facts presented here. Schutt notes that there was the belief that the heart inside the blue whale was the size of car. Because of its size, it was thought that it had to have a massive heart. In fact, their hearts are not nearly as large as those found in other mammals.
The author says that the heart of the blue whale only takes up 0.3 percent of the animals total body weight. In comparison the heart of mice and elephants take up 0.6 percent of body weight. He further goes on to state that some of the smallest animals have large hearts compared to their size. The masked shrew is one of the smallest mammals in the world. It weighs just five grams. Its heart takes up 1.7 percent of its body weight. It is facts like these and attention to detail that makes the book so enjoyable and so readable. It is the sort of book that nature loving children will find as fascinating as adults, and certainly is not overly technical or above the heads of any readers.
The book is divided into three sections: Wild at Heart, What We Knew and What We Thought We Knew, and From Bad to Better. Section one is more the history and evolution of creatures since the beginning of time. The second What We Knew, looks more at the scientific observations of the heart, and how it seemed to rule our mind and soul besides the body. From Bad to Better focuses on treatments for the heart, whether cardiac related medical procedures and how the stethoscope became the ultimate tool for well-being.
One fact after another reinforces the manner in which the heart services all creatures great and small, and also looks at the science and medicine behind this organ and its place in grand scheme of things, past, present and future.