Fragile Lives
A Heart Surgeon's Stories of Life and Death on the Operating Table
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Fragile Lives
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Narrated by:
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Gordon Griffin
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By:
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Stephen Westaby
About this listen
SHORTLISTED FOR THE COSTA BIOGRAPHY PRIZE
THE SUNDAY TIMES NO.2 BESTSELLER
WINNER OF THE BMA PRESIDENT’S AWARD 2017
An incredible memoir from one of the world’s most eminent heart surgeons, recalling some of the most remarkable and poignant cases he’s worked on.
Grim Reaper sits on the heart surgeon’s shoulder. A slip of the hand and life ebbs away.
The balance between life and death is so delicate, and the heart surgeon walks that rope between the two. In the operating room there is no time for doubt. It is flesh, blood, rib-retractors and pumping the vital organ with your bare hand to squeeze the life back into it. An off-day can have dire consequences – this job has a steep learning curve, and the cost is measured in human life. Cardiac surgery is not for the faint of heart.
Professor Stephen Westaby took chances and pushed the boundaries of heart surgery. He saved hundreds of lives over the course of a thirty-five year career and now, in his astounding memoir, Westaby details some of his most remarkable and poignant cases – such as the baby who had suffered multiple heart attacks by six months old, a woman who lived the nightmare of locked-in syndrome, and a man whose life was powered by a battery for eight years.
A powerful, important and incredibly moving book, Fragile Lives offers an exceptional insight into the exhilarating and sometimes tragic world of heart surgery, and how it feels to hold someone’s life in your hands.
©2017 Stephen Westaby (P)2017 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
‘Raw and moving… the writing is thrilling. Fragile Lives is a frank and absorbing memoir by a man who has done about as much good to his fellow human beings as it is possible to do in one lifetime.’ – The Times, Book of the Week
‘The stakes could not be higher in this bloody, muscular and adrenaline-charged memoir from a pioneering heart surgeon… at points it made my own heart race dangerously. ‘Surgeons are meant to be objective,’ Westaby tells himself, ‘not human’. What makes this book so fascinating, and so moving, is the terrible tension between these necessary qualities.’ – Sunday Times
‘A full-frontal and thrilling portrayal. Each story in this fascinating book brings a new nail-biting surgical adventure… A gifted surgeon, Westaby is also a natural writer… Fragile Lives succeeds on many levels: political battle cry, chronicle of bloody feats, history of modern cardiology, tribute to patients and paean to surgery.’ – Daily Telegraph
‘Westaby is everything you would hope from a maverick surgical genius: authoritative, engaged, passionate and opinionated. His book, annoyingly well written for someone who has penned only medical papers and handbooks, reads like a thriller, except with rather more corpses. You race to each chapter’s end to see if his certain-to-die patient survives.’ – The Times
‘The book is a cracking example of a thriving sub-genre of autobiography, the medical memoir. Anyone who enjoyed the 2014 bestseller Do No Harm by the brain surgeon Henry Marsh, a friend of Westaby’s, will relish Fragile Lives, too. Each story is gripping, written in a vivid, almost brutal way that matches the blood and gore of cardiac surgery.’ – Financial Times
'At the cutting-edge of scalpel-lit… I love getting a window into this world… I enjoyed so much in this book – the anatomy lesson, the vivid descriptions, the fervour Westaby feels for his work' – Evening Standard
What listeners say about Fragile Lives
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anon
- 24-11-20
Interesting for sure
Great book, couldn’t give 5 stars though due to some seriously dated language at times when referring to protected characteristics. Worth a listen though, a great peek into the world of a heart surgeon.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 28-12-17
He saved my daughters life....
Brilliant man, brilliant team. Needs proper support.. Thanks for your bravery, determination and extraordinary skill.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rebecca penfold
- 17-11-18
Fascinating stories detailing the technical and emotional difficulties of a pioneering heart surgeon
Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book, finishing in less than a week. Many stories detailing different complicated and pioneering surgeries that Westaby performed. Highly emotional and no details withheld on the nature of the operations, but as someone scared of blood I found the stories more interesting than gruesome. Would highly recommend, the narrator has an easy to listen to voice and adds in the occasional accent for effect.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- S. Corner
- 17-04-17
Absolutely brilliant. Please read it!
I am not one to like anything to do with surgery at all! But this book was so good and easy to listen to, sharing his and his patients stories. The true dedication and honesty comes across. I would never have thought of a top heart surgeon coming from Scunthorpe,which I knew as a child, so this blew away some myths and stereotyping. Much food for thought at the end about the NHS, funding and the league tables that sets a culture of blame. So applicable for other social and public services. I hope someone in Goverment reads this book. Thank you for writing this as it is a truly amazing story/career and read so well by the narrator.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- BJose
- 26-07-23
Great book!
Took me a little while to get in to it but I’m so glad I persevered. What a great life story. I feel so inspired having listened to it and grateful that he shared it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ruth Nixon
- 01-05-17
What a book, what a man
I brought this book after reading an extract within a national newspaper. I wasn't disappointed.
I wouldn't be able to begin to imagine what a day in the life of a heart surgeon would bring Prof Westaby has written a book which is both enthralling as it is interesting and exciting. I couldn't put it down.
This gentleman has a gift for his work as a surgeon and one which so many people must be so grateful for.
Excellent book, excellent man, excellent work.
A must read.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- H W
- 15-02-18
Excellent book
Fascinating book with interesting case studies, a candid look into the complex cases encountered along one man’s career
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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- Starskey
- 27-04-17
Inciteful
Good book.
Narration good but annoying as pronunciation of medical terminology mostly Incorrect and so annoying.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Mnd
- 18-01-21
Excellent read
Loved this book just like the authors last. Cannot recommend enough. Tragic, compelling and light hearted at times.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Rob Wellings
- 05-04-17
The story of a real life superhero.
The first chapter almost made me chuck up in my car on a densely packed M6. However, once I became accustomed to the blood and guts, I couldn't stop listening. This is an amazing memoir, so glad he shared it with us.
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1 person found this helpful