A Biography of the Human Heart
by Stephen Amidon and Dr. Thomas Amidon
“What a gem! Sparkling, multi-faceted, brilliant in every sense of the word.”
Joe McGinniss, author of Never Enough.
Pump On: A “Sublime” Biography of the Human Heart, Scott Simon, Weekend Edition
“A lyrical history of the human heart” Laura Landro
HEALING READS: THE YEAR’S FIVE BEST BOOKS Wall Street Journal
“At once erudite and informative, written by a novelist and a heart surgeon who happen to be brothers, I loved this book.” Michael Moran, Slate.
Karen Weintraub, Boston Globe
Tristan Scott, The Missoulian.
“Engaging and informed” Clare Gibson
“An enjoyable celebration of the collaboration of visionaries”- Kirkus Reviews
“eloquently written…entertaining” The Missoula Independent
“an utterly entrancing consideration of the human heart….”The Sublime Engine” presents a thoroughly knowledgeable but sanguine discussion of what makes us tick. I recommend it – heartily.”
Barbara McMichael, Kitsap Sun
“In this biography of the body’s magical, miraculous organ, the brothers Amidon explore the ways in which people have “thought about the heart ever since it took root in the Western imagination.” Encompassing both science and the arts, Engine serves to understand the heart as a symbol of humanity.” Rebecca Adler Warren, More Magazine
“The writers…manage the scientific threads of their story without any textbook-like dryness. Their documentation of scores of cardiac maladies, however, is enough to prompt anyone to check her own heart rate.”
Becky Krystal, Washington Post
“The Amidon Brothers’ Book Tour.” I Claudio
“a lively, poetic look at our most precious organ.” Prevention
Julian Guthrie, San Francisco Chronicle
“According to The Sublime Engine: A Biography of the Human Heart…the ancient Jews believed the heart was the organ that people used to communicate with their creator. It provided the Hebrew prophets with a “turbulent, bloody, tactile” metaphor. The Egyptians saw the heart as the part of the human being that could ascend to heaven, carried by a winged beetle.” Elizabeth Bachner, Bookslut
“No matter how much you think you know about the heart, you will be enlightened and entertained by this fascinating book.” ASAP Bookshelf
“Fascinating” Candace Chase, The Daily Interlake
Myers Reece, Associated Press
James McRae, Cath Lab Digest
The heart has always captured the human imagination. It is the repository of our deepest religious and artistic impulses, the organ whose steady functioning is understood, both literally and symbolically, as the very life force itself. The Sublime Engine explores the profound sense of awe every person feels when they ponder the miracle encased within the ribs.
“I cannot imagine a more enjoyable and informative, if not mesmerizing book, at once fascinating in detail and somehow larger than the sum of its parts. A biography of the heart is compelling because it isn’t about the heart so much as it is about being human. And this condition is invoked and explored, made dramatic and compelling through an astonishing collection of historical details. A lovely book, moving, witty, and, of course, told with great heart.”
Craig Nova, author of The Informer and The Good Son
“No matter how much you think you know about the heart, you will be enlightened and entertained by this fascinating book. From its image as a religious icon and the seat of thoughts and feelings, we are led through the great discoveries of its function, its diseases, and its cures, including the most up-to-date therapies and promising clinical research.”
William Parmley, M.D. former Chief of Cardiology, UCSF, past president of the American College of Cardiology.
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Hi, Thomas;
I just heard you and your brother being interviewed on NPR. In the interview, there was some discussion as to the origin of the common symbol for the heart.
I have a theory: My wife, Paige, and I were visiting a scenic lakeside town in Austria (Zell am See or Halstadt, I can’t recall which) one summer. We were sitting on the shore of the lake and we watched two swans that were obviously involved in a serious courtship. The two repeatedly faced each other as they displayed their affection. When they did this, their heads and necks combined to form a perfect heart shape. When I saw that, I realized the origin of the heart shape symbol.
HI Richard,
This is Stephen. I have never heard this idea before, but it is brilliant and I will be mentioning it in subsequent talks about the book (and citing you.) Thanks for writing.
Stephen.
I’m flattered. Thank you very much.
I received this response from a person who most likely would not like this attributed to him:
“But you are wrong, Mr. McClelland. It is well documented in the archeological record of Neolithic Europe that the heart is a view from behind of a woman bending over.”
So excited to buy your book!
Dear Stephen,
Imagine my surprise when I turned on the radio Saturday morning (while driving to a conference in Sarasota, FL) to hear you and your brother being interviewed on NPR! Congratulations on the publication of your new book, The Sublime Engine! The book sounds fantastic — a thoughtful blend of science, technology, humanity and storytelling on the marvels of the human heart! After listening to the interview I was anxious to get my hands on a copy (perhaps autographed?) and just ordered the book online. Congratulations again, and I wish you and Tom much success!
Best regards,
Gazelle
Dear brothers Amadon,
I was delighted to view your interview on CBS Sunday Morning’s show earlier today and I look forward to reading your book.
I enjoyed your essay on the Black Hills area, Stephen, and have sent a copy to one of our adult sons whose response years ago mirrored yours. We found the area’s geography and the Little Bighorn Battlefield site particularly moving.
The debt is all on my side of the ledger, Dr. A., when you consider that you saved my life almost exactly a year ago. You met my son afterwards in your office. Would it be presumptious to expect, if I sent you a copy of your book along with return postage, that you’d inscribe it and send it back to me?
It was apparent from the interview that this colaboration was interesting to both of you, and I send my best wishes for success in all aspects of your lives,
Gratefully,
Helen Rodgers
hhrodgers@aol.com
Heart writers,
After hearing you being interviewed on NPR, I was inspired to write to an extensive list of friends and family members urging them to gift themselves with a copy of your book in honor of Valentine’s Day–instead of chocolates or flowers.
It seems especially significant since my father had a major heart attack on Jan. 29th and underwent bypass surgery. His post-op course has been longer and more difficult than anticipated, but he finally became fully cognizant on Saturday, the day of your interview. My sister, mother and his nurses attribute that to the arrival of two of his grandsons at his bedside Friday evening. I have been driven nearly mad not to have been able to be at his bedside since I had contracted a nasty viral cold. My sons felt compelled to be there and despite two feet of snow which shut the airport down in Rogers Arkansas, they finally overcame all obstacles to be there. So it to me is another story of the heart that is a miracle.
I agree with Mr McClelland’s observations about the swans and the heart symbols.(Swans mate for life BTW.) And if you have ever gotten in the way of a swan and its goslings, be apprised that it is you who will flee in terror as the parent swans will scare you to death in their protection of their young.
Thank you for those kind words, and I hope your father makes a full and speedy recovery.
I always new you guys would turn out okay. It was wonderful to see both you and Tom in the news. Please give him my best. Jim Comey
From the NPR interview through reading the novel eagerly, I have been educated and delighted.
I want to share with you a creative look at the heart (its geometry in relation to vortical flow and the spiritual science of Rudolf Steiner) at http://www.FrankChester.com. The Physicians Study Group of San Francisco will present a conference July 8-10, 2011, demonstrating findings. Anyone interested may contact me at (916) 671 1780. Maybe this exciting new work is another step in the evolving story of the view of the heart!