Publishers Weekly
02/27/2023
This wide-ranging debut by cardiologist Figueredo charts how scientific and popular understandings of the human heart have changed over time. Examining “how the ‘king’ of the organs became dismissed as a mere mechanistic blood pump,” he starts with the earliest known heart, found in a 520-million-year-old fossilized “prehistoric shrimp.” Figueredo notes that humans of antiquity believed the heart was the “seat of the soul, emotions, thoughts, and intelligence,” discussing St. Augustine’s writings about the “divine spark” within the heart and the Aztecs’ annual ritual of removing the heart of a living young man to offer to the gods. There may be an element of truth to this antiquated understanding, he contends; research suggests grief-related stress can physically deform the heart, and in one unusual case, a 47-year-old dancer, after a heart transplantation, manifested traits of her teenage donor. The author surveys the ways in which the heart/emotion association persists in popular culture, from Twitter’s heart-shaped “like” button to the heart’s ubiquity in popular song lyrics. The research on the “heart-brain connection” complicates modern understandings of the heart as purely mechanical, and the synthesis of history, science, and culture enlightens. Provocative and broad in scope, this offers much food for thought. (Apr.)
Tom Barbash
For those compelled by the mysteries of the human heart, Vincent Figueredo has written the definitive guide and done so with diligence and panache, teaching us about the heart’s place in history, literature, music and science. Figueredo is a renowned cardiologist, but he’s an equally gifted storyteller. The Curious History of the Heart is a gem.
Book Riot newsletter
The Curious History of the Heart tops the nonfiction list in Book Riot's May 2023 round up of exciting titles.
American Library Association (ALA) Choice Reviews
The title is accurate: understanding of the heart from early civilization to the present has indeed followed a “curious” path, and the book provides, through its short descriptions of events enabling the current understanding, a lighthearted tour of culture and science interactions through time. Recommended.
Essens Book Summaries
Illuminates the profound way in which the heart resonates through various facets of human life. Figueredo successfully weaves a tapestry that integrates the richness of the heart's cultural legacy with the ever evolving body of scientific knowledge, revealing the multifaceted character of this essential organ.
Book Authority
A "20 Best Cultural History Book of All Time" selection
Ted W. Love
What a wonderful reading experience. This book takes you on a fascinating historical journey of heart; from first being considered the vessel of our soul, to being a simple pump, to perhaps the heart is a bit of both. A must read to stimulate your brain and warm your heart.
Thad F. Waites
As a cardiologist, I know the heart inside and out. However, I learned even more about this amazing organ by reading my colleague’s book. You will, also!
Daniel Weiss
Vincent Figueredo helps us to understand the heart as a cultural symbol, biological miracle, and central theme in human history. A tour-de-force of scholarship and storytelling, The Curious History of the Heart is a great read and an important one.
For the Novel Lovers blog
Overall, The Curious History of the Heart was an educational and entertaining read that blended history with science in ways that kept me engaged throughout the entire book. Highly recommended if you’re interested in history or medicine or both.
The Idea File blog
This beautifully written, engaging book is full of fascinating information...Learning about the mechanics, the art, and the emotions of the heart will serve us all well — plus, it’s fun!
American Library Association (ALA)
Recommended.
Choice Reviews
Recommended.
