Rating: 
Summary: Better than Best
Review: As I read this book, I was profoundly moved. I was was born with a ASD & pulmonary valve defect. Dr Richard Varco and Lellehei did my surgery At the Variety Club Heart hospital in 1955 . I was one of the 1st one hundred surgeries done at the U of Minn.What incredable dedication , hard work, these men had. In my early twenties, I again needed heart surgery. This time again a very brillent, dedicated surgeon by the name of U Scott Page did a total correction.I have been able to live a wonderful. active life thanks the The King of Heart and team and Dr Page. I owe my life to the many, many dogs used to perfect progress of open heart surgery. I am a nurse, I have cared for many open heart patients. Thank you Dr Varco, Dr Lillehei and Dr S Page
Rating: 
Summary: A Surgeon Who Changed the World; a Writer Who Showed Us How
Review: Current conception of surgeons ranges from those who think they are merely "fix-it" men and women to people who think they are God. This book focusing on Walt Lillehei demonstrates that he was a great surgeon--certainly a fix-it man extraordinaire and a great humanitarian, but definately NOT God!It amazes me that a man could be so instrumental in totally changing the world of heart surgery, yet most people have never heard of him. Wayne Miller's account of this incredible surgeon's life will certainly change that! As a professional journalist, Mr. Miller conducted countless interviews and an exhaustive review of the literature to bring this true account of one man's gift to the world to life. This is no ordinary biography, however. Mr. Miller has a way of writing that makes you feel you are right in the operating room. You can almost see the heart, feel the heartbeats of those delving where no one had been before and cry the tears that some of the more sensitive surgeons shed when precious lives were lost. As the mother of a child with a congenital heart defect, I felt myself crying for the parents who so bravely allowed surgeons to do whatever they could to save their children's lives. I held my breath over the descriptions of experimental surgical techniques and the creation of medical equipment--some with beer hose and farm equipment! It gave me a greater appreciation of the sacrifices and guts needed to make the impossible commonplace. I recently attended a conference for cardiothoracic professionals and one of the speakers mentioned Walt Lillehei. He said that all of the surgeons in the room were no more than 6 people removed from this great surgeon. Dr. Lillehei is largely responsible for training two generations of heart surgeons and the saving of countless lives. Reading this book gave me yet one more surgeon to be thankful for. This book is an honest look at a complicated man who changed the world. Mr. Miller is to be congratulated for writing a most memorable book. Bravo! Sincerely, Anna Jaworski author of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Handbook for Parents and My Brother Needs an Operation and editor of The Heart of a Mother
Rating:
Summary: King of Hearts
Review: G Wayne Miller's amazing book the "King of Hearts" is a wonderful book that will captivate people from all walks of life. For those of us who have been touched by Congenital Heart Defects and Heart Disease the book touches so many chords it is hard to describe. Reading this book from a mothers perspective( my son had open heart surgery at seven months of age) truly gave me new insight into the brave and courageous pioneers of open heart surgery. Surgeons of today can truly thank the pioneers such as Dr.Lillehei for his conviction to pursue the development of techniques that have been passed down through the years. Many of our children would not be alive today had it not been for his perserverance and determination. King of hearts is a book each of us should read.....heart defects and heart disease touch so many lives and it is authors such as G. Wayne Miller who bring the history of heart surgery to the present day with such caring and understanding. G. Wayne Miller encourages us to remember in our hearts the people whose lives were lost in the pursuit of the answers to the mystery of open heart surgery......the sons,daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers they all were someones loved ones. Thank you for writing this book.........from the heart of a mother.
Rating:
Summary: A medical true to life must read
Review: Having been a patient with a congenital heart problem and having had heart surgery during the years of it's beginnings, I was absolutely spellbound by G. Wayne Miller's vivid and amazing portrayal of the life and medical breakthroughs of Dr. Lillihei. I am an avid reader of medical nonfiction and yet it was hard to believe that this was an actual real-life portrayal of the infancy of heart surgery, and not purely science fiction. It was equally amazing to step into the lives of the patients and the parents of these children and their bravery in the face of overwhelming odds of life and death. This story is an absolute must read for anyone who is interested in medicine, heart disease, and what it took to make medical miracles commonplace so that we can now take all of this for granted.
Rating: 
Summary: Dr. Lillehei: A surgeon--but a man
Review: I found the beginning of the book tedious at times. The author's need for accurate documentation made my mind wander. By the middle of the book things became more interesting and began to flow. The need for animal experimentation and human lives opens your eyes to the price of advancement in the medical field.
Rating:
Summary: King of Hearts is a Compelling read
Review: In Capote-esq style, up very close, through a small window focused on events in time, Mr. Miller has documented physicians/scientists struggle to understand and perfect open heart surgery detailing all the bodies and blood that were left in the wake of their effort. Not only is King of Hearts educational and informative, it makes for a compelling read as the story unfolds with all the drama of a strategic battle: heros, heroic decisions, luck and cowardice. This reader liked it.
Rating:
Summary: An awesome tale
Review: King of Hearts contains the topics of great literature - death, heroism and pride. The real beauty of this story is that it's all true. This is the tale of a brillant doctor and flawed human being who overcame great odds to develop open heart surgery. How quickly we forget in our technologically advanced world about the human sacrifices made for the sake of medical advancement. This book is a moving testament to the doctors and patients involved in the early struggle to repair heart defects. I was hooked from the opening scene and barely looked up until the final page. King of Hearts reads like a thriller and Miller carefully supports each plot twist with facts culled from medical archives and countless interviews. I think it is an impressive piece of reporting. Moreover, it is a powerful piece of writing. Miller uses his story telling skills to bring to life a milestone in medical history. So if you're in the medical field, you're an ER fan, or you crave great journalism, I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening, inspiring
Review: Mr. Miller's style of suspense keeps us reading to see what happens next. He vividly portrays the progress of open heart surgery, step by painful and bloody step. The reader suffers with the parents and doctors with each failed operation on each child, but watching as each technical problem is solved makes everything ok in the end. The reader learns about various congenital heart diseases of children, the symptoms, the physical descriptions, and the outcomes. Mr. Miller explains the procedures very well so no prior knowledge of surgery, medicine, or heart physiology is required. My favorite part is the race with the Mayo Clinic to perfect the heart-lung machine. The Mayo Clinic not only loses, but loses almost comically. Another favorite part is how the pace-maker was invented. This story along with the heart-lung machine story make this book worth reading. If you are interested in medicine, surgery, heart problems, medical history, medical technology, or just want to learn, then you will appreciate "King of Hearts."
Rating:
Summary: Enlightening, inspiring
Review: Mr. Miller's style of suspense keeps us reading to see what happens next. He vividly portrays the progress of open heart surgery, step by painful and bloody step. The reader suffers with the parents and doctors with each failed operation on each child, but watching as each technical problem is solved makes everything ok in the end. The reader learns about various congenital heart diseases of children, the symptoms, the physical descriptions, and the outcomes. Mr. Miller explains the procedures very well so no prior knowledge of surgery, medicine, or heart physiology is required. My favorite part is the race with the Mayo Clinic to perfect the heart-lung machine. The Mayo Clinic not only loses, but loses almost comically. Another favorite part is how the pace-maker was invented. This story along with the heart-lung machine story make this book worth reading. If you are interested in medicine, surgery, heart problems, medical history, medical technology, or just want to learn, then you will appreciate "King of Hearts."
Rating:
Summary: What a book!
Review: This book is a must read for any parent with a child in need of open-heart surgery. My son's defect was repaired at four months of age and this book was a major source of information for my husband and me prior to the surgery, as we sought to learn all we could about the heart and what open-heart surgery entails. Our pediatric cardiologist read it and loved it! We also gave the book as a gift to our son's heart surgeon. It is a thrilling book and helped us to understand the technicalities of our son's operation, along with giving us the perspective of what "standing on the shoulders of giants" truly means.
| 
