Wet Engine: Exploring the Mad Wild Miracle of the Heart - Softcover

Doyle, Brian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0870716530 ISBN 13: 9780870716539

Publisher: Oregon State University, 2012

Synopsis

In this poignant and startlingly original book, Brian Doyle examines the heart as a physical organ―how it is supposed to work, how surgeons try to fix it when it doesn’t―and as a metaphor: the seat of the soul, the power house of the body, the essence of spirituality. In a series of profoundly moving ruminations, Doyle considers the scientific, emotional, literary, philosophical, and spiritual understandings of the heart―from cardiology to courage, from love letters and pop songs to botany and Jesus. Weaving these strands together is the torment of Doyle’s own infant son’s heart surgery and the inspiring story of the young heart doctor who saved Liam’s life.

First published in 2005, The Wet Engineis a book that will change how you feel and think about the mysterious, fragile human heart. This new paperback edition includes a foreword by Dr. Marla Salmon, dean of the University of Washington School of Nursing.

About this title

About the Author

Brian Doyle is the author of twelve books, including the novel Mink River and The Grail, his account of a year in a vineyard in Oregon. He edits Portland Magazine at the University of Portland.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

“My son Liam was born nine years ago. He looked like a cucumber on steroids. He was fat and bald and round. He looked healthy as a horse. He wasn’t. He was missing a chamber in his heart, which is a problem, as you need four chambers for smooth conduct through this vale of fears and tears, and he only had three chambers, so pretty soon he had an open-heart surgery, during which doctors cut him open and iced down his heart and shut it down for an hour or so while they worked on repair…” —from The Wet Engine

Edition details

• Publisher: Oregon State University
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0870716530
• ISBN 13: 9780870716539
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128