Should a patient suffering from alcoholism receive a healthy liver? What defines death, and what role did organ transplantation play in that definition? And how much risk should a healthy person be allowed to take to save someone she loves? The human story behind the most exceptional medicine of our time, this riveting book is a poignant, thought provoking reminder that a life lost can also offer the hope of a new beginning. A gifted surgeon, Joshua Mezrich examines more than one hundred years of remarkable medical breakthroughs, connecting this fascinating history with the inspiring and heartbreaking stories of his transplant patients.

"An outstanding memoir by a transplant surgeon who combines an autobiography and operating room dramatics with an equally engrossing history of his profession.... Medical memoirs have become a significant genre over the past two decades, and this one ranks near the top."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)