The art of the scalpel

An exciting journey through the history of surgery through 29 famous operations. Surgeon Arnold van de Laar draws on his own experience and knowledge to tell us an incisive story of the past, present and future of the discipline through 29 famous operations. From the story of how Albert Einstein was saved from an aneurysm to the extraction of a kidney stone that a Dutch blacksmith performed on himself in the 17th century or the operation on John Paul II after the attack he suffered in 1981, among others, Arnold van de Laar tries to respond to everything that happens during an operation and explores the limits of surgery in line with new medical advances. An entertaining, instructive and shocking look at the procedures and philosophy of those who cut to heal. Critics have said... A story with a surgical touch: precise, incisive and sometimes terribly bloody. The Sunday Times Absolutely exceptional and fascinating. Mail on Sunday An interesting and at times shocking book that invites readers to peek inside kings, into the souls of rock stars and into the auditory canals of astronauts. The Daily Telegraph A book full of surprising tales of incisions and stitches. The Wall Street Journal Vivid descriptions of notable transactions, from times past to the present. [...] Vertiginous and lucid. Publishers Weekly Are surgeons crazy? Are they great or immoral? Heroes or braggarts? Van de Laar answers that they are all that and much more. The Art of the Scalpel is a very fun book. Sit back, relax and enjoy this bustling exploration of the surgeon's craft. The Times