The Icepick Surgeon

“The title alone is enough to make one buy this book! Kean is a funny and facile writer who proves that facts are indeed stranger than fiction. His tales of slavery, graverobbing, experiments, killing, and mayhem are not for the squeamish. But I dare you to put the book down once you start it.”–Lawrence De Maria, Washington Independent Review of Books”[An] interesting discussion of the meaning of true progress and its cost is a thoughtful look through history and into the future.“–Cassie Gutman, Bookriot“Kean’s strength lies in his storytelling, and in the humane combination of humor and compassion toward the strange life histories he pieces together.”–Columbus Dispatch“Fascinating… Imagine a novel full of true crime thrillers with just one twist–every crime in it was committed in the name of science. This is the premise of the new book, The Icepick Surgeon… From Cleopatra to Thomas Edison, scientists have been responsible for some dastardly crimes throughout history.”–Ira Flatow, NPR Science Friday“The Icepick Surgeon has its gems of phraseology… We cringe at the ghastly work of grave robbers and surgeons in blood-stiff aprons, and laugh at the comical fights among paleontologists bent on destroying one another’s careers… As each chapter compounds, it becomes more difficult to condemn and smirk without seeing the systemic ways that early sins have crept into the heart of science and medicine today… It takes honesty and integrity to make good science; we ignore this at our peril.”–Brandy Schillace, Wall Street Journal“Entertaining and chilling… Expert at spinning historical science yarns… Kean excels at conveying each scientist’s slide into corruption–one so gradual that, like the fabled boiling frog, they scarcely noticed they were in hot water.”–Elizabeth Svoboda, Undark“Catalogs some of the greatest ethical lapses done in the name of science… The Icepick Surgeon probably raises more questions than it answers. But that’s a hallmark of good experiments–as well as good books about science and scientists.”–Diana Gitig, Ars Technica“Delightful, highly readable… Kean takes his readers on an engrossing – and sometimes horrifying – historical tour of the many ways the search for knowledge can go wrong… Written with the flair of a beach thriller and the thoughtfulness of philosophy, the pages explode with a wealth of information and juicy details, all held together with virtuoso storytelling.”–Lucinda Robb, Washington Post“Fascinating… Kean argues convincingly that what makes his subjects unique in the annals of crime is that they did wrong ‘for data–to augment our understanding of the world.’ This engrossing look at crimes often committed by otherwise moral people deserves a wide readership.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Kean is a gifted raconteur… [in The Icepick Surgeon] you’ll find a series of gripping stories about evil scientific deeds, corrupt rivalries and skulduggery–with real skulls.”–John Schwartz, New York Times Book Review“Vivid… [The Icepick Surgeon] serves as an important reminder that science is ever a human enterprise… Kean’s talent for spinning a delightful tale shines.”–Deborah Blum, Science“Kean [has a] gift for making science understandable. His writing style is conversational and witty–but he never forgets the real human costs of these crimes.”–Deborah Mason, Bookpage”[A] witty, thought-provoking book… Kean is a powerful, exciting storyteller who deftly considers ethical questions within an engaging narrative.“–Library Journal (starred review)

Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of Caesar’s Last Breath, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist’s Thumb, all of which were also named Amazon top science books of the year. The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London’s book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist’s Thumb and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB&F prize. His work has appeared in The Best American Nature and Science Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications, and he has been featured on NPR’s “Radiolab,” “All Things Considered,” and “Fresh Air.”

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