Every second counts

by Donald McRae

The true story of four men locked in a race to transplant the first human heart--a tale of surgical daring, unyielding ambition, and scientific adventure. Many remember the beaming face of South African surgeon Christiaan Barnard after he performed the first human heart transplant and captured the world's imagination. It was a stunning achievement, but he was not alone. In truth it was a four-way race, a fierce struggle fraught with passionate rivalry. The other three surgeons--Adrian Kantrowitz, Norman Shumway, and Richard Lower--were giants in the field, and by early December 1967 they and Barnard were each poised to snatch the victor's laurels. Each had spent years perfecting techniques; each had monitored his chosen patient's condition, watching the clock, hoping a donor would be found in time. Some of these men were friends; others were enemies, but only one of them would be the first.--From publisher description.