56 pages • 1 hour read
Chip JonesThe Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In The Organ Thieves, Chip Jones reveals the racism and ethical transgressions surrounding the first heart transplant at the Medical College of Virginia in 1968, where Bruce Tucker, an African American man, had his heart removed before legally being declared dead and it was transplanted into a white recipient. The book delves into the institutional racism and exploitation in medical procedures of the time. Discussions of slavery, racial injustice, and medical exploitation are present.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Chip Jones' The Organ Thieves is a gripping exposé on medical ethics and racial exploitation, with reviewers praising its thorough research and compelling narrative. Criticisms focus on its dense detail and disturbing content. Overall, it’s lauded for shedding light on historical injustices in the medical field.
Who Should Read The Organ Thieves?
Readers of The Organ Thieves by Chip Jones will likely enjoy investigative historical works that explore themes of medical ethics, racial injustice, and human rights. Comparable titles include The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot and Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington. Fans of meticulously researched, thought-provoking non-fiction will find this book compelling.