The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds

Description: The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean, Ben Sullivan From a New York Times bestselling author comes the gripping, untold history of sciences darkest secrets, "a fascinating book [that] deserves a wide audience" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).Science is a force for good in the world--at least usually. But sometimes, when obsession gets the better of scientists, they twist a noble pursuit into something sinister. Under this spell, knowledge isnt everything, its the only thing--no matter the cost. Bestselling author Sam Kean tells the true story of what happens when unfettered ambition pushes otherwise rational men and women to cross the line in the name of science, trampling ethical boundaries and often committing crimes in the process.The Icepick Surgeon masterfully guides the reader across two thousand years of history, beginning with Cleopatras dark deeds in ancient Egypt. The book reveals the origins of much of modern science in the transatlantic slave trade of the 1700s, as well as Thomas Edisons mercenary support of the electric chair and the warped logic of the spies who infiltrated the Manhattan Project. But the sins of science arent all safely buried in the past. Many of them, Kean reminds us, still affect us today. We can draw direct lines from the medical abuses of Tuskegee and Nazi Germany to current vaccine hesitancy, and connect icepick lobotomies from the 1950s to the contemporary failings of mental-health care. Kean even takes us into the future, when advanced computers and genetic engineering could unleash whole new ways to do one another wrong.Unflinching, and exhilarating to the last page, The Icepick Surgeon fuses the drama of scientific discovery with the illicit thrill of a true-crime tale. With his trademark wit and precision, Kean shows that, while science has done more good than harm in the world, rogue scientists do exist, and when we sacrifice morals for progress, we often end up with neither. FORMAT Compact Disc LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Author Biography Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of The Bastard Brigade, Caesars Last Breath (the Guardians Science Book of the Year), The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Violinists Thumb, and The Disappearing Spoon. He is also a two-time finalist for the PEN / E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.His work has appeared in The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications, and he has been featured on NPRs Radiolab, All Things Considered, Science Friday, and Fresh Air. His podcast, The Disappearing Spoon, debuted at #1 on the iTunes science charts. Kean lives in Washington DC.Ben Sullivan is an actor, voice artist, and Earphones Award-winning audiobook narrator. Review 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 anothers 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""An engrossing--and sometimes horrifying--historical tour of the many ways the search for knowledge can go wrong."-- "Washington Post""Deftly considers ethical questions within an engaging narrative."-- "Library Journal (starred review)""Gripping stories about evil scientific deeds, corrupt rivalries, and skulduggery."-- "New York Times Book Review""Imagine a novel full of true crime thrillers with just one twist--every crime in it was committed in the name of science."-- "NPR""Keans strength lies in his storytelling and in the humane combination of humor and compassion toward the strange life histories he pieces together."-- "Columbus Dispatch""This engrossing look at crimes often committed by otherwise moral people."-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Catalogs some of the greatest ethical lapses done in the name of science... The Icepick Surgeon probably raises more questions than it answers. But thats a hallmark of good experiments--as well as good books about science and scientists.-- "Diana Gitig, Ars Technica"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"Kean is a gifted raconteur... [in The Icepick Surgeon] youll 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... Keans talent for spinning a delightful tale shines.-- "Deborah Blum, Science""[An] interesting discussion of the meaning of true progress and its cost is a thoughtful look through history and into the future."-- "BookRiot""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."-- "BookPage""Narrator Ben Sullivans strong, clear voice and intentional pacing complement these tales of scientific misdeeds perfectly...Sullivans straightforward narration of these unbelievable events will remind listeners of where the road of supposedly good intentions leads."-- "AudioFile" Review Quote The best science writers bring an enthusiasm for the material that infects those of us who wouldnt usually give a flying proton. Kean unpacks the periodic tables bag of tricks with such aplomb and fascination that material normally as heavy as lead transmutes into gold. With the anecdotal flourishes of Oliver Sacks and the populist accessibility of Malcolm Gladwell, Kean succeeds in giving us the cold hard facts, both human and chemical, behind the astounding phenomena without sacrificing any of the wonder. Details ISBN1549164929 Author Ben Sullivan Short Title The Icepick Surgeon Language English Year 2021 ISBN-10 1549164929 ISBN-13 9781549164927 Publication Date 2021-07-13 Subtitle Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science Playing time 706 Publisher Little Brown and Company Format Compact Disc Imprint Little Brown and Company Narrator Ben Sullivan Audience General DEWEY 174.95 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:158452372;

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