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56 pages 1 hour read

Chip Jones

The Organ Thieves: The Shocking Story of the First Heart Transplant in the Segregated South

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2020

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Before You Read

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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

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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 this

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.

Book Details
Pages

400

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Richmond, Virginia • 1960s

Publication Year

2020

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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