The classic medical text known as Grayrsquo;s Anatomy is one of the most famous books ever written. Now; on the 150th anniversary of its publication; acclaimed science writer and master of narrative nonfiction Bill Hayes has written the fascinating; never-before-told true story of how this seminal volume came to be. A blend of history; science; culture; and Hayesrsquo;s own personal experiences; The Anatomist is this authorrsquo;s most accomplished and affecting work to date.With passion and wit; Hayes explores the significance of Grayrsquo;s Anatomy and explains why it came to symbolize a turning point in medical history. But he does much; much more. Uncovering a treasure trove of forgotten letters and diaries; he illuminates the astonishing relationship between the fiercely gifted young anatomist Henry Gray and his younger collaborator H. V. Carter; whose exquisite anatomical illustrations are masterpieces of art and close observation. Tracing the triumphs and tragedies of these two extraordinary men; Hayes brings an equally extraordinary erandash;the mid-1800sndash;unforgettably to life.But the journey Hayes takes us on is not only outward but inwardndash;through the blood and tissue and organs of the human bodyndash; for The Anatomist chronicles Hayesrsquo;s year as a student of classical gross anatomy; performing with his own hands the dissections and examinations detailed by Henry Gray 150 years ago. As Hayesrsquo;s acquaintance with death deepens; he finds his understanding and appreciation of life deepening in unexpected and profoundly moving ways.The Anatomist is more than just the story of a book. It is the story of the human body; a story whose beginning and end we all know and share but that; like all great stories; is infinitely rich in between.
#766861 in eBooks 2007-12-26 2007-12-26File Name: B000W94F46
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. A welcome ode to the joy of singingBy A. H. WagnerEver since I can remember; Irsquo;ve always loved singing. One of my favorite things to do as a kid (besides bury my nose in a book) was to sing along with musicals; pop songs; whatever got stuck in my head. It never mattered to me whether I had an audience. Usually I didnrsquo;t. The sheer joy of the experience was what mattered most."Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing with Others" is one of the most pleasant surprises Irsquo;ve stumbled upon in a while; because itrsquo;s all about the joy of singingmdash;something I never thought Irsquo;d get to read in a book. Author Stacy Horn follows an unusual structure for her memoir; alternating between chapters centered around her experience singing a particular piece with the New York-based Choral Society of Grace Church (which; at the time of publication; she has sung with for nearly thirty years) and chapters that act as historical sidebars; introducing little-known (at least to me) events in choral history. Like icing on a cake; sprinkled throughout the book are more interesting tidbits about choral history (the tenor line was the first voice part to appear in choral groups; the soprano line; which I sing; was the last); music science trivia (Irsquo;m just going to say ldquo;brain wormsrdquo; to make you curious); and statistics about the effects of singing on singers (the effects are enormously positivemdash;I can add my own anecdotal evidence to Hornrsquo;s research). In short; this book is a love fest for singers; especially amateur singers.What particularly touched me is the reverence with which the author; a self-described agnostic; discusses the religious choral works that she has performed. ldquo;Even though God is not the answer for me;rdquo; Horn says; ldquo;the music written in His name is. It both eases whatever pain I am suffering from and heightens all my joys. While it sometimes feels as if religion only separates people; the music brings us together.rdquo;As an amateur choral singer myself; I squeezed so much pleasure out of reading this bookmdash;not only is it entertainingly informative; but also Hornrsquo;s many praises of singing made my heart leap again and again with a resonant ldquo;Yes!rdquo; (I could have said; ldquo;made my heart sing;rdquo; but; you knowhellip;) The author emphasizes that while jobs; boyfriends; and pets come and go; while loved ones pass away; while excitements turn to disappointments; singing is the one constant in her life. ldquo;Life is hard; battles of all kinds continue to rage around us; and disappointments accumulate;rdquo; says Horn. ldquo;But singing is the one thing in my life that never fails to take me to where disenchantment is almost nonexistent and feeling good is pretty much guaranteed.rdquo; Amen!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Like Singing? Youll love this book.By John J Heartfield"Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing With Others" by Stacy Horn stirred two emotions in me: delight and craving. I havenrsquo;t attended a choir performance in many years. After reading this non-fiction book; Irsquo;m determined to visit at least one venue to hear the voices of a fine choir meld together to lift the spirits of the audience and performers. Ms. Hornrsquo;s clean descriptive style made me feel as if I was enjoying a conversation with someone sharing the intimate details of a fascinating personal journey of discovery. As she relates her own experiences joining and then performing with the choir of Grace Church in New York City; Ms. Horn interjects many narratives of choral music; choruses; and composers with the skill of a gifted researcher with an obvious passion for her subject. The story of Franz Biebl and ldquo;Ave Mariardquo; is worth the price of the book. If youve ever experienced a rush of happiness while singing with a group of people when; suddenly; several voices become a joyous unified sound; then I believe Stacy Horn wrote this book precisely to help you recall and enjoy that feeling. If you havenrsquo;t experienced that rush; read ldquo;Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing With Others.rdquo; Youll want to find a place where you can listen and; best case scenario; sing.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Nice Writing; Pleasant Story; A Bit slowBy BassocantorI actually love choral singing; and thus I had high hopes for this book. Honestly; however; it simply did not capture my attention. I guess I like singing; rather than books that talk about other people singing. Maybe Ive watched too many episodes of "24?" Maybe too many John Grisham novels? Thats it--my attention span has been wrecked by American sound bites.Sigh. I expected a more captivating book than I encountered here. Honestly; I just have trouble following the history of a certain "choral society." I think another reviewer called it a "Cute book." Yes; thats it exactly! Its a "cute" book about one persons journey in their choral society.Im certain that if I had been a MEMBER of that choral society; my delight would be boundless. Yes; yes; definitely 5-STARS--maybe more! As it is; however; I sort of felt like being outside the inner circle of Illuminati. Pleasant story; nice; boring.Nevertheless; I could identify with some funny lines in the choral experience. The author explains that recruiting men; and especially tenors is often a battle. The author recounts Robert Shaws dictum on tenor auditions: "I ask them to make up a note and hum it."Singing is an intensely personal experience. Although I did not find the stories that captivating; I can fully understand how another reader would find the anecdotes and history more compelling than I.