"For much of recorded history, people considered the heart to be the most important organ in the body. In cultures around the world, the heart-not the brain-was believed to be the location of intelligence, memory, emotion, and the soul.
Over time, views on the purpose of the heart have transformed as people sought to understand the life forces it contains. Modern medicine and science dismissed what was once the king of the organs as a mere blood pump subservient to the brain, yet the heart remains a potent symbol of love and health and an important part of our cultural iconography.
This book traces the evolution of our understanding of the heart from the dawn of civilization to the present. Vincent M. Figueredo-an accomplished cardiologist and expert on the history of the human heart-explores the role and significance of the heart in art, culture, religion, philosophy, and science across time and place. He examines how the heart really works, its many meanings in our emotional and daily lives, and what cutting-edge science is teaching us about this remarkable organ. Figueredo considers the science of heart disease, recent advancements in heart therapies, and what the future may hold. He highlights the emerging field of neurocardiology, which has found evidence of a ""heart-brain connection"" in mental and physical health, suggesting that ancient views hold more truth than moderns suspect.
Ranging widely and deeply throughout human history, this book sheds new light on why the heart remains so central to our sense of self."
By:
Vincent M. Figueredo
Imprint: Columbia University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 216mm,
Width: 140mm,
ISBN: 9780231208185
ISBN 10: 0231208189
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 20 July 2023
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction Part I: The Ancient Heart 1. The Heart Means Life 2. Heart and Soul 3. The Heart and God 4. An Emotional Heart 5. Ancient Understanding of the Physical Heart 6. Ancient Heart Disease Part II: The Heart Goes Into the Darkness and Comes Out in the Light 7. The Dark Ages 8. The Islamic Golden Age 9. The Viking Cold Hjarta 10. American Heart Sacrifice 11. The Heart Renaissance 12. Hither and Thither Part III: heART 13. The Heart in Art 14. The Heart in Literature 15. The Heart in Music 16. Heart Rituals Part IV: Heart 101 17. The Pump 18. Heart Anatomy 19. Heart Sounds 20. The Color of Blood 21. The Heart’s Electrical System 22. What Is an EKG? 23. What Is Blood Pressure? 24. What Is Heart Failure? 25. What Is “Having a Coronary” 26. Sex, Race, and Ethnicity in Heart Disease 27. Sudden Death of an Athlete 28. The Word “Heart” Part V: The Modern Heart 29. Enlightenment and the Age of Revolution 30. The Twentieth Century and Heart Disease 31. Aspirin 32. The Twentieth Century and Heart Surgery 33. The Heart Now 34. Broken Heart Syndrome 35. The Heart-Brain Connection 36. The Future Heart Afterword Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Further Reading Index
Vincent M. Figueredo has been a practicing cardiologist and physician-scientist for thirty years. His experience spans academic medicine, medical research, teaching, private practice, and senior hospital administration, including as chair of cardiology and professor of medicine. Figueredo’s research interests include how the heart responds to injury, alcohol, and stress.
Reviews for The Curious History of the Heart: A Cultural and Scientific Journey
For those compelled by the mysteries of the human heart, Vincent Figueredo has written the definitive guide and done so with diligence and panache, teaching us about the heart's place in history, literature, music and science. Figueredo is a renowned cardiologist, but he's an equally gifted storyteller. The Curious History of the Heart is a gem. -- Tom Barbash, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>On Top of the World</i> and <i>The Dakota Winters</i>
- Commended for Nonfiction Book Awards.
- Runner-up for History category, San Francisco Book Festival 2024
