akmassey reviewed Heart: An American Medical Odyssey by Dick Cheney
Review of 'Heart' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Almost every review of this book starts by noting that it's not a political memoir. If you want that, Cheney has already written an autobiography. I haven't read it, but that might be what you're looking for. This book is, as the subtitle suggests, all about Cheney's medical odyssey. This isn't a political book nor was it written for medical professionals; it's a medical book written for patients or their family.
More than half of the book is written from the perspective of his co-author and doctor, and these parts are entirely about Cheney's health. Frankly, this is the most valuable part of the book since Cheney has basically experienced every possible heart condition or procedure you can experience, up to and including a heart transplant. Cheney's parts of the book are also mostly focused on his medical problems. He provides some context regarding what was going on in the …
Almost every review of this book starts by noting that it's not a political memoir. If you want that, Cheney has already written an autobiography. I haven't read it, but that might be what you're looking for. This book is, as the subtitle suggests, all about Cheney's medical odyssey. This isn't a political book nor was it written for medical professionals; it's a medical book written for patients or their family.
More than half of the book is written from the perspective of his co-author and doctor, and these parts are entirely about Cheney's health. Frankly, this is the most valuable part of the book since Cheney has basically experienced every possible heart condition or procedure you can experience, up to and including a heart transplant. Cheney's parts of the book are also mostly focused on his medical problems. He provides some context regarding what was going on in the world or his life at the time. More importantly, he gives you the patient's perspective on what he felt, when he felt it, and what he did about it.
Most people know that you shouldn't smoke, you should exercise, and you should maintain a healthy diet to avoid heart problems. However, if that's all you know about heart disease, which accounts for one in four American deaths every year, then you really owe it to yourself to read this book. Seriously. Be proactive about this. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. You should have a working knowledge of what it is and how we're treating it using modern medicine.