A Surgeon and a Maverick
The Life and Pioneering Work of Magdi Yacoub
Published on 4. November 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
446 pages
978-1-64903-405-2 (ISBN)
Description
The "remarkable" (The Telegraph) life story of legendary cardiac surgeon and scientist Magdi Yacoub, an outsider who succeeded against the odds, now available in paperback
Veteran journalists Simon Pearson and Fiona Gorman follow the remarkable life of heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub from his formative years in Egypt, through spectacular success at Cairo University, to his long and distinguished career in Britain. Although at times he clashed with the medical establishment in London, Yacoub pioneered great advances in heart surgery. He was knighted in 1992, and in 2014, he was awarded the highest honor in the gift of the Queen, the Order of Merit.
Written with unprecedented access and drawing on extensive interviews and research, the biography recounts how Yacoub transformed the treatment of children with congenital heart disease. He performed some of the first heart transplants in Britain and the first heart-lung transplants in Europe. At London's Harefield Hospital, he created the greatest heart transplant center in the world. Among his patients are men and women who are still thriving more than thirty-five years after he gave them new hope.
This story is also about science, the development of new medical techniques, and a deeper understanding of how the human body works. Today, at an age when most people have long since retired, Yacoub is still pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding and surgical know-how. He is also taking heart surgery to places that until now have had little access to cardiac treatment, developing centers of excellence across Africa, including in Egypt, where his hospital in Aswan has an international reputation, and a new center is rising in Cairo.
Yacoub's life is one of triumph and tragedy, success and failure, fierce criticism and high praise-it is also an enthralling journey through the worlds of scientific research and medical politics and ethics at the highest levels.
Veteran journalists Simon Pearson and Fiona Gorman follow the remarkable life of heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub from his formative years in Egypt, through spectacular success at Cairo University, to his long and distinguished career in Britain. Although at times he clashed with the medical establishment in London, Yacoub pioneered great advances in heart surgery. He was knighted in 1992, and in 2014, he was awarded the highest honor in the gift of the Queen, the Order of Merit.
Written with unprecedented access and drawing on extensive interviews and research, the biography recounts how Yacoub transformed the treatment of children with congenital heart disease. He performed some of the first heart transplants in Britain and the first heart-lung transplants in Europe. At London's Harefield Hospital, he created the greatest heart transplant center in the world. Among his patients are men and women who are still thriving more than thirty-five years after he gave them new hope.
This story is also about science, the development of new medical techniques, and a deeper understanding of how the human body works. Today, at an age when most people have long since retired, Yacoub is still pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding and surgical know-how. He is also taking heart surgery to places that until now have had little access to cardiac treatment, developing centers of excellence across Africa, including in Egypt, where his hospital in Aswan has an international reputation, and a new center is rising in Cairo.
Yacoub's life is one of triumph and tragedy, success and failure, fierce criticism and high praise-it is also an enthralling journey through the worlds of scientific research and medical politics and ethics at the highest levels.
Reviews / Votes
"Chronicling his remarkable journey from Belbeis, an ancient fortress city on the Nile delta, to becoming one of the world's most famous Egyptians . . . the book not only lays bare his surgical successes but also the challenges he faced along the way."-The Telegraph"The reason that he has finally consented to an authorised biography now after all these years is not, he stresses, out of self-aggrandisement, but in the hope that it will inspire others to follow in his footsteps."-The National
"His legacy is one of innovation and saved lives. . . . an outsider who went on to have a career of firsts."-Channel 4 News
"Whether or not you are interested in the medical field, Yacoub's tale will impassion anyone striving to create a more just and honourable society."-The New Arab
"An inherently fascinating read from start to finish, A Surgeon and a Maverick: The Life and Pioneering Work of Magdi Yacoub is the extraordinary life story of an extraordinary man of medicine and will prove to be of immense value to readers with an interest in organ transplant surgery."-Midwest Book Review
"This is a story of a life well lived. Sir Magdi Yacoub has transformed medical practice and improved the lives of millions of people. He did this with intellectual creativity, determination, and a deep commitment to serving humanity."-Minouche Shafik, President, Columbia University
"From humble beginnings as he followed his surgeon father across Egypt, to achieving the highest honors in the UK, Magdi Yacoub's story exemplifies the values of hard work, innovation, and humanity. His passion for science and his unrivaled surgical wizardry are only surpassed by his core belief that every human life holds equal value. This book will undoubtedly inspire generations of young people all around the world to fulfill their most ambitious dreams."-Valentin Fuster, Physician in Chief, Mount Sinai Hospital
"This book recounts how a brilliant and determined young Egyptian became a great pioneer and global champion of cardiac surgery. Through his skills in the operating theater and his indefatigable energy he's directly saved thousands of lives. And through his intensive commitment and compelling advocacy of hospitals and research his Chain of Hope charity has saved many more-especially in Africa. Magdi Yacoub's immense achievements richly deserve honor and celebration, and this fine book tells us all why."-Martin Rees, author of If Science is to Save Us
PRAISE FOR MAGDI YACOUB:
"Magdi has changed our definition of what is possible."-Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister
"The world's leading cardiac surgeon"-The Sunday Times
"Renowned heart specialist Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub"-The Guardian
"Recognized as one of the great pioneers of heart transplant surgery"-BBC Radio
"The Leonardo da Vinci of cardiac surgery"-Peter Alivizatos, MD
"Sir Magdi Yacoub is more than a pioneering surgeon; he is a human being in every sense of the word."-Dr Ahmed Fouad Hano, Egypt's Minister of Culture
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
16-pp insert featuring 38 b&w photographs
Dimensions
Height: 225 mm
Width: 150 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
624 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64903-405-2 (9781649034052)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Simon Pearson and Fiona Gorman (Authors) are a husband-and-wife team of author-editors who worked for The Times newspaper in London for more than thirty years. A former executive editor at The Times, Simon is the author of three books, including the bestselling biography The Great Escaper. Fiona has written on a range of subjects including mental health, and Simon contributes obituaries for The Times. They live in Suffolk, UK.
Mary Archer (Foreword) is a British scientist specializing in solar power conversion. In 2012, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to the National Health Service.
Mary Archer (Foreword) is a British scientist specializing in solar power conversion. In 2012, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to the National Health Service.
Content
Foreword Dame Mary Archer
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Plymouth, Southwest England, 1983
2. Early Years
3. Growing Ambitions
4. The Road Ahead
5. Lord Brock
6. Trial by Sherry
7. The Man Who Dared
8. New Horizons
9. So Long, Marianne
10. The American Way
11. The France
12. On the Shoulders of Giants
13. A Promise Fulfilled
14. Pushing Boundaries
15. Magic Hands
16. The Boy and the Baboon
17. Legal Aid
18. Give Them Sunshine
19. An Unexpected Gift
20. Enemies at the Gate
21. The Tide Turns
22. Through the Lens
23. Lives Transformed
24. Meanwhile, at Home . . .
25. Heart-Lung Transplants
26. A Question of Ethics
27. Deliverance
28. The Triumph of Science
29. Held to Account
30. The Domino
31. Greek Odyssey
32. Spreading the Word
33. The Ross Procedure
34. Signs of Success
35. Chain of Hope
36. Dr. Zhivago
37. The Queen of Hearts
38. The Generous American
39. Peer Review
40. The Reluctant Pensioner
41. A Kindred Spirit
42. Into Africa
43. Good Morning Egypt
44. The Girl with Two Hearts
45. Taking the Podium
46. Pain and Loss
47. Haile's Story
48. Universally Acknowledged
49. Capital Investment
Epilogue
Sources and Notes
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Plymouth, Southwest England, 1983
2. Early Years
3. Growing Ambitions
4. The Road Ahead
5. Lord Brock
6. Trial by Sherry
7. The Man Who Dared
8. New Horizons
9. So Long, Marianne
10. The American Way
11. The France
12. On the Shoulders of Giants
13. A Promise Fulfilled
14. Pushing Boundaries
15. Magic Hands
16. The Boy and the Baboon
17. Legal Aid
18. Give Them Sunshine
19. An Unexpected Gift
20. Enemies at the Gate
21. The Tide Turns
22. Through the Lens
23. Lives Transformed
24. Meanwhile, at Home . . .
25. Heart-Lung Transplants
26. A Question of Ethics
27. Deliverance
28. The Triumph of Science
29. Held to Account
30. The Domino
31. Greek Odyssey
32. Spreading the Word
33. The Ross Procedure
34. Signs of Success
35. Chain of Hope
36. Dr. Zhivago
37. The Queen of Hearts
38. The Generous American
39. Peer Review
40. The Reluctant Pensioner
41. A Kindred Spirit
42. Into Africa
43. Good Morning Egypt
44. The Girl with Two Hearts
45. Taking the Podium
46. Pain and Loss
47. Haile's Story
48. Universally Acknowledged
49. Capital Investment
Epilogue
Sources and Notes
Bibliography
Index