Now Read This: “Pump: A Natural History of the Heart,” by Bill Schutt

Bill Schutt is quickly becoming one of my favorite nonfiction authors. His writing style brings science and facts to the level of understanding of the everyday individual. His latest title, “Pump: A Natural History of the Heart,” published in 2021, is no exception.

I was a little worried when I first decided to pick up this title that I might find the material a little too visceral for my squeamish tendencies, but I had no reason to fear. Schutt’s matter-of-fact presentation of information gets straight to the point, creating detailed images and explanations of the how and what without getting too in-depth with the less-than-pleasant aspects of anatomy. From the giant hearts of blue whales to the open and heartless circulatory system of insects, Schutt explores the heart’s history — both the physical and the philosophical.

Some interesting facts I learned along the way: Blue whale hearts can weigh in at more than 386 pounds, 42 inches from top to bottom and 38 inches wide. Octopuses have three hearts — two brachial hearts and one systemic. And hagfish exist — they are kind of gross creatures, but fascinating to read about. These are just a few of the many interesting nuggets of information Schutt presents throughout his book.

At 253 pages, this nonfiction book isn’t a terribly long or difficult read. The first night I cracked it open, I read almost 100 pages. And if reading some of the descriptions gets a bit difficult to follow, there are diagrams and illustrations to help you visualize and understand. Schutt’s writing is well-done, and the topics he discusses are always thoroughly researched and well-presented, from the meat and potatoes of the book to the footnotes at the bottom of the page. You are sure to learn something new and fun both about yourself and the world around you.

If you find you cannot get your hands on “Pump” right away, we have Schutt’s book “Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History” (2017), which takes a look at the animal kingdom and the reasons and conditions that cause different organisms to take a chomp out of their neighbors. Another one of Schutt’s books I recommend is “Dark Banquet: Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-feeding Creatures” (2008). We do not have that title here at the library, but if you are interested, we can use our interlibrary loan system to request it from another library.

Other books that might be of interest are “Plight of the Living Dead: What the Animal Kingdom’s Real-life Zombies Reveal about Nature and Ourselves,” by Matt Simon; “The Hidden World of the Fox,” by Adele Brand and “Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel,” by Carl Safna.