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The Icepick Surgeon
The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science | Sam Kean
From bestselling author Sam Kean, comes this fascinating and thrilling tour of the darker side of sciencefrom the past to the present, and even into the future. In our society, scientists are the good guysusually. Every so often one of them goes rogue and ends up on the wrong side of the law. The Icepick Surgeon exposes the crimes that researchers have committed throughout history and examines what pushes these otherwise rational men and women to cross the line in the name of sciencelike real-life versions of Breaking Bad. Many of these incidents have been overlooked in the annals of history, despite their sensational nature. Others were splashed across the headlines of every tabloid newspaper in their day but have long since receded into the mists of time. The Icepick Surgeon provides a unique opportunity to resurrect these stories and take a peek at what drove people to break the ultimate taboos in ages past. The stories range from the dawn of science in the 1600s to the high-tech felonies and misdemeanors of tomorrow, spanning all corners of the globe for the perfect fusion of the thrills of true crime with the most exciting discoveries science has to offer. The Icepick Surgeon combines both the highest aspirations of humankind with our most dastardly deeds to make for a sensational read.
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ElizaMarie
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Pickpick

Finished this one the other day. Really enjoyed it. Had a lot of thought provoking ethical dilemmas to ponder.

#HousePanther 🦞 making himself cozy on his brother

RaeLovesToRead Hi Lobster!!! 👋🏻☺️ 7mo
ElizaMarie @RaeLovesToRead I was on a zoom education thing for work and Lobster just had to be at the center. Like the whole cooperate (it was a cooperate nursing education thing) all commented on him :) 7mo
dabbe #photocontestwinner 🤩🤩🤩 7mo
RaeLovesToRead He is so handsome! Give him a snuggle from me! 😁🥰 7mo
27 likes4 comments
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ElizaMarie
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Watching Luchasaurus while reading the chapter entitled “Bone Wars” … seems pretty fitting :) 🦖🦕 #AEW

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ElizaMarie
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Enjoying this one while we watch wrestling 🤼‍♂️ #AEW

5feet.of.fury I‘m watching Payback, but will be watching All Out tomorrow. Shocked about CM Punk! 8mo
26 likes1 comment
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kimmypete1
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Pickpick

Fascinating and messed up. Some of the things I knew about, but a lot I had no clue. People are messed up.

The Jurassic Park quote really is most fitting here “Scientists were so preoccupied whether or not they could, they didn‘t stop to think if they should.”

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Twainy
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Pickpick

🎧 I was a captive audience. Each chapter is a new story of somewhat horrific oddness!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Twainy @vivastory I also loved it! I didn‘t recognize the author‘s name … I searched … he‘s written other books that I‘ve read and enjoyed! 😁 1y
25 likes2 comments
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coffees
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this one! Also, I think it's cool that my #nonfiction reading is starting to overlap bc I actually had prev knowledge abt a few of the cases he talked about. But also others sort of 🤯 bc they were little things I'd never considered but that were obvious. The book ends with some questions for the future that I thought were v interesting and sort of sound like a scifi novel but that are grounded in our reality #history #science

14 likes3 comments
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coffees
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Next up on the list of books to read is this one, also my Oct ALCs included Cursed and IM SO EXCITEDDDDDD #scarathlon2022 #teamMonsterMash #pointsathon #scaracoffee22 #bookspin #bookspinbingo

#scarathlondailyprompt for killer

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britt_brooke
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Picture a group of bookstore-hopping #NashvilleLittens. It was time to leave #Parnassus, and I couldn‘t make a decision, so I panicked-grabbed this for the incredible cover. A solid decision. What an intriguing premise! Some stories were a bit lengthy and dry, but overall, this is a fascinating look into what compels humans to venture into ethical gray areas, and sometimes criminal territory, in the name of science.

mollyrotondo Oh I didn‘t know he had a new book out. I‘ll have to pick this up! 2y
britt_brooke @mollyrotondo Hope you enjoy! 2y
83 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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britt_brooke
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Spent two lovely kidless hours at the pool this afternoon. Even treated myself to lunch from the poolside grille. Wish this could be every day! 😂

vivastory I need to read another Sam Kean. The following is one of my favorite nf books 2y
britt_brooke @vivastory This is my first time reading him. I‘ll have to stack that one - thanks! 2y
62 likes2 comments
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LoverOfLearning
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Can we just admire this book cover. Brilliant a 200 / 10 and the story inside? I bet it will be right up my alley.

I love dark science and curious death stories like this. I predict a 5 star listen.

I need to order a copy for my shelf!

39 likes2 stack adds
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britt_brooke
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My boys are at a trampoline park birthday party which means I get a couple of hours with this beauty. Super interesting so far! #coverlove

TEArificbooks Great book 2y
britt_brooke @mdm139 Really good so far! 2y
76 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Hooked_on_books
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Pickpick

The Icepick Surgeon is an interesting look at the ways in which science has been used for nefarious purposes or gone off the ethical rails. Overall, I enjoyed this, though I would have liked a little more of each story and the author is a tad too willing to promote himself (he references his podcast way too many times).

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Bookboss
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Pickpick

Kean looks into cases of misdeeds, crimes, and unethical behavior committed in the name of scientific advancement. Some stories were familiar while others were unknown to me. Overall, the book was interesting, but the audiobook frequently interrupted the narrative with references to the author‘s podcast and website. Perhaps these interruptions are unobtrusive footnotes in the print version, but they were clunky in the audiobook.

Reagan I just love Sam Kean! 2y
EvieBee Sounds so good! 2y
41 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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LibrarianRyan
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3.5 ⭐
I know some bad things have been done in the name of science. But most know them in a periphery, a side view that may not be accurate. Mangala, bad scientist. Tuskegee, bad science, etc. But this book gives the readers a bit more in depth knowledge of these and many more events without overloading on any one topic. Plus the stories the author decided to tell were sometimes known, other times not, and some were downright shocking. ⬇

LibrarianRyan Like figuring out how to kill someone so the body could be used for dissection. And I won‘t even get into what Cleopatra did. Elizabeth Taylor never showed us that side of the classic beauty. This book was told in chronological order so that the reader could see and understand, that even now things are being done for the purpose of scientific advancement, that in a few years time may be considered unethical, or were unethical to start with but 3y
LibrarianRyan happened anyway. The biggest drawback to this book was the references. There were many times when the author would direct the reader to more information on a topic and it was almost always another of their books, or their podcast. They should have been directing readers to other works on the subject and not just what they did themselves.
3y
38 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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RamsFan1963
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Pickpick

Sam Kean is easily my favorite science writer. This book is witty, entertaining, informative, gross, sad and infuriating. The animal cruelty chapter is hard to listen to, but for me the chapter on lobotomy was the worst. How we allowed such a barbaric practice is beyond me, I'm just glad they stopped. Being held down, awake, while someone drove an icepick into my eye is my definition of Hell. 4 🤯🤯🤯🤯 1/2

Megabooks Yikes!! 3y
Bookwomble Looking up details about the procedure, I'm sadly unsurprised that the majority of lobotomised people were women and ethnic minorities, sections of the community who continue to receive disproportionate diagnoses of psychiatric "disorders". Shockingly, the Nobel committee has refused to rescind the Prize they gave to the developer of the procedure, and they continue to defend the efficacy of lobotomy as a "treatment"! 3y
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble Yes, "willful" women, like Rose Kennedy, had to be treated for the "good of the family" If I didn't already know that Joseph Kennedy was a huge pile of shite, then his treatment of his daughter would confirm it. 3y
54 likes3 stack adds3 comments
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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

A new Sam Kean book is always a good thing. I will warn readers that there is a chapter about animal cruelty that makes for hard reading (skip it if you need to) and the icepick surgery chapter may cause squeamish people like me to feel rather faint. This chapter includes a photo of surgery in progress 😖 But overall a good read.

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rabbitprincess
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“[Tesla would] get physically ill if he saw a peach or pearl. No one knew why.”
Me, who has played way too much Stardew Valley: “Ah, those would definitely be his hated gifts!” 😂😂
https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Friendship

(Image description: Nikola Tesla with a scribble speech bubble over his head to denote anger, and pixel art of a peach and a pearl from Stardew Valley)

rabbitprincess My other half has pointed out that in the game, Pearl is a universally LOVED gift 😂😂 3y
CaramelLunacy This makes me so so happy 3y
kwmg40 You're not the only one who has played way too much Stardew Valley, and I enjoyed a fresh Ontario peach just a few minutes ago! 😄 3y
rabbitprincess @CaramelLunacy @kwmg40 I am so glad other people appreciate this deeply silly post 😂😂 Also had a fresh peach today myself! Glad for peach season, although we don‘t have the nice wooden baskets ☹️ 3y
14 likes4 comments
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TEArificbooks
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Day 7 #litsysummercamp @ImperfectCJ I read the tagged book this week it didn‘t finish it. Only 2 chapters to go though. As far as favorite song along or spooky story, I don‘t have a favorite. When it comes to camp fires I just like to sit and enjoy the heat and the atmosphere and just be.

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TEArificbooks
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Day 2 of #litsysummercamp @ImperfectCJ and I wish it was raining. Perfect weather to read by. I am really enjoying this book about crimes scientists committed in the name of science and how they justified their actions and what we learned from their science. BTW this is also where I feel and broke both my legs a few weeks ago. I should make a full recovery but is is going to months before I can even attempt to walk and months of PT after.

ChasingOm Oh my gosh, both legs! I hope the recovery goes smoothly and quickly. ❤️ 3y
ImperfectCJ Holy heck, both legs! Echoing @ChasingOm in hoping you have a smooth recovery and a quick return to mobility (relatively quick, of course...healing takes time). 3y
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I hope you heal up well and as quickly as your body will allow! 😢❤️ 3y
37 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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rabbitprincess

Saw this in the On Order section of my library catalogue and practically drilled a hole in the Place Hold button 🤣 Looking forward to this!

Reagan Oh I love Sam Kean! 3y
rabbitprincess @Reagan I‘ve loved everything he‘s written! 😊 3y
19 likes2 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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Pickpick

A horrifying yet fascinating look at the crimes that have been comitted in the name of science. Wildly ranging in topics from the more fun--buccaneer naturalist William Dampier--to the purely deplorable--Nazi "experiments," lobotomies, and Tuskegee syphilis study. I learned a lot and found the book really interesting but the sheer horror of many of the topics made it hard for me to rate it more than 3.5 stars

Between a pick and a so-so.

timeisfleeting I read The Disappearing Spoon by Mr. Kean and do want to get more by him-- this one sounds fascinating! Was there anything that you didn't like about the book aside from the horror of the topics? 3y
rachelsbrittain @timeisfleeting not really, I thought he did a good job of dealing with the difficult topics for the most part. And I definitely do want to read more of his other books now! 3y
49 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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Are you into weird medical history? I am and wrote a blog post about some of the best of the genre over on Unassigned Reading:

unassignedreadingpod.com/horrifying-history-of-medical-mistakes/

readingjedi That's a great blog post, thanks 😊 3y
rachelsbrittain @readingjedi thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 😊 3y
RainyDayReading Read and loved Quackery and Sawbones both! I‘m always up for weird medical history 😁 3y
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rachelsbrittain @RainyDayReading same! I didn't even realize quite how into it I was until I started looking at how many books like this I had read / put on my TBR 😂 3y
RainyDayReading @rachelsbrittain It sneaks up on you! I didn‘t realize how much it had grabbed me either until I found myself reading The Invention of Surgery and was like wait a second...🤣 The Butchering Art and The Poisoner‘s Handbook are also favorites of mine! I‘ll have to add the others you mention onto my list. 3y
rachelsbrittain @RainyDayReading haha right?? I LOVED The Poisoner's Handbook. I really want to read her other book, The Poison Squad, but haven't been able to find it through any of my library apps yet 3y
RainyDayReading @rachelsbrittain It‘s so good!!! That was my “gateway” book into all the rest! The Poison Squad is up high on my to-read-next list. I‘ll have to check my library and see if they have it, I hope they do! Just can‘t get enough of books like this 😅 3y
Chelsea.Poole This list is excellent! Thanks for sharing 😊 3y
55 likes1 stack add8 comments
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rachelsbrittain
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Lazy Saturday with the snow melting which means it's the perfect reading conditions

61 likes1 stack add
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rachelsbrittain
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"As the judge banged the gavel, William Dampier hung his head in disgrace. One of the most celebrated scientists of his age was now a convicted felon."

#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl