MixedNatureHis book Pump refuses to tie the heart off from the circulatory system, and instead uses it to explore how multicellular organisms have found various ways to solve the same fundamental challenge ... At his best, Schutt guides us on a journey from the origin of the first contractile cells more than 500 million years ago to the emergence of vertebrates, not long afterwards ... There are plenty of zoological nuggets to enjoy along the way ... Schutt’s try-hard tone will not be for everyone ... As Schutt turns from comparative anatomy to historical interpretations of the heart, and then to more recent milestones in cardiovascular medicine, the off-piste jaunt loses its way ... As for the legacy of the damage wrought to hearts—in every sense—by the COVID-19 pandemic? That’s a book that needs to be written.
