Interesting, well-written memoir that details the author's life and memories really well. 4 stars. tysm for the E-ARC.

A Knife to the Heart was such a fascinating and insightful read. As someone in healthcare, I especially appreciated the honest look at the realities of surgery and the emotional weight that comes with caring for patients.

Dr. Angelini does a wonderful job balancing the technical side of medicine with the very human side of it. This isn’t just a book about performing surgery—it’s about the responsibility, the difficult decisions, the victories, and the losses that shape a career in medicine. I found myself reflecting on so many of the stories long after I finished reading.

The writing is thoughtful and engaging, though there were a few sections that felt a little slower, which is the only reason this wasn’t a full five stars for me. Overall, it was an inspiring memoir that gave me an even greater appreciation for the people behind the operating room doors.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in medicine, surgery, or the human stories that exist behind every patient and every procedure.

Thank you to NetGalley and Book Guild Publishing for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.✨

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. However, there are quite a few technical details, which may bore some readers. It's an easy read and quite enjoyable, but some of the writing feels choppy. The stories often end suddenly with no follow-up. It was nice learning about the impact the author had on progressing cardiac surgery and both the successes and failures. However, it was unique the way he would name some names and mention he couldn't name others. When he did name names, he often did not mention why that was allowed (especially with patient names). Overall, a good book that I enjoyed reading, but I wish some of the stories didn't end so suddenly. Also, the letter at the end was written to his 26-year-old self, but it's never clear when it was written and why? It appears to have been written much later in life when he already knew what his 26-year-old self would accomplish. If that is the case, then I may have missed the reason for the letter.

Interesting and fascinating.

I enjoyed this memoir of a Cardiac Surgeon. Born in Tuscany, Italy, he originally wanted to become an airline pilot, but his dreams weren't to be realised in that field due to a congenital eye defect.

It was very easy to read; not too technical. I love this kind of book; medical memoir, and the person's backstory; what lead to them becoming the person they are today. Includes a couple of recipes relevant to things mentioned in his book.

As well as his work, he also mentions some medical instances of his own, and his family.

Contains his experiences and anecdotes over the years. For me, a very interesting read, which I enjoyed. It was also very honest.

There is a colour photo section, in the middle of the book.

Not the best medical memoir I've read, but nothing wrong with it. It just took me a bit longer to get through than some, so didn't quite make the 5 stars mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

DNFed at 75%. I don't really know how I got so far into this book, but I didn't really find it all that interesting. Well, it was interesting in the sense that Gianni Angelini kind of just fell into cardiology because his other two life goals didn't work out due to health issues. As someone who has no connection to cardiology, I struggled with some of the jargon and the medical talk. The tone wasn't engaging enough. Overall, I'm sure other people would enjoy this but it was not for me.

"A Knife to the Heart" by Gianni Angelini is the autobiography of a fascinating and successful cardiothoracic surgeon.
Born in an Italian village, Angelini recounts his humble background.
After getting his MD in Italy, he moved to the UK to practice medicine because the UK was much more of a meritocracy than Italy. Given his modest family, he would have never reached the heights he reached in the UK.

I enjoyed his story about operating on Sir Ralph Finnes, the polar explorer.

I wish there were more practical takeaways, although he has a few near the book's end.

He also suggests that interventional cardiology (surgery lite) is overtaking cardiothoracic surgery and that surgeons must adapt.
He gives little insight into robotic surgery and AI, perhaps because he's an old man now.

This is an excellent choice for medical professionals and anyone interested in the human side of medicine, especially surgery.

I deduct one star because I found the book only somewhat engaging: I skimmed many sections. But if you're into surgery and medicine, you'll love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early release copy of A Knife to the Heart. This was a compelling and thoughtfully written book that resonated with me both professionally and personally.

I work in the cardiothoracic surgery field in Scottsdale, Arizona, and I found this book especially engaging given my daily exposure to many of the procedures and patient experiences described. Angelini does an excellent job of blending clinical insight with humanity, offering readers a window into the complexities of heart surgery while never losing sight of the patient behind the diagnosis. The empathy woven throughout the narrative is palpable and deeply appreciated.

Reading this book reinforced the emotional weight that accompanies cardiothoracic care—not only for patients and their families, but also for the medical teams who walk alongside them. It is clear that the author brings both expertise and compassion to the subject matter.

I am genuinely excited to share this book with one of our cardiothoracic surgeons, who is originally from England, as well as with my colleagues who work closely with patients facing heart surgery every day. I plan to keep a copy at my desk for anyone who wishes to borrow it. I am grateful to have read this book and would highly recommend it to both medical professionals and readers interested in the human side of cardiac care.

My father had heart surgery, and I have been fascinated by the work cardiac doctors perform ever since. This book was an excellent glimpse into what drives an individual to do the work they do. I thought Angelini was authentic and honest in his storytelling. I appreciated the raw style and was intrigued as I read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.