Helen Brooke Taussig took the best job available for a woman doctor in 1930, caring for dying babies.

She discovered how to save them.

She didn’t stop there.

A Heart Afire Helen Brooke Taussig

An enormous work—and, indeed, achievement—covering a life that explores most of the twentieth century. This impressive piece of research is not just about one woman, but also about the health of a nation and global developments in science and medicine.”

Claire Brock, Associate Professor, University of Leicester; author of British Women Surgeons and Their Patients, 1860–1918

“A masterfully told story. Patricia Meisol's exciting and entertaining account of Helen Brooke Taussig's achievements is accessible for a general readership and will interest historians and doctors too.”

Thomas Schlich, James McGill Professor in the History of Medicine, McGill University; coeditor of Technological Change in Modern Surgery.

 
 

About the Author

Patricia Meisol is a narrative non-fiction writer and former investigative journalist. Her stories about women often take experimental forms. In this biography, Helen’s closest surviving fellow recalls her mentor’s earliest days and helps narrate her life and times.