Magdi Yacoub's memoirs

Out-of-the-ordinary surgeon

Simon Pearson

This biography reveals the many facets of Magdi Yacoub, the skilled physician who opened dozens of hearts, examined their pain, and brought them back to life, without anyone knowing his own heart and the secrets it concealed. Born in November 1935, the man was a man of few words and rarely appeared in the media, except as part of his advocacy for a foundation bearing his name, which targets people's hearts with care and hope.
The book was written by two of The Times' most accomplished journalists, Simon Pearson and Fiona Gorman, who conducted extensive interviews with Yaqoub. Their dedicated and tireless work took nearly three years to complete the book, which was published in English by the American University in Cairo and sponsored by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
The American University in Cairo chose the Egyptian-Lebanese House from among several renowned Egyptian publishing houses to publish the book in Arabic. The publishing house began its search for a translator, and settled on the accomplished Egyptian translator Ahmed Shafei, who translated highly important works into Arabic in elegant language. Over the course of more than 25 recorded hours, Dr. Magdi Yacoub narrated his life story. The transcription of these hours formed the backbone of this book, which includes his authorized autobiography. He proofread it himself, despite his busy schedule, and accompanied its writing over the three years prior to its publication in English.