The Knife Man by Wendy Moore is an award-winning biography that delves into the riveting and grisly world of John Hunter, the most famous surgeon of eighteenth-century London. Equal parts brilliant and controversial, Hunter revolutionised surgery, advanced medical science, and even anticipated Darwin’s theories of evolution. A maverick of the Enlightenment, he treated the rich and poor alike—though failure might mean their bodies ended up on his dissecting table, fuelling his insatiable thirst for knowledge.
Winner of the Medical Journalists’ Open Book Award, this gripping biography explores Hunter’s scientific genius, eccentric character, and enduring legacy in the world of medicine. Packed with historical detail and fascinating medical discoveries, The Knife Man is a must-read for fans of history, biography, and the curious origins of modern science.
