When the Air Hits Your Brain

Tales from Neurosurgery

By: Frank T Vertosick Jr. MD

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

With poignant insight and humor, Frank Vertosick, Jr., MD, describes some of the greatest challenges of his career, including a six-week-old infant with a tumor in her brain, a young man struck down in his prime by paraplegia, and a minister with a .22-caliber bullet lodged in his skull. Told through intimate portraits of Vertosick's patients and unsparing-yet-fascinatingly detailed descriptions of surgical procedures, When the Air Hits Your Brain - the culmination of decades spent struggling to learn an unforgiving craft - illuminates both the mysteries of the mind and the realities of the operating room.

©2008 Frank T. Vertosick, Jr., MD (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A riveting report that shatters the mystique of the brain surgeon as a wizard of technical prowess." ( Publishers Weekly)

Entering Hallowed Grounds

I rarely enjoy medical books but read this book and you will remember Rebecca, where God touched this Neurosurgeon and hopefully he realized just that. The book read like a Clancy novel, yet you felt like you were right there with a very gifted man, that changed the world for each patient that trusted him to go into a place that few tread. The commentator was really believable making it all the more enjoyable. You will remember Jackie who gave it all for her yet to be born child, (Not fetus Doctor) which changed this doctor in my opinion to understand the ultimate sacrifice. I am glad that this doctor through a God Wink got a chance to save humanity patient by patient and thank him for it.

Fascinating and hilarious

Lots of great stories from the trenches of going through residency. Some of them made me cry, some of them made me laugh out loud, Gary and the skullcap story made me want to meet Gary 🤣. Very entertaining while at the same time intriguing as he described the various ways neurosurgeons decide which forms of treatment to pursue.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about the medical field and can laugh at a dark sense of humor. There is a fair amount of swearing (just a heads up for the prudes). Oh, and make sure you listen to the postscript.

Inspiring, emotional, and motivational

What made the experience of listening to When the Air Hits Your Brain the most enjoyable?

Dr. Vertosick was able to incorporate the progression of a medical resident into a beautiful narrative. Multiple different cases came together and painted a picture of the cruel but rewarding life of a neurosurgeon.

What did you like best about this story?

The way the story was told. It was easily accessible to the non-science community, when he did use jargon, he was able to explain it quick and clearly without disturbing the story and/or narrative.

Have you listened to any of Kirby Heyborne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I have not.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I mainly had 2 reactions:
1. I felt sad at times with the difficult cases, and one case even almost brought tears to my eyes.
2. I shared in the Doctor's joy when he was triumphant, and as a future medical student it motivated me even more to pursue a neurosurgeon specialty.

Unabashed page turner

To idea of hearing stories of what it is like to be a brain surgeon captivated me but the fascinating content, sometimes hilarious and sometimes tragic, riveted me. I started listening and was so drawn in that the first time l looked to see my progress, there was only an hour to go. The most entertaining "listen" in the past year.

Just AMAZING!!!!

One of the best audiobook I have ever listened! It shows the life of neurosurgery with the human side! 10/10