Leaders & Notable People
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The Facemaker: A Visionary Surgeon's Battle to Mend the Disfigured Soldiers of World War I
A New York Times Bestseller
"Enthralling. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. And utterly redemptive. Lindsey Fitzharris hit this one out of the park." ―Erik Larson, author of The Splendid and the Vile
Lindsey Fitzharris, the award-winning author of The Butchering Art, presents the compelling, true story of a visionary surgeon who rebuilt the faces of the First World War's injured heroes, and in the process ushered in the modern era of plastic surgery.
From the moment the first machine gun rang out over the Western Front, one thing was clear: humankind's military technology had wildly surpassed its medical capabilities. Bodies were battered, gouged, hacked, and gassed. The First World War claimed millions of lives and left millions more wounded and disfigured. In the midst of this brutality, however, there were also those who strove to alleviate suffering. The Facemaker tells the extraordinary story of such an individual: the pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies, who dedicated himself to reconstructing the burned and broken faces of the injured soldiers under his care.
Gillies, a Cambridge-educated New Zealander, became interested in the nascent field of plastic surgery after encountering the human wreckage on the front. Returning to Britain, he established one of the world's first hospitals dedicated entirely to facial reconstruction. There, Gillies assembled a unique group of practitioners whose task was to rebuild what had been torn apart, to re-create what had been destroyed. At a time when losing a limb made a soldier a hero, but losing a face made him a monster to a society largely intolerant of disfigurement, Gillies restored not just the faces of the wounded but also their spirits.
The Facemaker places Gillies's ingenious surgical innovations alongside the dramatic stories of soldiers whose lives were wrecked and repaired. The result is a vivid account of how medicine can be an art, and of what courage and imagination can accomplish in the presence of relentless horror.
"Enthralling. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. And utterly redemptive. Lindsey Fitzharris hit this one out of the park." ―Erik Larson, author of The Splendid and the Vile
Lindsey Fitzharris, the award-winning author of The Butchering Art, presents the compelling, true story of a visionary surgeon who rebuilt the faces of the First World War's injured heroes, and in the process ushered in the modern era of plastic surgery.
From the moment the first machine gun rang out over the Western Front, one thing was clear: humankind's military technology had wildly surpassed its medical capabilities. Bodies were battered, gouged, hacked, and gassed. The First World War claimed millions of lives and left millions more wounded and disfigured. In the midst of this brutality, however, there were also those who strove to alleviate suffering. The Facemaker tells the extraordinary story of such an individual: the pioneering plastic surgeon Harold Gillies, who dedicated himself to reconstructing the burned and broken faces of the injured soldiers under his care.
Gillies, a Cambridge-educated New Zealander, became interested in the nascent field of plastic surgery after encountering the human wreckage on the front. Returning to Britain, he established one of the world's first hospitals dedicated entirely to facial reconstruction. There, Gillies assembled a unique group of practitioners whose task was to rebuild what had been torn apart, to re-create what had been destroyed. At a time when losing a limb made a soldier a hero, but losing a face made him a monster to a society largely intolerant of disfigurement, Gillies restored not just the faces of the wounded but also their spirits.
The Facemaker places Gillies's ingenious surgical innovations alongside the dramatic stories of soldiers whose lives were wrecked and repaired. The result is a vivid account of how medicine can be an art, and of what courage and imagination can accomplish in the presence of relentless horror.
Editorial Reviews
"A riveting, old-fashioned, man-meets-the-moment account of [Harold] Gillies' work in the field of plastic surgery, before 'plastic surgery' as a field officially existed . . . [Fitzharris] give[s] vivid immediacy to the patients' ordeals." ―Maureen Corrigan, NPR
"Both heartbreaking and inspiring, The Facemaker tells a profound story of survival, resurrection and redemption . . . The Facemaker is not only a stirring tribute to the singular humanity and greatness of one man but a haunting and unforgettable elegy to the sacrifice and suffering of all the soldiers of [WWI]. In the words of that Remembrance Day incantation, Lest we forget." ―James L. Swanson, The Wall Street Journal
"The process of facemaking, Fitzharris captivatingly shows, required both surgical innovation and artistic skill . . . The Facemaker had me gripped; it is elegantly written and endlessly fascinating. Employing just the right balance between diligent research and ingenious reanimation, Fitzharris brings to life a neglected slice of medical history." ―Lucy Scholes, Financial Times
"Grisly yet inspiring . . . The suspense of [Fitzharris's] narrative comes not from any interpersonal drama but from the formidable challenges posed by the physical world." ―Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times
"In her engrossing book, Lindsey Fitzharris not only tells the story of Gillies's achievements, she immerses us in the world of the men he helped . . . Meticulously clear and detailed . . . Fitzharris presents an intensely moving and hugely enjoyable story about a remarkable medical pioneer and the men he remade." ―Wendy Moore, The Guardian
"[Fitzharris] has successfully pieced together the story of a team of doctors, hospital workers and patients "battling" together during the First World War to modernize reconstructive plastic surgery . . . A variegated and tender account of the First World War, its brutality and its narratives of human redemption." ―Christine Slobogin, Times Literary Supplement
"An engaging biography of a masterful surgeon as well as a heartening account of medical progress." ―
"Both heartbreaking and inspiring, The Facemaker tells a profound story of survival, resurrection and redemption . . . The Facemaker is not only a stirring tribute to the singular humanity and greatness of one man but a haunting and unforgettable elegy to the sacrifice and suffering of all the soldiers of [WWI]. In the words of that Remembrance Day incantation, Lest we forget." ―James L. Swanson, The Wall Street Journal
"The process of facemaking, Fitzharris captivatingly shows, required both surgical innovation and artistic skill . . . The Facemaker had me gripped; it is elegantly written and endlessly fascinating. Employing just the right balance between diligent research and ingenious reanimation, Fitzharris brings to life a neglected slice of medical history." ―Lucy Scholes, Financial Times
"Grisly yet inspiring . . . The suspense of [Fitzharris's] narrative comes not from any interpersonal drama but from the formidable challenges posed by the physical world." ―Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times
"In her engrossing book, Lindsey Fitzharris not only tells the story of Gillies's achievements, she immerses us in the world of the men he helped . . . Meticulously clear and detailed . . . Fitzharris presents an intensely moving and hugely enjoyable story about a remarkable medical pioneer and the men he remade." ―Wendy Moore, The Guardian
"[Fitzharris] has successfully pieced together the story of a team of doctors, hospital workers and patients "battling" together during the First World War to modernize reconstructive plastic surgery . . . A variegated and tender account of the First World War, its brutality and its narratives of human redemption." ―Christine Slobogin, Times Literary Supplement
"An engaging biography of a masterful surgeon as well as a heartening account of medical progress." ―
Readers Top Reviews
Victor HaydenRed-Hai
Fitzharris has an incredible writing ability to dig ground in one area, then tunnel through from another area back to where she began. The way she speaks of the accounts of the front line during WW1 to Harold Gillies at Queen Mary’s Hospital, and all those whose lives intersected and were changed by the man is just pleasing to the mind, informative. Not only was the man a pioneer in plastic surgery, but even in gender reassignment surgery. I can see now why Fitzharris chose to write on the subject and wait what felt an incredibly long time to finally bring it to term. Astounding! I can’t wait for the next one. Please use the same audible narrator!
Wendy
Incredible author. Fascinating. Can't put it down! You also need to read The Butchering Art!!
Tucker Lieberman
A ton of information about the disaster of early 20th-century war, regarding the injuries endured by surviving soldiers and the medical technology developed to help them. The language is easy to read, and there's helpful context.
Texas Grandma
Dr. Harold Gillies was a pioneer of maxillofacial surgery when the Great War broke out in Europe. He was horrified by the numerous severe facial wounds suffered by so many soldiers as a result of trench warfare. He dedicated himself to the reconstructive process that would give these brave men a face they could show in public. Unlike soldiers whose injuries resulted in amputations and who were considered heroes, men with facial deformities were looked upon as “monsters.” They were often unable to talk or swallow or eat and some were even rejected by their own families. Dr. Gillies joined with other surgeons and dentists to develop techniques which became what we know today as plastic surgery. Lindsey Fitzharris goes into detail about the surgeries that are performed and also includes before and after photographs of a few wounded soldiers that some might find disturbing. It is a fascinating read and one I would recommend to those interested in both war and medicine.
Kathleen Hughes
“Europe’s military technology had wildly eclipsed its medical capabilities.” The injuries suffered by soldiers in World War l were horrific and far different from earlier wars. Devastating facial wounds were more common, caused by poisonous gas, burns, shrapnel and infections. Death could be caused by actions as simple as placing the soldier on his back on a stretcher which could cause suffocation by blood flow or by sewing large open wound edges together causing necrosis. Changing this world of horror was The Facemaker, Dr. Harold Gilles, whose contributions to the nascent field of plastic surgery saved many lives, invented techniques still used today and resulted in his Knighthood. Gilles was an ENT who understood facial anatomy. His work was aided by that of naturalized American dentist Auguste Valadier, Henry Tonks, anatomical drawing artist and sculptor Anna Ladd. Although plastic surgery dates back to 1798, these men and women were pioneers who modernized the science. The Facemaker is full of facts but reads like fiction. It is perfectly illustrated by the story of Private Percy Clare, wounded in Cambrai, France. His survival was at first accidental. He was helped by a friend, passed from hospital to hospital and finally had reconstructive surgery at Gillies’ Queen’s Hospital. Clare lived until 1950. This is a fascinating look at an unknown (to me) part of medical history. 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Press UK and Lindsey Fitzharris for this ARC.
