The Questing Heart

It wasn’t supposed to be this hard. If America could send a man to the moon, shouldn’t the best surgeons in the world be able to build an artificial heart? In Ticker, Texas Monthly executive editor and two time National Magazine Award winner Mimi Swartz shows just how complex and difficult it can be to replicate one of nature’s greatest creations. Part investigative journalism, part medical mystery, Ticker is a dazzling story of modern innovation, recounting fifty years of false starts, abysmal failures and miraculous triumphs, as experienced by one the world’s foremost heart surgeons, O.H. “Bud” Frazier, who has given his life to saving the un-savable. His journey takes him from a small town in west Texas to one of the country’s most prestigious medical institutions, The Texas Heart Institute, from the halls of Congress to the animal laboratories where calves are fitted with new heart designs. The roadblocks to success —medical setbacks, technological shortcomings, government regulations – are immense. Still, Bud and his associates persist, finding inspiration in the unlikeliest of places. A field beside the Nile irrigated by an Archimedes screw. A hardware store in Brisbane, Australia. A seedy bar on the wrong side of Houston. Until post WWII, heart surgery did not exist. Ticker provides a riveting history of the pioneers who gave their all to the courageous process of cutting into the only organ humans cannot live without. Heart surgeons Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, whose feud dominated the dramatic beginnings of heart surgery. Christian Barnaard, who changed the world overnight by performing the first heart transplant. Inventor Robert Jarvik, whose artificial heart made patient Barney Clark a worldwide symbol of both the brilliant promise of technology and the devastating evils of experimentation run amuck. Rich in supporting players, Ticker introduces us to Bud’s brilliant colleagues in his quixotic quest to develop an artificial heart: Billy Cohn, the heart surgeon and inventor who devotes his spare time to the pursuit of magic and music; Daniel Timms, the Brisbane biomedical engineer whose design of a lightweight, pulseless heart with but a single moving part offers a new way forward. And, as government money dries up, the unlikeliest of backers, Houston’s furniture king, Mattress Mack. In a sweeping narrative of one man’s obsession, Swartz raises some of the hardest questions of the human condition. What are the tradeoffs of medical progress? What is the cost, in suffering and resources, of offering patients a few more months, or years of life? Must science do harm to do good? Ticker takes us on an unforgettable journey into the power and mystery of the human heart.

Tucked away in the Druida City of Celta, Trif Clover knows she has a HeartMate. She wants him so badly she’s actually going door-to-door with her charmkey to find him. What she doesn’t know is that he has already found her. Guardsman Ilex Winterberry knows that Trif is his HeartMate, but fears that being twice her age, with a short life ahead of him, he will only scare her away. He yearns to be close to her—and she needs to be close to him. There’s a killer on the loose, stalking those with unstable Flair psi power like Trif’s. Facing his most difficult task yet, Ilex must reveal the truth of their destiny or else leave Trif in the grasp of a vicious murderer...

Follow the adventures of a young girl, Satori (enlightenment) as she travels through Surrality, the place between real and surreal, in search of the other half of her heart, a fuzzy creature that hangs around her neck and speaks to her, like a conscience. Along her journey she meets friends who promise to help her, barely escaping monsters like Suffocation and Reality who almost steal her imagination along with all the color in her life. As she comes to the end of her path, she begins to understand what wholeness truly means and how it is the quest itself that has shown her the meaning. It is an allegorical short fiction, appealing to seekers of all ages. The fun, silly, scary, loving and sometimes sad encounters remind us of the hope that can be found deep inside our hearts. It all begins...with a quest.

Walt Disney Animation Studios' Moana is a sweeping, CG-animated comedy-adventure about a spirited teenager on an impossible mission to fulfill her ancestors' quest. In the ancient South Pacific world of Oceania, Moana, a born navigator, sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her incredible journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage. They encounter enormous sea creatures, breathtaking underworlds, and ancient folklore. This Step 3 Step into Reading leveled reader based on the film features a shiny cover and collector cards. Perfect for children ages 4 to 6. Step 3 readers feature engaging characters in easy-to-follow plots about popular topics. For children who are ready to read on their own.

Dive into the captivating tale of the Little Hearts in "The Quest for the Elders." When whispers of mysterious elders, previously unknown to the realm, reach the ears of the Little Hearts, they embark on a quest of discovery and enlightenment. Guided by ancient scrolls and age-old legends, the Little Hearts traverse through mystical lands, encountering magical creatures and overcoming formidable challenges. Along the way, they unravel the hidden histories of the elusive elders, understanding their pivotal role in the balance of the world. Join the Little Hearts as they navigate this mesmerizing journey, seeking wisdom, forging bonds, and uncovering the profound secrets of the elders.