A richly detailed and deeply emotional account of the conflict between modern medicine and traditional society in Pakistan

"Dr. Farhat Moazam has written a wonderful book, based on her extraordinary first-hand study. . . . [S]he is an exceptionally gifted and evocative writer. Her book not only has the attributes of a superb piece of intellectual work, but it has literary artistic merit." —Renee C. Fox, Annenberg Professor Emerita of the Social Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania

This is an ethnographic study of live, related kidney donation in Pakistan, based on Farhat Moazam's participant-observer research conducted at a public hospital. Her narrative is both a "thick" description of renal transplant cases and the cultural, ethical, and family conflicts that accompany them, and an object lesson in comparative bioethics.

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Offering a unique contribution to the literature on interpretations of organ donation within Islam, Moazam deftly exposes a diversity of views, sketching the tensions between fatawa which prescribe both duties to save human life, and duties to respect the sacredness of the body. . . It is this essential humility suffusing Moazam's narrative which makes her many insights so powerful and so plausible. I am elated that this is her first book, and not her last one.

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This stylishly written book is much more than an account of comparative medical ethics. It is an insiders's story of how modern medicine can be made to work successfully in traditional societies where the demands of religion and extended families are central. It also details the daily struggle for survival in a megacity, and shows what happens when successive governments fail to provide basic housing and healthcare for the poorest.

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This is a superb and insightful ethnography, with a wide appeal. It is highly useful for those with interests in the fields of healthcare, bioethics, or culture.205.4 Oct 2007