The Discovery of Insulin by Michael Bliss is a total page-turner.

It’s no surprise to me that the handsome book here on the couch beside me is in its 25th edition.  It’s such a good read!

Not only does it do an amazing job of sketching the lives of Banting and Best, the men behind the discovery of insulin in the early 1029’s, but it makes scientific discovery into a taut drama that makes the thing read like a mystery–or a soap opera!  This might be a good time to underscore that my degree is in literature, not science, and that good writing–and well-told story–are requirements for any book I’m going to finish.  More like a novel than any kind of scientific treatise, Discovery has great character development, vivid historical renderings, and excerpts of letters and reports that bring to life such a decisive medical discovery.

There are moments in reading the book–or viewing some of the photos–that elicit strong emotion because of how terrible it is to imagine life without artificial insulin.  However, I closed the book feeling like I had a much better understanding–and appreciation!–for a hugely important scientific advancement.

One that means that people with people with T1D get to thrive.