Take a look at our most vital of vital organs, the heart, in a different way.

More than an intricate pump, the heart is, after the brain, the most affected by our emotions; the very symbol of our feelings made visceral. But how deep is this connection? In this fascinating book, Sydney heart and lung surgeon, Dr Nikki Stamp, examines takosubo cardiomyopathy, famously known as broken heart syndrome, where the end of a relationship has led to heart attack and death. She finds that social connection has a huge influence on our physiology, affecting the heart via hormonal surges, inflammation and behavioural change. Everything is connected.

This highly readable book is all about being a whole-of-life human, and seeing ourselves in a holistic way. More than the sum of our parts, our flesh can express our character and longings, and be read as such. Doctors and patients would do well to heed this approach.

Dr Stamp’s relentless enthusiasm for the heart is, dare I say it, contagious. Her tour of the various factors in heart health, from risk factors to gender and nutrition, is surprising and highly entertaining. Full of anecdotes and awe-inspiring glimpses of modern surgery, "Can You Die of a Broken Heart?" is fresh, and even fun.