The Organ Broker by Stu Strumwasser- 280 pages
Book Blurb:
As a disaffected youth in the late eighties, Jack Trayner entered the criminal world, selling coke when he needed money to pay his way through college. Although he later graduated from law school, an opportunity to earn easy money eventually seduced him into the bizarre and illegal black market for organs—a business that some consider horrendous and a small number of others deem to be heroic. The dual nature of this business assuaged Jack’s guilt and allowed him to flourish, yet the death of a client makes what he is doing all too real. The Organ Broker represents Jack’s confession. The international black market sale of organs is very real and operates at this very moment behind closed hospital doors in many cities all around the world. It is a world that most people are only vaguely aware exists, and few of us know much, if anything, about, until now—in the pages of the confession of New York Jack.
My Review: 3 stars
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The Organ Broker is an eye-opening look into the black market world of organ brokering. Don’t get confused, this is not the melodic instrument you hear in a religious service, no, this is the brokering of life instruments that keep you alive.
As a book club pick, the person who selected the book warned us that the writing was average but that the topic would lead to a great discussion. She was right on. The plot was all over the place, the dialogue hard to follow and I had no true connection with the protagonist. On the flip side, I did find the inner workings of the brokering business fascinating, surprisingly lucrative and so very sad.
I have no doubt we’ll have a good discussion for this book. The ease in which overseas doctors are willing to participate, the thought that money can buy you almost anything and the lack of available organs in the U.S. are just a few of the themes I’m sure we’ll chat about.
After note: Kudos to our book club host for inviting a speaker from the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Network. The representative offered so much knowledge and insight into the cycle of donation giving.
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