Christiaan Barnard books in order
South African cardiac surgeon
- Lived
- 1922–2001
- Country
- South Africa
- Books
- 9
Christiaan Barnard published 2 novels, 5 non-fiction books and 2 other books, beginning with Christiaan Barnard (1969).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Christiaan Barnard

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Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Barnard's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order

Tensión (1974)

The Donor (1996)
Non-fiction in order

Christiaan Barnard (1969)

South Africa (1977)

The Body Machine (1981)

Your Healthy Heart (1985)
The Second Life (1993)
Other books in order

Good Life Good Death (1980)

50 Ways to a Healthy Heart (Thorsons Directions for Life) (2001)
About Christiaan Barnard
Christiaan Neethling Barnard was a South African cardiac surgeon who performed the world's first human-to-human heart transplant operation. On 3 December 1967, Barnard transplanted the heart of accident victim Denise Darvall into the chest of 54-year-old Louis Washkansky, who regained full consciousness and was able to talk easily with his wife, before dying 18 days later of pneumonia, largely brought on by the anti-rejection drugs that suppressed his immune system. Barnard had told Mr. and Mrs. Washkansky that the operation had an 80% chance of success, an assessment which has been criticised as misleading. Barnard's second transplant patient, Philip Blaiberg, whose operation was performed at the beginning of 1968, returned home from the hospital and lived for a year and a half.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Christiaan Barnard FAQ
- How many books has Christiaan Barnard written?
- Christiaan Barnard published 2 novels, 5 non-fiction books and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Christiaan Barnard's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Christiaan Barnard.
- What is Christiaan Barnard's last book?
- The Donor (1996).
- What is Christiaan Barnard's most famous book?
- Christiaan Barnard (1969) is Christiaan Barnard's most widely read book.
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.