Larry's Kidney

How far would you go to save the life of a family member? Obviously, Daniel Asa Rose would go the extra thousand miles. Rose was on vacation when he received the call from his cousin, Larry. We probably all have a cousin Larry. He irritates the whole family. Everything he says sounds insulting, and he's too ignorant to realize it or just doesn't care. However, when we get that call that he is dying and needs our help, we do everything within reason to help him. Notice I said within reason. This book got mixed reviews because of the actions of Rose and Larry. Larry is in kidney failure. He is living off of dialysis and the list for a new kidney is long. As he lays in bed he surfs the web for a kidney. For the right price, he can purchase one from China but there is a catch. It is illegal for Westerners to purchase a kidney in China. Thus the adventure begins. Lying, sneaking and whatever else it takes, the two men head to China to buy a kidney. What ensues is hilarious. This book is laugh out loud funny until you stop and think about what they did. Is it right that money can buy organs? You'll have to decide that for yourself. Larry's Kidney is a hilarious, entertaining read. I actually enjoyed it...as long as I pretended it wasn't real. The antics of these two are funny. The book is well written, the characters are well developed and likable. Rose's style is third person. This is not your run of the mill read. It will leave you laughing and thinking.

As the mother of a multiple organ donor, I was intrigued by this book's title. Although we've communicated with our son's heart and liver recipients, and met the heart recipient and his family, we never heard from our son's other recipients despite their very positive outcomes... Organ donation and transplantation can be a very touchy topic. Even though Larry's Kidney deals with the recipient side of the donation story, this was a book I wanted to read. It would have been more difficult for me to read shortly after our son's death 13 years ago, but after seeing the positive aspects of "gift of life" donations, I was mesmerized by this courageous memoir... Daniel Asa Rose weaves a page-turning saga of his travels and travail with his second cousin Larry in China on a quest for a kidney transplant. There is controversy in the transplant community regarding the purchase of transplanted organs in foreign countries, but when there is a possibility that the recipient might not live long enough to reach the top of the transplant list in the USA, perhaps there is no choice...? One odd point was that Larry had no problem asking people for tickets or staterooms, but he hadn't asked any of his family, friends, associates (not even the Motor Men?!) if they'd consider being a living donor of a kidney here in the USA before deciding on a Chinese transplant. My hat is off to Daniel for accompanying his cousin on a very risky mission. I doubt few people (even writers) would travel to the other side of the world with a long-lost relative for medical care that hasn't even been arranged beforehand. The saga is at times hilarious as well as poignant. This would make a fantastic book group selection...lots to discuss, both serious as well as humorous.

What a surprise! I wasn't expecting the story that unfolded, but I knew from the first pages I was going to be entertained. And I was. And this is coming from a guy who generally does NOT read fiction. But it wasn't. And that's what I loved about Mr. Rose's saga. I knew the story was real, Daniel was real, LARRY was real, Larry's mail-order bride was real; and having invested in their welfare, I had to find out what happened to them. Life is unpredictable, and consequently, I had no idea where the journey would lead me. So I didn't try predicting it. Ultimately, I was not disappointed.

A hilarious book that takes off like a gunshot. A story of a mismatched duo and their odd quest in alien territory. I was lucky enough to hear the author read the opening chapters on the closing night of a writer's retreat week. The crowd was exhausted and the tales of Larry's Kidney woke everyone right up. Rose quickly had us doubled over. Topics as diverse and relevant as health care and modern China are not excuses for the author to lecture, but rather unique details with which he can surprise and enlighten. Unforgettable characters, moments, journey. Note to Hollywood: it is written almost entirely in entertaining dialogue.

Just finished this -- one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. A wild ride! Witty and chocked full of heart, I started reading and the pages flew by. Loved Rose's style and there are characters in Larry's Kidney that I can't get out of my head (I'm not sure if that's good or bad!) Remarkable book.