Larry's Kidney: Being the True Story of How I Found Myself in China with My Black Sheep Cousin and His Mail Order Bride, Skirting the Law to Get Him a Transplant - and Save His Life, by Daniel Asa Rose, pretty much tells any reader all he or she needs to know with one glance at the title. However, there is a bit more to it than that.
Larry, the story's main character, is in desperate need of a kidney. Although he is able to function without medical intervention, the need for a new, perfectly working organ is a strong necessity. There's only one problem. Larry is hardly the only person who requires a fresh body part to live on a day to day basis. Enter a cunning and devious plot.
Daniel, Larry's cousin, is asked to accompany Larry as he explores an option of getting the operation in another country. Specifically, China. The United States is reluctant to have any transplant work done from their country due to potential implications. In other words, they have no idea where the new organ could be coming from. Now, to say Daniel is troubled by the trip is putting things mildly. However, Larry is family, even if other relatives consider him to be something of a black sheep.
At this point, a cousin by the name of Burton should be explained. It seems Larry and Burton had a falling out due to the death of the latter's mother dying. Burton, Larry suspects, had a hand in the expiration. While not in the literal sense of killing, there is still a question (at least in Larry's mind) of undue influence. What is Larry's solution? Why, a fatwa, of course! This is to be issued upon the event of Larry's demise. Whether or not Larry survives long enough to get through his operation successfully and put off the issuing of the fatwa a bit longer can only be discovered by reading the book.
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