When Breath Becomes Air
by Paul Kalanithi
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More Recommenders
“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →Author of Atomic Habits
“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
Source →Recommended by 12 notable people, including Bill Gates and Patrick O'Shaughnessy
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Should I read this?
Recommended by 29 sources and appears in Cancer, Medicine, and Memoir.
An Amazon Best Book of the Month For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living?
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Why recommended
Recommended by 29 sources and appears in Cancer, Medicine, and Memoir.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Meghan Markle
“"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.”
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