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When Breath Becomes Air cover art

When Breath Becomes Air

Written by: Paul Kalanithi
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell, Sunil Malhotra
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Publisher's Summary

Tackling the agonizing transition from skilled surgeon to bewildered patient, When Breath Becomes Air is an unflinching account of what it means to be betrayed by the body you devoted your life to understanding.

The New York Times number-one best seller.

At the age of 36, on the verge of completing a decade's training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live.

When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi's transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity - the brain - and finally into a patient and a new father.

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when life is catastrophically interrupted? What does it mean to have a child as your own life fades away?

Paul Kalanithi died while working on this profoundly moving book, yet his words live on as a guide to us all. When Breath Becomes Air is a life-affirming reflection on facing our mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both.

©2016 Paul Kalanithi (P)2016 Random House AudioBooks

Critic Reviews

"Finishing this book and then forgetting about it is simply not an option.... Unmissable." ( New York Times)

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What listeners say about When Breath Becomes Air

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

It is a great book with profound moments

Journey of Paul is inspiring and sad at the same time. Poignant tale of a man who could have been so much more . However this is not a book to lament a journey cut short. It is a story of a man who loved life. He perhaps ended up living more than what many would who outlive him.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An Heartbreaking tragedy

The fight of doctor against Cancer.
The doctor patient and patient (doctor) doctor discussions, decisions are heart breaking.
Death as seen by Doctor and Patient is the main focus of this book.
A really good shoet read.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A story of resilience and courage

Courage is not just doing heroic things, but also in facing your own fears and standing strong against them. The story of Paul shows how an aspiring, competent and genuine person faced with terminal cancer can still find meaning in life and go on to impact the life of others positively.

I liked how the story captured his journey and reason for getting into neuroscience and then his relentless efforts to make a positive mark in his field. When he is diagnosed with cancer, his resilience to fight it, to come back to surgery and to go on to create this book is truly infectious. The way Paul and Lucy struggle and support each other throught their relationship and events is also heartening aspect of the story. The fact that they bring KD into the world speaks volumes about their positivity.

A great book to lift your spirits up inspite of showing the fragility of life. Audible experience was good.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

very valuable writing

a beautiful, tragic, meaningful memoir that contemplates life in the face of death, and death as a reality of life.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful piece of work

Such a wonderful and affectionate perspective on a topic so rarely freely spoken about. It absolutely lovely.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Closure

I am not qualified to review this but if I ever do something productive this book can be given all the credit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Facing death with integrity

A 36 year old brilliant Neuro Surgeon is diagnosed with Cancer. Does he face death with integrity forms the crux of this Autobiography. If read plainly a reader may misunderstand this as a book for Medical students(as I felt through midway). There is explicit lack of depth in writing. The fact is corroborated by authors mention of specific surgical procedures. The lack of drama may also discourage some readers. But, if read with open mind, the authors pain can be understood- Choosing to continue his residency with support, dream job vs family, Doctor vs patient, efforts to complete the book, decision to have a baby, etc. A must read book for the youth who feel they have a world full of unresolvable problems in life not to get hyper motivated but just to know that there are bigger problems in life. The Foreward by Abraham Verghese is literary brilliance. The prologue by Paul’s wife makes most of the readers cry, the real sum up of the last few months and adds lots of emotional value to the book. Finally, my judgement is same as Paul’s wife’s- yes he faced death with integrity.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Realistic and painful and sometimes scary , great read !!

A deeper perspective on challenges of a terminal illness and insight into a profession that deals with it both from practical and emotional sense

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Thought process about the life

The way author narrated with his ambitions about life and approaching death, Paul practically explained the post trauma of the cancer patient and their family

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

The end is not until it has ended!

From the title one could guess the book is about life and death. However this book made me reflect on the purpose of my birth in this world. Will I just spend my days waiting for my last day or spend each day by making myself more resourceful and helpful. This book is not about how to overcome death, but how to gracefully travel to what every human is destined.
Critique: the story lacks details. It might confuse on how the characters just enter the story line with least intro..

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