Dear Readers, this is another edition of MEDIVOICE’s Book Review. Today I bring to your stables a must-read book for you. Yes, you!
With a refreshing title “When Breath Becomes Air”, Paul Kalanithi, a bookselling author reminds us of how precious and fragile life is. Paul Kalanithi was a talented neurosurgeon. He wrote a memoir of experiencing the joy of saving lives and the heartbreak of losing his own life too soon.
Stay with me, this book keeps you hooked till the last page.
There are two parts to the book.
Part I
The first part of “When breath becomes air” focuses on Paul’s life as a neurosurgeon, his intense residency training, his ethical challenges, and his love for literature and philosophy. In the book, Paul keeps questioning the real meaning of life. Just a sidebar, I mean who sent him to study medicine in the first place not to talk of specializing in NEUROSURGERY, of course, he would question the real meaning of life.
Part II
The second part is much more personal and emotional. Dr. Paul is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and overnight becomes the patient. It’s here that the book becomes especially poignant, keep a pack of tissues with you. Paul is no longer trying to discover the real meaning of life, he has to redefine his purpose while knowing his time is limited—heartbreaking and incredibly inspiring. He shared his deep reflections on mortality, relationships, and the shifting meaning of life.
One of the things that I enjoyed so much about this book is Paul’s ability to straddle two worlds. The clinical, objective realm of medicine; as a doctor, he was trained to view disease and death with a certain detachment. However, as a patient, he had to confront those realities head-on, and he shared this with honesty and vulnerability.
Through the book, Dr. Paul invites you into his thoughts, his fears, and moments of clarity. His thoughts resonated personally, as I also had to question myself “What does it mean to have a meaningful life? Am I maximizing my choices? Is Medical school the right path for me? This made me reflect on the way I approach my personal life and career.
Paul’s story isn’t just about his illness; it’s about the choices we all make and how we choose to live, even in the face of uncertainty. “When breath becomes air” is a book that makes you reflect not only on your career and calling but also on your relationships and how you spend your time.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Till next time, stay safe!
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