When Breath Becomes Air: Vintage Classics Most Red Series (MOST RED)

by Paul Kalanithi

MOST LOVED. MOST RED. Ten must-read modern classics.

'Even if I'm dying, until I actually die, I am still living.'

We often ask ourselves how we should be living. In Paul Kalanithi's deeply moving memoir, he is forced to ask himself the question, 'how do you live when you are dying?' At thirty-six, having just finished his training to become a neurosurgeon, he was faced with a devastating cancer diagnosis. This is his memoir. From student, to doctor, to patient, to father, and to writer, Paul preserved his last years and legacy in this truly unforgettable book.

This magnetic, hopeful book was first published in 2016. Adored by millions of readers, it is a Vintage Classic already and a book that will stand the test of time.

• ISBN10: 1784875880
• ISBN13: 9781784875886
• Publish Date: 4 March 2021 (first published 12 January 2016)
• Publish Status: Cancelled
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Vintage Publishing
• Imprint: Vintage Classics
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 192
• Language: English

Reviews

[Leigha]

Paul Kalanithi discovers he has a terminal cancer in this bittersweet memoir.

I don’t usually enjoy memoirs, but I did enjoy When Breath Becomes Air. It’s a well-written novel blending together literature, philosophy, and science. While many people will focus on the author’s diagnosis, I found myself utterly fascinated by the rigors of medicine. His training and education regiment stunned me. I knew becoming a doctor took years and years of practice, but giving yourself over to the profession is mind-blowing. If you’re doctor reading my review, I want to thank you for you being you.

Of course, the heartbreaking reality of the novel is his diagnosis. It claims to be an unfinished novel, but it didn’t feel unfinished to me. It felt like one long beautiful letter to his daughter, explaining the way he lived and the way he died. The epilogue by his wife was absolutely heartbreaking. I can only imagine suffering from the grief of losing a loved one, while simultaneously celebrating the joy of bringing a loved one into the world. Where is her memoir?

tl;dr A well-written, poignant novel about a young neurosurgeon coming to terms with his life and his death.

[writehollydavis]

I don't even know where to begin in writing my review of this book in a way that will do it justice. I finished this book in less than a day if that says anything about it. I found joy in Paul's prose and eloquence in his stories of life as a neurosurgery resident and his battle with cancer, and the epilogue by his wife brought me to tears. What makes life worth living in the face of death? Paul knew.

[elvinagb]

Beautifully written. What a wonderful story of a life lived but ended too soon.