Read this when
When Breath Becomes Air
A neurosurgeon, 36, reads his own scans. Then he has to figure out what a life is for. 🫁 Keep tissues nearby.
Who it's for
Kalanithi, a 36-year-old neurosurgeon who spent his training helping patients face death, is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, and the memoir follows him across the line from doctor to patient.
Feelings it meets
What it is
Published posthumously in 2016, this memoir by neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi recounts his training at Stanford and his diagnosis with stage IV lung cancer in 2013, following his transition from physician to patient. He reflects on mortality and on what makes life meaningful, and describes his relationship with his wife Lucy and the birth of their daughter in 2014.
Where to find it
In print (Random House); widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain.
Before you start
Heads up: Terminal cancer and the author's death.
Age: Ages 14+
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:Ecclesiastes 3:1, King James Bible
