Reviews

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

coconuttyy's review against another edition

4.0

To me, and pretty much everyone else, this was a quick read. I love reading memoirs and I enjoyed reading Paul’s as well. I do feel that Lucy’s afterword was the best part of the book, but it’s a bit unfair to say that. Paul was quite literally writing this during his last dying months, and he left it unfinished. Part of the allure to this book is its rawness. It felt like a consistent stream of thoughts on paper and that was okay.

ashs_books's review against another edition

3.0

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book but it wasn’t this. I think it was slightly too scientific for me and a bit odd. It was written well but not for me I think.

crosenfrisk's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Beautiful. Poignant. Reflective. How to live while dying. For all of us.

mabelwood's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

upchurchka's review

4.5

A nonfiction book about a neuro surgeon who receives news of having lung cancer and how he deals with death.

camiand96's review against another edition

3.0

I wanted to rate this book higher however It was a tough read for me. It’s always difficult to hear anyone’s story who has gone through such a huge trial like cancer. My heart goes out to Paul’s friends and family who endured this with him and have allowed his story to be published.
I found it admirable how introspective he was and his fixation on what makes life worth living however I found it somewhat troubling that his work seemed to be the answer to that question and not his wife, family, or friends. I found myself wondering if I were given the same prognosis what would I do with the remainder of my time and I’m not sure what the answer to that is but going back to work is definitely out of the question

maf0806's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

gemini_365's review

reflective fast-paced

3.0

This book was fine. I definitely empathize with the authors situation. However, I was not as inspired as I was hoping to be. There was a lot of descriptions of medical situations. I wished the book had gone more in-depth on the author’s feelings a little more. I am open to reading it again to see if I can grasp something I may have missed.

kford424's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

man that got me good right in the feels

bperl's review against another edition

3.0

This was a strange one. Kalanithi makes some poignant observations, but they are buried beneath an oddly-paced narrative and rambling reflections. His entire faith story is shoehorned in at the last second, without regard for proper placement. Plus, those aforementioned observations aren’t exactly new to the human realm of thought.
If anything, read this for an insider’s look at the medical field and all the despair and triumph inherent therein.