Genre: Autobiography

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Rating: 5/5

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Every sentence of When Breath Becomes Air drips with strength and love, and each one reminds me of how the world can be cruelest to those with the greatest potential. 

“You can’t ever reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving.”

Introduction 

I have a bit of a history with When Breath Becomes Air. Thanks to my mother, who often bought English books for our family to read, a copy of this one had been sitting on our bookshelf for as long as I can remember. Oddly enough, despite the years it spent there gathering dust, I never once felt compelled to pick it up. Perhaps it was exactly because of my familiarity with it, seeing it every day,that I convinced myself I already knew the story, and thus there was no need to spend my limited reading time on it, especially when there were countless other books I had never encountered. That is, until now.

Before officially opening it, I could have listed the few things I “knew” about the book: first, that it was an autobiography written by a doctor-turned-patient about his journey after being diagnosed with cancer; second, that it was sad. You might think it ridiculous that I dismissed it so easily despite knowing so little. And in that regard, you would be absolutely, utterly correct.

“Human knowledge is never contained in one person. It grows from the relationships we create between each other and the world, and still it is never complete.”

There is no better word to describe this book than beautiful. In under 200 pages, Paul Kalanithi distilled his passion, his life’s work, and every lesson he learned in his short yet profoundly meaningful life into a single volume. As I read, I felt a deep sadness that someone so brilliant, a doctor and writer who could have contributed so much to the world, was taken away by sheer chance and misfortune. Every sentence drips with strength and love, and each one reminds me of how the world can be cruelest to those with the greatest potential. By the time I turned the final page, I was almost embarrassed by my past self for having overlooked such a treasure for so long.

“There is a moment, a cusp, when the sum of gathered experience is worn down by the details of living. We are never so wise as when we live in this moment.”

What struck me most was the sheer talent in Kalanithi’s prose. I hadn’t known he majored in English at Stanford, yet I was mesmerized by how seamlessly he wove together his love of language, neuroscience, and medicine. Subtly but consistently, he explored the intersection between the brain and our purpose in life, all while devoting himself to helping others. At times, I found myself wanting to live as he did, leading a life full of  curiosity, courage, and grace, even in the face of inevitable death. I think I will hold Paul Kalanithi as a role model for years to come.

In conclusion, this book is a must-read for anyone struggling to find a clear purpose in life. I am certain that Kalanithi’s journey will inspire those who may be too afraid to embrace life fully, encouraging them to strive toward their best selves, just as he did. An absolutely remarkable book. 5/5.

“Will having a newborn distract from the time we have together?” she asked. “Don’t you think saying goodbye to your child will make your death more painful?”

“Wouldn’t it be great if it did?” I said. Lucy and I both felt that life wasn’t about avoiding suffering.”