Book Review: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
June 28, 2023
Jacqueline Green
CEO & Chief Strategiest at Behind the Design
Book Overview
When Breath Becomes Air is an autobiography of a neurosurgeon post-resident diagnosed with lung cancer at 36. It is a powerful story of strength, resilience, and perseverance. The author walks you through his transformation from a med student to a neurosurgeon, wondering what a meaningful life is while confronted with his own mortality.
Why I Picked this Book to Read
I am unsure if I would have picked up this book to read, although I like autobiographies and biographies. It was a gift from my son last Christmas. He had received it as a gift and read it entirely on a plane ride back from vacation. I am glad he gave it to me. I will warn you, it is a tear-jerker at the end of the book. I found myself rooting for him to live, even though I knew that wouldn’t be the situation.
What I Learned: My Three Takeaways
This isn’t exactly a book where you learn specific strategies or tasks. However, I did take away a few interesting tidbits.
- First, cancer sucks, and life is unfair. This is a given, but I find how much perseverance a person has when diagnosed to be amazing. Here is a brilliant man who worked his entire adult life to help others, yet when faced with a cancer diagnosis, he continued to help others by writing this book and sharing his experience.
- Relationships are a minefield, yet some couples find a way to unite during hard times and fight a good battle together. I have one of those relationships with my husband. It was nice to read about this couple enduring the worse and loving each other dearly.
- I am inspired by Paul’s strength and courage to the end of the book, but also by his wife and her strength.
Who Should Read this Book
I find it interesting that sometimes it takes a tragedy to really bring out the best of us. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for inspiration.
Where to Buy
You can buy it through my Amazon link or from your favorite bookstore.
Author Bio - Jacqueline Green
Jacqueline Green is the driving force behind Behind the Design, a company dedicated to helping interior designers, architects, and creative entrepreneurs thrive through education, training, and marketing services. As founder, CEO, and Chief Strategist, she combines education, coaching, and marketing to empower business owners to achieve their goals. Her leadership is transforming how creative professionals build successful businesses, creating a community of empowered entrepreneurs.