When Breath Becomes Air
My rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
This book perhaps is the only one I can recall to date that made me cry. I mean really cry.
It’s a piece of work, a real account of a dying person with a tough epilogue. When you start the book you don’t know Paul K. Midway. Past reading through the middle of this book, you feel that you know him well and before you reach the end, you want to change the end.
The degree of self-reflection that he has articulated over the pages is awesome. Excerpts on why he chose the vocation(neuroscientist surgeon), his days at work, and how he examined and constantly questioned his drifting personality vs values. My favorite from his book, “before the diagnosis I did not know when I will die, after the diagnosis I did not know when I will die”- that’s the whole thing!
Realigning priorities, this man lived on borrowed time, at the peak of his career watching it all go away, yet maintaining the composure to make it meaningful. All he wanted was – a meaningful life..what would that be?
Seriously, the guy has articulated it all in a way that will simply dig some of your own deep-seated feelings. This book will make a compelling read for anybody. However, if you are clueless, feel you have a lot of time, feel unlucky for some experience of yours, then you should read this book. In my opinion, this book will restore your faith in life and the way you value time. Wish he were alive!