Who Would Like This Book:
This Pulitzer Prize-winning book is a gripping, genre-blending 'biography' of cancer that reads like both a detective story and a history of science. Siddhartha Mukherjee weaves together vivid patient stories, scientific breakthroughs, and the passionate, sometimes larger-than-life personalities who have battled cancer over the centuries. Nonfiction lovers, history buffs, science geeks, and anyone fascinated by how medicine tackles humanity's biggest challenges will be hooked. Even if you don't have a medical background, Mukherjee's clear, empathetic storytelling makes complex science readable and compelling.
Who May Not Like This Book:
If you prefer short, breezy reads, be warned - this is a hefty and sometimes dense book, with deep dives into medical science, genetics, and clinical trials. Some readers have found parts repetitive or confusing, especially when the timeline jumps around or the technical details ramp up in the later chapters. It's also heavily focused on the American medical system; those looking for a broader global perspective may feel it's a bit US-centric. And for those who have personal grief or anxiety around cancer, certain sections may feel too raw or intense.
About:
'The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer' by Siddhartha Mukherjee is a detailed and fascinating exploration of the history, research, and treatment of cancer. Written in a biography style, the book delves into the origins of cancer, the advancements in science and medicine over the past century, and the ongoing battle against the disease. Mukherjee skillfully weaves together historical accounts, personal stories, and scientific explanations to provide a comprehensive understanding of cancer as a formidable adversary and the tireless efforts to combat it.
Genres:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings are high due to the graphic descriptions of cancer treatments, patient suffering, and the discussion of mortality associated with the disease.
From The Publisher:
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a documentary from Ken Burns on PBS, this New York Times bestseller is "an extraordinary achievement" (The New Yorker)-a magnificent, profoundly humane "biography" of cancer-from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence.
Physician, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with a cellular biologist's precision, a historian's perspective, and a biographer's passion. The result is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with-and perished from-for more than five thousand years.
The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries of discoveries, setbacks, victories, and deaths, told through the eyes of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely resourceful adversary that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out "war against cancer." The book reads like a literary thriller with cancer as the protagonist.
Riveting, urgent, and surprising, The Emperor of All Maladies provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments. It is an illuminating book that provides hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer.
Ratings (33)
Incredible (15) | |
Loved It (10) | |
Liked It (4) | |
It Was OK (4) |
Reader Stats (109):
Read It (33) | |
Currently Reading (2) | |
Want To Read (45) | |
Not Interested (29) |
1 comment(s)
Libro en detalle, mucho detalle, de la historia del tratamiento del cancer.
Si te interesa el tema, te va a encantar.
What can you read after
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer?
About the Author:
Siddhartha Mukherjee is the author of The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in general nonfiction, and The Laws of Medicine. He is the editor of Best Science Writing 2013. Mukherjee is an assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University and a cancer physician and researcher. A Rhodes scholar, he graduated from Stanford University, University of Oxford, and Harvard Medical School. He has published articles in Nature, The New England Journal of Medicine, The New York Times, and Cell. He lives in New York with his wife and daughters. Visit his website at: SiddharthaMukherjee.com
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
