Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

33 reviews

333amreen's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

VERY INSIGHTFUL!!! not just into a doctor's life and their relationship with their patients & their confrontation with life and death everyday! But also, into HIS life, Paul's beautiful life & his philosophies that were astounding. Overall, an emotional ride, especially the latter part!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Medical content, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit

knjelite's review

challenging inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

Paul's meditation on life and death and the meaning-making process that comes with navigating those two absolutes was both a joy and a slow devastation to listen to. I was especially connected to his mindset regarding the medical profession with my sister currently going through a similar process so the overall premise struck a chord with me. While an abrupt ending, the meaning was not lost on me and I appreciated the decision of his wife carrying on his final testimony. Overall deeply reflective but accessible book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Cancer, and Death

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Medical content, Pregnancy, Grief, and Vomit

eclloyd's review

challenging dark sad slow-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, and Cancer

Moderate: Gore

Minor: Suicide

thefemale_nickmiller's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Vomit, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail

mdwsn27's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Grief, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Vomit, Medical trauma, Death, Medical content, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, and Blood

berryradical's review

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

I was able to read this book in a day. Definitely cried. The briefness we have on this planet makes you question things like what to let go of or what to pursue based on what you value. Paul going from a surgeon being paged to patient status places his viewpoints in perspective. He leaves behind a legacy of trying to help others in a vulnerable state. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Chronic illness, and Death

smkelly1997's review

challenging emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

5.0

Beautifully written. I wish their could have been more but I guess that somewhat reflects life and one of the many messages of this book. Overall, incredible. I think it’s important for all health care providers to read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Vomit, Cancer, and Chronic illness

readandfindout's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

On first read in 2017: This has to be one of my favorite non-fiction books of all time now. I often find that, though I will enjoy a memoir, it doesn't really resonate with me. But this certainly did.

The entire time that I was reading this book, I was noting the similarities between my thinking and Paul's. I wish that we had been able to meet, because I think we could have had some very interesting discussions about mortality and meaning. I also found myself awed by his integrity, throughout his life as well as when he was facing death.

On 2023 reread

Overall rating: 4.75 stars

Style/writing: 4.5 stars
Themes: 5 stars
Perspective: 5 stars

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Grief, Medical trauma, Cancer, Death, and Medical content

Minor: Vomit and Suicide

serenachowna's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, and Grief