BookMentionsBookMentions
When Breath Becomes Air
29 recommendations

When Breath Becomes Air

by Paul Kalanithi

Recommended by Bill Gates, Patrick O'Shaughnessy +
10 more

More Recommenders

M

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
James Clear

Author of Atomic Habits

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
M

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
B

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
S

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
T

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
A

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
M

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
S

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →
D

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.

Source →

Recommended by 12 notable people, including Bill Gates and Patrick O'Shaughnessy

Check price on Amazon

Proof-backed recommendation

Amazon availability

Reading Profile

Length:Short(209 pages)

Should I read this?

Recommended by 29 sources and appears in Cancer, Medicine, and Memoir.

An Amazon Best Book of the Month For readers of Atul Gawande, Andrew Solomon, and Anne Lamott, a profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir by a young neurosurgeon faced with a terminal cancer diagnosis who attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living?

Looking for Kindle, hardcover, paperback, or audiobook editions?

Check formats, pricing, and current availability directly.

Check availability on Amazon

Why recommended

Recommended by 29 sources and appears in Cancer, Medicine, and Memoir.

Recommended by notable people

People and public figures who have recommended this book.

Recommendation Signals

Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.

M

Meghan Markle

"When Breath Becomes Air" is one of the best books I've read in years. All best to you, Lucy. | @rocketgirlmd When Breath Meets Air is an intellectual companion to Emperor of All Maladies and Ken Burns film. A "must read" book | @satishd @dksf @patrick_oshag God yes this book was amazing and also broke my heart. All the best ones do. Thanks @zsims, the gifter | @shilpasunil_rao Yes. Great book | Another day, another booklist. Today: memoir?I loooooooove memoirs. As ever, please reply with your favorites so we can all add them to our reading lists. :) Also: Happy Friday. Phew. | Death comes for all of us. Yet we never suspect our own fragility. Everyone needs to read this book. | Extraordinary @nytimes revu of Paul Kalinithi's book, "When Breath Becomes Air" "Intimate, illuminating, unmissable" | More Shabbat reading recommendations: This book was breathtaking and such a powerful advertisement for the joy of parenthood. | This book left me in tears. | This one, the writings of a young and brilliant medical doctor, who was practicing medicine while battling terminal illness (cancer), may make you cry. He writes about his final days. Then died at 37years old before finishing the book. His wife wrote an epilogue.
View sources (10) ▾80%

Appears In

Accidental Presidents
Try This Instead

Not sure if this is the right fit?

Consider Accidental Presidents by Jared Cohen. Recommended by 10 sources.

Accidental Presidents offers eight narrative portraits of men who succeeded to the U.S. presidency without election, using anecdote-rich scenes and readable context to show how personality and circumstance interact with office power. It’s strongest as a set of self-contained stories that make succession stakes concrete for non-specialist readers; it does not prioritize dense archival argument or exhaustive methodology, so expect some interpretive generalizations and repeated themes across cases. Use it for fast historical orientation rather than scholarly deep-dives.

Similar books

How recommendation signals are reviewed

Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.

When Breath Becomes Air

When Breath Becomes Air

View on Amazon →