Als adem lucht wordt

by Paul Kalanithi

Hardcover, 256 pages

Dutch language

Published Dec. 30, 2016 by Hollands Diep.

ISBN:: 978-90-488-3458-7
OCLC Number:: 958466125

(3 reviews)

Op zesendertigjarige leeftijd wordt de briljante en ambitieuze neurochirurg Paul Kalanithi gediagnosticeerd met stadium IV longkanker. Van de ene op de andere dag verandert hij van een arts die levens redt in een patiënt die moet vechten voor zijn eigen leven. De laatste 22 maanden van zijn leven besluit hij zijn grote ambitie waar te maken: een meesterlijk boek schrijven over zijn bijzondere levensloop.

Wat maakt het leven nog de moeite waard als je de dood in de ogen kijkt? Wat doe je als al je dromen over een toekomst plaats moeten maken voor een miserabel noodlot? Wat betekent het om een kind te krijgen en nieuw leven op aarde te zetten terwijl je eigen leven langzaam wegebt?

Paul Kalanithi stierf in maart 2015, terwijl hij de laatste hand legde aan zijn memoires. Zijn wijze observaties en rijke inzichten in het leven zijn hartverscheurend. Als adem vervliegt is een onvergetelijk boek over een naderend einde en de relatie tussen arts en patiënt van een begenadigd schrijver, die helaas beide rollen moest vervullen. --back cover

29 editions

KnitAFett reviewed When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Didn't find this to live up to the hype or even the blurb...

3 stars

I feel icky giving low ratings to memoirs and biographies, but I just can't bring myself to give more than 3 stars for this one.

It was interesting to be able to see life through the lens of a neurosurgeon. But I felt like there were few moments where I was actually learning about what Paul went through, what he learned, what he truly felt. It lacked the emotion that I expected with someone coming to terms with knowing that their life will be short-lived and trying to move along with that. I learned far more in the afterword from his wife than I did in the entire book.

I feel icky giving low ratings to memoirs and biographies, but I just can't bring myself to give more than 3 stars for this one.

I also just have a particular dislike for people who decide to have kids when they know one parent will not be alive to see that child grow past being a toddler. It's not my life, and people should live how they want, but I just really don't like seeing it being done and glorified like it's some amazing thing when that child will be dealing with the trauma of never knowing a parent for their whole life.

Overall, this felt like an acquaintance just quickly trying to tell you what they've been going through, and they're not comfortable enough to really let you know how they're doing and what's really going on.

technicat@bookwyrm.social reviewed When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

A thoughtful, poignant and personal narrative

5 stars

I was reading this book when I got an MRI result stating "very high likelihood of clinical cancer", so I really took a personal interest, and still after my biopsy returned nothing (I'm at the age where increasingly medical visits end with "good news, you don't have cancer") I was wrapped up in the author's journey even though I knew how it was going to end. Much of his story is about his quest to understand the human condition through medicine, science, literature, and religion, and his battle with cancer was no different.

ChefRaven reviewed When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

Review of 'When Breath Becomes Air' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Once in a while, there's a book that will make me pause when I finish reading it. I will close the book and simply hold it and look at the cover and try and absorb what I just experienced. This is one of those books. It takes hold of you.

It's NOT easy to read from an emotional stand point. You know that Paul died prior to publication. I was most moved and drawn in by the epilogue, written by his wife Lucy.