Self-growth
Business & Career
Success
Communication
Healing
Relationships
Psychology
HappinessYou’ll learn
- How to appreciate good and bad experiences
- To find encouragement in unfortunate events
- Ways to stay motivated despite hardships
- The art of empathizing with others’ experiences
Table of contents
first KEY POINT
The hope that it is not cancer
Paul Kalanithi was at the peak of his career as a respectable doctor and led a happy life with his wife, Lucy. His life reached a point where he could provide his family with everything they deserved. However, nothing lasts forever.One day, Kalanithi started to lose a lot of weight. He had severe back pain and soon suspected it might be cancer. Despite being responsible and seeing a doctor, his symptoms worsened daily. Another thirty pounds evaporated from his body while his back and chest fought for who got it worse. At this point, Kalanithi had almost no doubt about his condition. The only person he did not want to involve was his wife.However, there was no way to hide the truth from the person he loved the most. Despite his best intentions, secrecy can destroy years of trust in a second; Kalanithi learned this the hard way. Hurt and distraught, Lucy left but returned a week later when the final diagnosis arrived.
Life has unexpected turns, which can be difficult, but facing them helps you achieve peace.
Lonely and tormented, Kalanithi expected nothing but an end to his relationship and the happy life as he knew it. However, when the blurry chest X-ray confirmed his fears of stage IV metastatic lung cancer, he had to reevaluate everything before it was too late. He passed away at the age of thirty-seven. But his experience and thoughts during the period of battle and reconciliation have long since helped other people appreciate every moment just enough to realize they've endured the hardship.
second KEY POINT
Sometimes, our childhood holds a secret from our adult selves
As a child, Paul Kalanithi had two struggles: a wild and dangerous nature and his parents. A son of a doctor, he was expected to follow the tradition. As it often happens, Kalanithi desired a different path as a writer. But being an author did not promise financial stability at that time. Another reason he did not fancy becoming a medic was his father. Distant and strict with his family, he did not make the profession attractive to his son. Besides, Kalanithi knew nothing about medicine but knew enough to associate it with an absent father and reheated dinners. Rare hugs and talks were a high price for being a doctor.Aside from having a compromising experience with his father, a young Paul Kalanithi had trouble adapting to his environment. When he was ten, his family moved to Arizona. An affordable house on a desert plateau was the only way to provide education to the three boys in the family. Kalanithi grew up in wild surroundings, often costing him sleepless nights. After all, not everyone spends their formative years among clusters of black widows, scorpions, and tarantulas. But day after day, anyone would get used to the scary habitat, just as Kalanithi did. One example from his life is remarkable in this sense. As a kid, he stumbled upon a gigantic rattlesnake with his brother. The boys were smart to know that killing it would trigger the entire nest, so they had to be creative. They successfully put the snake into a pillowcase and threw it into the desert. Now listen to this: they even returned to bring back the pillowcase because an angry mom is scarier than any snake!Kalanithi grew more determined and matured in Arizona, surrounded by age-old nature. Perhaps, it prepared him for his future choice and made it bearable to witness suffering and death.And while his new hometown had loads of snakes, it had no proper school. Kalanithi's mother, a medical school graduate and a bookworm, insisted that her children read as much as possible. She “vaccinated” Kalanithi with a love for reading so that no other metaphoric snake would scare him. From then on, the boy did not shun sexual references, pain, or rage. The books taught him to open his mind to everything.
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first KEY POINT
In search of meaning and running from reality
second KEY POINT
A meeting with death
third KEY POINT
Wearing your patient’s shoes
fourth KEY POINT
The final page
fifth KEY POINT
Conclusion
Related summaries
Frequently asked questions
What is When Breath Becomes Air about?
'When Breath Becomes Air' is a poignant memoir by Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon who faces terminal cancer. The book explores themes of mortality, the intersection of life and death, and the profound meaning found in both medicine and literature.
Is When Breath Becomes Air worth reading?
Absolutely! 'When Breath Becomes Air' offers deeply engaging insights into the human experience, making it a must-read for anyone interested in life, death, and what truly matters. Kalanithi's eloquent writing and honest reflections resonate with readers on many levels.
What are the key takeaways from When Breath Becomes Air?
Some key takeaways include the importance of living a purposeful life, embracing vulnerability, and understanding the value of time in light of our mortality. Kalanithi's journey emphasizes both the beauty and fragility of life.
How many pages is When Breath Becomes Air and when was it published?
'When Breath Becomes Air' has approximately 256 pages and was published on January 12, 2016. This powerful memoir remains impactful and relevant, attracting readers with its heartfelt narrative.
Who is the author of When Breath Becomes Air?
The author of 'When Breath Becomes Air' is Paul Kalanithi, a highly regarded neurosurgeon and author. His unique perspective as both a doctor and a patient provides an unparalleled insight into the challenges we face with life and death.