When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

If you want to save this summary for later, download the free PDF and read it whenever you want.ĭownload PDF Lesson 1: Neuroscience and writing were Kalanithi’s two passions. Let’s see what we can learn from the life and philosophy of this amazing man! Terminal cancer made Kanaithi’s think a lot about his career, life, and the future of his family.A career in the medical field proved difficult and taught him much about the intricacies of life and death right from the start.Kalanithi was passionate about neuroscience and literature.Here are the 3 most interesting things I learned about this man’s life: In When Breath Becomes Air, Kalanithi shares his feelings on being diagnosed with terminal cancer at the peak of his life and career with so much potential in front of him. Writing it wouldn’t be easy because of his fragile and worsening health. The bad news is that I haven’t written anything.” Writing a friend about his diagnosis he said, “The good news is that I’ve already outlived two Brontës, Keats and Stephen Crane.

When neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi got the news that he was going to die of cancer in his mid-thirties, he wanted to make sure he left his piece of wisdom in writing. Maybe we would leave some sort of wisdom for those who come after us. Maybe we would spend less time working and more time with family or helping others.

It might not be a pleasant thing to dwell on, but maybe if we did we would try to live more meaningful lives. But we go about most days not thinking about our inevitable death. Listen to the audio of this summary with a free reading.fm account*:

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi