When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I am not a huge fan of non- fiction. But many people recommended this one so decided to step out of my comfort zone especially because this was a very small read. And I am glad I did.

If you ask me what exactly I like about this book, I don’t think I have an answer. But this was one of my fastest reads. In this auto-biographical memoir, Paul Kalanithi lays out his entire life for introspection and inspection, not giving us any answers but still making us think about the correct way to live. It’s emotional at times, logical at others, it’s brave, courageous and sometimes a little frightening. Well…it should be – We are talking about a person who himself have witnessed the hope, the pain and the fear that comes with death, firsthand and by the end of the book, you realize there is no way to sugarcoat death, no matter how close you have been to it. The book basically shares Paul’s transition from a doctor to patient, how all of a sudden his bright future turned bleak, and finally how his family and him welcomed a new life amidst all the chaos and grief.

So for me, this was a good read. I was really surprised at the fact that I loved a non- fiction. And personally I read it at a time, I badly needed a new viewpoint or direction. So if you have time to spare, or time to shed a few tears, give it a read. Happy Reading.