There is a moment, a cusp, when the sum of gathered experience is worn down by the details of living. We are never so wise as when we live in this moment.

Everyone at this point knows how difficult it is to become a doctor - the years of academic rigor, the mounting debt, and the resilient nature of seeing and being in control of nature’s rawest moments. In Paul Kalanithi’s memoir When Breath Becomes Air, Kalanithi reflects upon his gruesome path to becoming a neurosurgeon and how stage 4 lung cancer derails his career and forces him to find meaning in his life.

Paul’s journey is a bit unique, not only because he has numerous degrees in literature, history, and philosophy from top tier universities, but also due to how he lives his life - before and even after his diagnosis. For instance, he takes time to serve as a cook at a summer camp instead of a prestigious summer research program to explore nature and look amongst the stars. While he acknowledges that decisions like these may seem “foolish” from the perspective of others, he shows through his writing that these vivid memories shaped the person that he wished to become.

The second half of the book really focuses on the central theme of transition, how he goes from doctor to patient. It took a while for me to process this section, I really hung on every word that he wrote, as I could see his potential and compassion as a doctor. Between all of the medical detail and jargon - the message was eloquently simple - live your life while you can when you have time, and appreciate it in all the ways God allows you to.

My main complaint really of this book was the foreword, which just seems to miss the mark in so many ways. For some reason it really rubbed me the wrong way that someone who had never met or interacted with Paul would start off the piece in such a way. The book could have been without all the excessive verbiage.

In conclusion, this little book packs a heavy punch, through its beautiful writing and desperate will to live. It’s a bit ironic that a book so revolved around death can really teach me how to live. The way he writes about his approaching demise - the gripping reality tied with his fight to live, leaves a lasting impression on me to push the way that I perceive life.

Even if I’m dying, until I actually die, I am still living.

Overall Rating: 8/10