This is a book that I have been dying to read this year followed by rave reviews throughout from the reading community! This book did do justice to all my expectations, simple words and worldly wisdom from a man who is dying and while doing so trying to find the meaning of life and death, that too being a doctor by profession.
Paul Kalanithi studied Literature and Philosophy, then went to the medical school and specialized in neurosurgery. On choosing neurosurgery, Paul says “I was compelled by neurosurgery, it's unforgiving call to perfection.It seemed to present the most challenging and direct confrontation with meaning, identity and death. The call to protect life- and not merely life but another’s identity".
After 10 years of ardent practice of medicine, when he was so close to graduate as neurosurgeon, Paul was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.His every day went fighting with cancer and eventually he succumbed to it's cruel demands. While his dream and hard work were crushing in front of his eyes, Paul chose to write this book when he was seriously ill. He says he always wanted to be a writer, speaking about his love for literature, Paul says “Literature not only illuminated another’s experience, it provided I believed the richest material for moral reflection”.
Paul and his wife had a baby just before 8 months he died, his wife Lucy who stood by him as a great support when he was slowly taken away by cancer. She also wrote the ‘Epilogue’ of this book which is very moving. She remembers Paul as a very brave man, she quotes him saying "You can't ever reach perfection but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving".
Paul would not have thought that his beautiful memoir would be very well received, he was always obsessed with life's ultimate meaning. May be his life didn't give him a choice to accomplish it as a doctor but he indeed changed so many lives and inspired many as a writer.
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