When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi is my type of book. I usually like fiction, both in English and Urdu. Biographies are often boring for me unless a movie is based on them. As I absolutely love movies or series based on real life events. But books on these subjects are not my type.
When I started reading this book “When Breath Becomes Air” I didn’t feel like it’s a biography. The style of writing is so crisp and gripping as if it’s a novel. In fact I would say it’s like a thriller fiction. There is an emotional element, there is suspense, the moments of profound grief and rays of hope that are illuminating your anticipation aspirations.
When Breath Becomes Air starts with the recent past. This is another advantage of this reading as it doesn’t go far into the past, for digging out the teeny tiny details. The past is mentioned but in a quick brief way.
When Breath Becomes Air is a story of a neurosurgeon, who is a brilliant one but falls into the cruel hands of cancer. It describes human struggles, determination and strength. This book also tells about ups and downs of tiring journey. It’s about the love and support of people around. The narratives about acceptance and making the most of the present. It’s about LIVING life not merely passing time.
When Breath Becomes Air is a must read. I totally recommend it. I rarely like a biography but thos book inspired me with the conceptual narratives. An essential tip for reading this book is to skip the foreword and direct start of the Prologue. Once you finish the book, then read the foreword to enjoy it. Paul Kalanithi has superb writing skills to engage your attention.
Critical Analysis by Sidra Javed
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