Neurosurgeon
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Neurosurgeon · Writer

Paul Kalanithi.

Paul Kalanithi (1977–2015) was an American neurosurgeon, neuroscientist and writer. His memoir When Breath Becomes Air, about facing stage IV lung cancer, was published after his death.

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1977 – 2015
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Memoir

When Breath Becomes Air

Paul Kalanithi

Cover of When Breath Becomes Air

Memoir · 2016

When Breath Becomes Air

At 36, on the verge of finishing his training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. His memoir asks what makes a life worth living when time is short. It was published after his death, with an epilogue by his wife, Lucy.

Three big ideas

  1. Meaning is the real questionKalanithi went into medicine to understand what makes human life meaningful.
  2. Doctor and patientMoving from treating illness to living with it changed how he saw care and hope.
  3. Live while you're dyingNot knowing how long he had, he chose to keep working, writing and loving.
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