The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer (2010 original; edició 2010)

The author covers the history of cancer. Well detailed, and for the most part, very readable. ( )

I learned so much! A few parts of the newer, genetic science were a bit beyond me, but the author did a good job with analogies and examples to help the non-scientist reader. His research is comprehensive and the story is fascinating.

My biggest take-away from this book is the sense of gratitude and awe I have for the researchers who never give up. The kind of people who search tirelessly for cures or treatments and the kind of people whose sense of curiosity and love of knowledge give us the basic research which others can apply. ( )

Loved this book, which was not quite what I expected. Where were these great men of science when my father was dying? Where are they now? I know they exist, but most of us only have access to those physicians, like my late father's, who treat their cancer patient using standard protocol: "Here's a list, let's check everything off, watch the patient die, then say we did what we could and get home in time for dinner and the evening news.." The real physicians are like those who appear in this book -- driven to cure this horrible disease. I was inspired and awed by these men and fascinated by the world of cancer research. Although the author did not pull punches when it came to the greed of the pharmaceutical industry, it was never the diatribe it could have been. This wasn't a book about where the blame lies, but about those who have worked hard and brought us far in such a relatively short time. ( )

Truly excellent. Mukherjee makes you feel like a trusted colleague or a favorite student, explaining everything clearly and precisely, but never makes you feel like you're struggling to keep up and never loses sight of the human cost of cancer. One of the best nonfiction books I've read in ages. ( )

I don't quite buy the conceit that this is a "biography" rather than a more prosaic work of history. But it's very informative and not difficult to read, at least once one gets past the hypochondria-inducing initial chapters. Captures both the thrill of scientific discovery and the agony as each discovery ends up proving inadequate. ( )