The Emperor of All Maladies A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

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The Emperor of All Maladies A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Author: Siddhartha Mukherjee

The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificent, profoundly humane “biography” of cancer—from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence. Physician, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with a cellular biologist’s precision, a historian’s perspective, and a biographer’s passion.

The result is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with—and perished from—for more than five thousand years. The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception.

Mukherjee recounts centuries of discoveries, setbacks, victories, and deaths, told through the eyes of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely resourceful adversary that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out “war against cancer.” The book reads like a literary thriller with cancer as the protagonist.

From the Persian Queen Atossa, whose Greek slave cut off her malignant breast, to the nineteenth-century recipients of primitive radiation and chemotherapy to Mukherjee’s own leukemia patient, Carla, The Emperor of All Maladies is about the people who have soldiered through fiercely demanding regimens in order to survive—and to increase our understanding of this iconic disease. Riveting, urgent, and surprising, The Emperor of All Maladies provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments. It is an illuminating book that provides hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer.

[highlight color=”green”]Goodreads users review :[/highlight]

This was a mammoth undertaking of research and writing. As a survivor/thriver, I found the book fascinating – and glad I live in the age I do. I think those who read this should also read “Anticancer: A New Way of Life” by Dr. David Servan-Shreiber. He’s a two-time survivor who uses science to show how we can avoid/mitigate cancer, and it shows a side of the disease that isn’t covered in this outstanding work. Andy Perdue                                                                                           rated it: 5.0 from 5.0

Amazing! “The HISTORY-of-Cancer” — (let *that* sentence sink in)! I had read ‘parts’ of this book when it first came out. (sitting in the book store). I ‘ran’ from it when I read —1 out of 3 people will get Cancer in my lifetime. This book was chosen for next months local book club discussion. I’m glad it was picked —or I may have missed an important-well-written-page-turning non-fiction book! Elyse Walters                                                                                          rated it: 5.0 from 5.0