when breath becomes air, by paul kalanithi

A touching and eloquent autobiography, this book is as emotional as it is inspiring. It’s about the life of Paul Kalanithi, a neurosurgeon at Stanford who passed away at the age of 37.

In the first half of the book, he reflects on his youth, sharing his adventurous spirit and his fascination with understanding life and its meaning. He provides a compelling recount of his passion for literature, which is evidenced through his writing.

The second half - post-diagnosis - is confronting and in many ways, forces readers to become more aware of their own mortality.
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If you’re looking for a change of pace and some perspective, this impassioned memoir is a great place to start.