The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer

Popular science (or nonfiction) has become a genre, probably the most popular these days. See the best-sellers newspaper lists or the desks of any major bookshop and those will be plagued with the new form of nonfiction. Where before we were offered "how to guides" (how to get rich, thin, a better lover or parent) now we have perhaps better choices in the form of studies on almost everything: types of personalities, control of habits, approaches to group sociology, etc. etc. This is a healthy field, but marred recently by superficial books.This "Emperor of all Maladies", most thankfully, stays at a safe distance of this recent trend of simple and/or rushed books and is already a canonical and exemplary nonfiction treaty of one of the fiercest and more devastating of maladies. It is superb.Everything works in this volume, because the author is an eminency in his field, but he is never patronizing or condescending. He never writes as from a pulpit nor tries to impress the reader with his obviously vast knowledge of the matter at hand. Importantly, Mr Mukherjee never (not once) falls for easy sentimentalism or tries to engage through pity - and falling for this would be easy in a book about cancer. The reader feels at all times that the author is a mere guide with an authoritative voice. And yet some moments do provoke the reader to cringe, almost to suffer: the patient that consols the doctor when all the options for a cure are exhausted; the process of dealing with the empty beds in a children's ward, among others, are parts hard to finish.The prose is at all times pitch-perfect and never falters, even in a 400-plus science book. The voice of the author, and its language, are always clear, personal and sober.The book works also at another level, that of the politics of tackling such a disease. The right way to fight the malady or how to fund the enormous efforts to do so, become long and vapid discussions between bureaucrats and, at points, decades are lost because of lack of focus, pure greed or pettiness. The science is there - since the Egyptians, who spotted the malady yet reached, in 2600 BC !, a shocking conclusion: "Cure? None".This is a very good book that has already raised the bar of nonfiction.

I was looking for some scientific information about cancer, and I stumbled upon this book. I was expecting a somewhat boring chronology of cancer research; I couldn't have been more wrong.The author makes a wonderful job in selecting stories and "storylines", and telling them in an enjoyable style (a well-deserved Pulitzer). You will travel through history and follow the fall of the humoral theory, the rise (and fall) of radical surgery, the rise (and fall) of radical chemotherapy, and the rise of the genetic theory of cancer.It turns out that following the evolution of the scientific understanding of cancer is the best way to learn about it. In addition to cancer itself, the book teaches much about science going wrong: scientific communities following dogmas and being blind to evidence against them; a premature all in battle against cancer (lacking mechanistic understandings); fabrication of data; politics and corporations hampering scientific research; the loss of connection between doctors and patients.A highly suggested read, although the book is slightly outdated now.

I liked this book very much. Despite the very tough and sensible subject, it is a compelling narration. Of course it shows the point of view of the author, but it is extremely convincing and made me understand much. For example, it makes it very clear that the real heroes of the war against cancer are the patients, men, women, children, all the suffering people. Every single little step forward defeat of the malady is their victory. The science is simplified, but accurate; at the end, one gets the feeling that cancer is a complicate monster, much more complicate than expected, and will require still more skill and struggle.Quite demanding read, but necessary, I recommend this book, it can, and should, be read by many.

I bought this after reading his book on the history one Genes. He is one of my favourite authours. His writing keeps you intrigued and can't wait to see what medical subject he tackles next

I was a research oncologist, so the subject of this book is something I know a fair bit about. Having said that, one of the issues most oncologists (and doctors in general) have with patients is the ability to clearly and succinctly summarize what cancer is and does, what the options are, and provide realistic information about the effects cancer may or will have. Some doctors are better at this than others, but it's fair to say with the hours most oncologists put in, empathy and information sharing are two traits most are not the best at.Which is why a book like this is important. Mukherjee does a superb job explaining the history of cancer, what it is and does, and how we've tried to solve that problems that cancer brings. This is a history of cancer more than anything, which is illuminating and informative, but the book is a lot more than that. It's an attempt to demystify one of the most misunderstood diseases of the current era. He also looks at patients going through the disease and what they do, can do, and want to know.This is not a big, thick, overwhelming book. Instead it's a book most people can pick up and read, either in chunks or all at once. It's information, interesting to read, and most importantly, correct (unlike a lot of the stuff I see on the Internet). I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone facing the prospect of cancer in themselves, family, or friends, and even if you are not in that situation, it's a great read.