Comments (29)

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Apr 13, 2023ushi rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Well written with meticulous detail into the history of cancer revealing more about political influence and fund-raising in the USA than the nature of the beast - cancer itself. I found the sections on surgical escalations and intense…
Apr 14, 2022EvonReads rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Definitely one of the best, if not the best, non-fictions I've ever read. Full of both scientific detail (explained in simple, concise ways) and thoughtful prose, it humanizes the cold presence of cancer by explaining its past and present…
Jun 25, 2021Mugowump rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Detailed , up-to-date and yet balance presentation of a very important and difficult topic, written in an elegance second to none. One of the best books I ever read.
Mar 22, 2021DrPaul_0 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
A very readable and understandable biography of cancer and the attempts to cure it. Provides a useful historical context for the disease and helps one understand the level of biological and medical knowledge needed to provide effective…
Mar 15, 2021elainebz rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
March 2021: This is the most compelling nonfiction book I have ever read. I initially read most of it several years ago, but didn't complete the final chapters as my brain was already overwhelmed. So I started this time at Part Six: The…
May 25, 2020BraveNOTPerfect rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Author did a phenomenal job regarding topic research, showed great personal interest and expertise. It was an eye opening learning experience and highly disturbing read for me, personally. Wouldn’t suggest to read it during COVID-19 at all!
Jan 17, 2019mammothhawk229e rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Interesting "biography" that attracted by a lot of highbrow ,but sometimes flawed characters (scientists), amoral character (tobacco executives), corporate (greedy to indifferent) to the victims themselves seeking mythical magic…
Oct 28, 2018SurreyLibraries_Reads rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
When I pick up a book that won a Pulitzer, I expected to read good writing. Having said that, I was somewhat apprehensive at the thought of reading a treatise on cancer. No such need. As author Siddhartha Mukherjee promises, he has…
May 31, 2017jimg2000 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Read this 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner for General Non-Fiction more than two years ago but both comments and quotes were gone. Agree with most reviews that this book is a definitive read on cancer history and current research when it was…
Nov 17, 2016tauseef365 rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
no
Jun 24, 2016lmshaw00 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This book is fascinating. It's extremely well researched and written.
Apr 07, 2015
I found this book fascinating, but when I watched the documentary I was chilled by how little mention of cancer prevention there was. Could I suggest a prescription for the author and Ken Burns? Read T. Colin Campbell's 'The China Study'…
Aug 31, 2014jvb rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I have cancer and found the book caring and thoughtful. Lots of information about how we are lucky to be past the worst of the beginning, and now in the very beginning of rational treatment. I found that it read like a novel. Great book.
Dec 29, 2012spacecat rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
As a History of Science book, it is quite thorough, interesting, and well written. As a cell and molecular biologist I was fascinated by some of the metaphor used to explain, for example, signal transduction pathways to a lay audience.…
jeanner222
Oct 12, 2012jeanner222 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
The subtitle of this massive tome says it all: a biography of cancer. Mukerjee’s research begins with early cases of cancer and doctors and researchers trying to figure out what cancer is. The volume ends with information about cancer…
Sep 13, 2012axeman rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This is a very informative book about the history of cancer that is fascinating and insightful. This is not a dry clinical book. It includes many case studies that add a human touch to this excellent book.
Jul 03, 2012mukaround rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic in-depth look into cancer, showing the similarities and differences between seemingly disparate ailments. The in-depth knowledge brought on by the author, a medical doctor, was very helpful in understanding the science behind it…
Jun 07, 2012julianarae rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book was truly amazing. I admit, it was strange to read a type of biography of cancer, where a disease is personified as a powerful, nearly sentient being. The author seemed to portray more awe of cancer than disgust. His passion for…
Feb 19, 2012chico230 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An excellent read. I thought it might have been a dry read, but Mukherjee keeps the audience captivated with side stories and interresting facts and trivia.
NASIVELI SARYGULOVA
Dec 23, 2011NASIVELI SARYGULOVA rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
trully a great detailed biography of cancer indeed. I learned so much about it.
ANNE E CROLY
Sep 26, 2011ANNE E CROLY rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is an easily understandable of a confusing illness that is even more valuable now (Sept, '11) with the advent of new drugs to treat cance.
Sinwan
Sep 26, 2011
Perfect combination of science and literature. An enlightening "story" of devotion, struggle, and intellect of doctors to cure cancer. A fantastic read for both the scientific and non-scientific. A true jem of the 21th century.
Sep 06, 2011
Excellent book. A detailed, yet easy-to-understand, history of the disease and the way researchers and doctors have fought it.
Aug 18, 2011jmikesmith rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I've lost three close relatives to cancer (mother-in-law, mother, wife, in that order). Some of the treatments available now weren't even dreamed of when the first of these deaths occurred in 1990. And even cutting edge treatment is…
Aug 15, 2011sulatton rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This easy-to-read book outlines the history of chemotherapy, with particular emphasis on the development of the treatment protocol for childhood leukemia.