My bookclub's most recent book (recommended to me by dad) is The Emperor of All Maladies, an unusual piece of nonfiction which reads like a novel, and which the author calls a "biography of cancer." This tale spans the entire known "life" of the disease(s) we call cancer, from the earliest ancient references (Herodotus recorded the strange tale of the Persian Queen Atossa's breast cancer) to the latest advances in medicine and technology. Mukherjee is a masterful storyteller (and a wise person), and weaves a riveting and at times heartbreaking tale of the hundreds of years of scientific inquiry (and ignorant butchery) which form the largest part of cancer's story. It is a frightening tale but ultimately a hopeful one, and I highly recommend this surprising page turner to all.
Dad's review
here.
Nice review - thanks! Another guy and I are teaching a class next semester for Honors undergraduates at UC on biomedical research. We're thinking to assign this as a required text!
ReplyDeleteWe DID decide to assign this book. I am re-reading, and re-enjoying, it and we have arranged three of the class meetings to include "book club" discussions of the book. Will report on how it goes.
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