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A Pulitzer Prize-winning "biography" of cancer that chronicles the 4,000-year history of the disease, detailing the scientific quest to understand its biology and the epic human struggle to treat, cure, and prevent it.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificent, sweeping history of cancer, charting humanity's long and arduous war against this ancient adversary. Oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee expertly guides the reader from the earliest medical records in ancient Egypt, through the dark ages of brutal surgery and the dawn of chemotherapy with pioneers like Sidney Farber, to the modern revolution in molecular biology that has finally begun to unlock the disease's genetic secrets. It is a story not just of science and medicine, but of politics, culture, advocacy, and profound human resilience. By weaving together the stories of visionary researchers, determined advocates like Mary Lasker, and his own poignant experiences with patients, Mukherjee has crafted a definitive and deeply moving narrative that demystifies cancer, contextualizes our progress, and soberly assesses the future of our fight against this 'distorted version of our normal selves.'
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- The reader is a thoughtful individual—a patient, caregiver, student, or engaged citizen—who wants to understand the immense and often intimidating story of cancer. They are seeking clarity beyond frightening statistics and fragmented news headlines, wanting to grasp the full arc of this disease's history, its scientific underpinnings, and the epic human struggle against it.
- The problem
- Cancer is a complex, terrifying, and often misunderstood disease. Information about it is overwhelming and disjointed, leaving people without a coherent narrative of how we got here and where we are going in the fight against it. This lack of a clear story makes the reader feel helpless, anxious, and powerless. They are lost in a fog of scientific jargon, historical confusion, and personal fear, unable to make sense of humanity's most intimate enemy.
- The plan
- Travel through the 4,000-year history of cancer, from its earliest known descriptions to the present day.
- Discover the key scientific breakthroughs that revealed cancer as a disease of our own genes.
- Follow the evolution of treatments, from primitive surgery to the development of chemotherapy and modern targeted drugs.
- Meet the determined pioneers, advocates, and patients who shaped the 'War on Cancer.'
- Grasp the biological principles that make cancer such a formidable and adaptable foe.
- The payoff
- You will be empowered with a deep and nuanced understanding of cancer, moving from fear to knowledge. · You will be able to see the big picture, contextualizing news about cancer breakthroughs and setbacks within the long arc of scientific progress. · Cancer will be demystified, transformed from an unknowable terror into a knowable (though still formidable) biological adversary.
See our guide
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