New York Times Groupies discussion

Feel free to answer/discuss these points or bring up something about the book that you found compelling. Remember that spoilers are fine, just use the spoiler html in case a member isn't ready for the big reveal!

1. Were there passages or sentences that struck you as particularly profound or moving?

2. How did this book impact your thoughts about medical care? The patient-physician relationship? End of life care?

3. How did you come away feeling, after reading this book? Upset? Inspired? Anxious? Less afraid?

So... I did not read the book description very well before reading this so (view spoiler)[it caught me off guard when Paul's death became a certainty. I was devastated! (hide spoiler)]

I loved the way that Paul talks about his patients and how he tries to understand them and help them. What really gets me is that this is how Paul remembers himself at the end of his own life. I wonder, when I come to look back on my life and how I handled certain situations, if I will be as happy with my decisions.

I like the tone of Paul's writing. It is very immediate and in the midst of it I think we all fear the coming and going of cancer in our midst. It seems as if all families are part of this ebb and flow. I have always avoided The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, for this very reason. However, this book feels different as it is more about the person rather than the disease. It is strange moving into a book of this kind knowing his fate.

Haaze wrote: "However, this book feels different as it is more about the person rather than the disease."

I hadn't thought about it before but you're right that this book is really about the person and very little time is spent discussing the cancer itself. I feel like, were I in his position, I would have a lot of anger at the disease but Paul really focuses on his life and only seemed to discuss cancer as a side note. Towards the very end it becomes more but this book really could have been more in the vain of "All about cancer and what it's doing to my body/life/family." I really respect the fact that he chose to take this in a much different direction.

Only quote I picked from book was
but knowing that even if I’m dying, until I actually die, I am still living.
and I think it was very much spirit of the book. I don't know if it was because I had heard some reviews and interviews of books but I felt there was nothing interesting and new. He was very fluent writer but it was hospital centered book that it felt like episode ER or Grey's anatomy (they always love story line were staff get sick). I understand he has every right to choose which things he writes on paper but it felt so cold when he excludes emotions and feelings. I guess her wife's afterwords are the part where people are crying but I felt that I was too distant to care.

Reija wrote: "Only quote I picked from book was
but knowing that even if I’m dying, until I actually die, I am still living.
and I think it was very much spirit of the book. I don't know if it was because I had..."

I wondered with this book if it would have been different had the author had more time to revise and add to it. Maybe he would have expanded?

I finished reading this beautiful, poetic account. My review can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Barbara wrote: "I finished reading this beautiful, poetic account. My review can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2..."

Nice Barbara! Great review

Ashley wrote: "Reija wrote: "Only quote I picked from book was
but knowing that even if I’m dying, until I actually die, I am still living.
and I think it was very much spirit of the book. I don't know if it was..."

Yeah, I was wondering actually when he started book, I mean did he wrote it for his children or did he started it earlier (before he was ill) I don't remember it. If he already started to write it before it would have been interesting to know what his point was, surgery is hard and you are god or what. Now it feels it is more like all his hard work is wasted because cancer and how unfair it is, which it of course is.