Welcome to Litsy!

It‘s officially Christmas in our house and this is the newest addition to our decorations. I 💜 ⛄️!!

I never give books 5 stars but this one 💙💙💙💙

Dr. Kalanithi was in the unique position of having been both a neurosurgeon in training and a patient at the hospital where he helped save lives but sadly lost his own. Kalanithi was an incredible human even before his diagnosis but after he was somehow able to write this beautiful, reflective memoir. I think his perspective could be helpful to doctors, patients and anyone interested in ruminating on what makes life worth living.

30 book recommendations in 30 days...

Day 16: An absolutely heartbreaking, yet beautiful, book. I honestly don't know if I could read this again now as I'm still struggling to accept the reality of my cousin's young children growing up without their mother (due to cancer), however I am glad that I read this when I did. Perhaps it would help me to reread it and gain perspective. I can say that although rough, it is so meaningful. #30recsin30days

Such a wonderful and powerful book. Autobiography of Paul Kalanithi as he became a neurosurgeon and then realized he had terminal cancer. This is his honest and vulnerable sharing of his experience. Sad but hopeful. Brave and a witness.

While I got the point of this story, it was very much a wordy memoir that really wasn‘t my type of book to enjoy, and I didn‘t know that going in. I found it filled with too much doctor and science jargon for my personal taste, although towards the end, the story itself took on a touching note.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A must read. But a warning that this book is an emotional roller coaster!! I could not put it down. I'm convinced it'll give you a deep and serious perspective of life.

#nonfiction #medical #bestseller

#nonfiction #lastline #medical

Starting the morning off with the deep and heavy stuff. This book really forces you to ponder life. And what better way to ponder life than with coffee? ☕️ 🤔

#nonfiction #coffee #Starbucks #medical

"The fact of death is unsettling. Yet there is no other way to live."

#nonfiction #medical

"There is a moment, a cusp, when the sum of gathered experience is worn down by the details of living. We are never so wise as when we live in this moment."

#nonfiction #philosophy #medicine

A sobering reminder to have perspective about this life.

#nonfiction #medical

Trying to get a jump start on my 2023 reading goals now that I‘ll be stuck at home on COVID quarantine again to start this year. 🤒 Third times a charm.

#readinggoals #quarantine #covidreading #pulitzerprize

This was a tough read, especially seeing as my brother was dying of cancer.

RIP Greg Jan 7, 1974 - Aug 18, 2022

#12BooksOf2022 @Andrew65

#doctors #artfulaugust @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

It‘s been a number of years since I have read this book, but I sometimes think about the book, even if it is just to think about how such a small book can make such an impact. #letterw #alphabetgame

It's only through time that a life lost can make sense. We're lucky if that time ever comes to us. Mostly, we're just left with a hollow feeling that we have to learn to live with and millions of unanswered questions.

This memoir is so beautifully written that it broke my heart though I am not in the medical field.

Thanks for tagging me @eeclayton !

1. Tagged! Just, full on weeping.
2. Sci fi or fantasy! The sheer unlimited potential of someone‘s imagination. ❤️💙
3. Most recently, I really loved The Locked Tomb books, Gideon the Ninth and Harrow the Ninth.

#WondrousWednesday @Eggs

If you ever feel low or think you are unlucky or feel that life‘s not fair to you, pick this book, read it and let me know if you don‘t come out stronger and inspired. Just amazing hearing someone so close to death being so brave and focused on giving a meaning to his life.

Oh my heart… 💔
I was torn between finishing this in one sitting and taking my time in order to absorb every single word.
What an exceptional person.

I'm joining #MarvellousMarch #Readathon late but the app I use to read on my phone tracks my time. Nine days of reading. My goal is to read a minimum of ten hours without counting audiobooks. I normally would count them but but since the new year I've had a steady diet of audiobooks except for this one that I just finished. I want to keep reading text, so this goal will help me with that.
At the end of day 2, I'm at 2 hours 10 minutes.
@Andrew65

Required reading for mortals. Especially anyone with a terminal illness or those of us who love someone with a terminal illness! I know my brother will live and die with as much integrity and grace as Kalanithi did. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The first book of 2022 for me not to be an audiobook. Hopefully Debbie's got her groove back.

My brother found out a week ago Friday that his his cancer is terminal. He got married on Wednesday (instead of waiting until October). This book is giving me a glimpse of how the next two years might look. I'm so grateful for his wife!

#hospital reminded me of this book which is still in my TBR
#savvysettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

"Literature not only illuminated another‘s experience, it provided, I believed, the richest material for moral reflection."

If you‘ve been dealing with grief of loved one, distress of death and meaning of life, or just the doubt of personal purpose…you‘ll find some strength and light in it.
Thank you Paul (and Lucy), for such a beautiful and profound story. Thank you ❤️

I‘m starting off my year of wanting to read more memoirs! I‘ve seen this one for so long and finally gave it a listen. It was dark and sad but also inspiring and hopeful.

"Life wasn‘t about avoiding suffering."

Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air

This book is so very powerful raw and real. Having to watch my own father battle and lose his life to cancer, I have been searching for meaning in his quick and difficult battle with the terrible illness. This is a topic people struggle to share but it is the one thing we all will face, death. A very important book I felt honored to read. Thank-you .

Silo helped me with my audiopuzzling this morning. He had strong opinions about which areas of the puzzle I should concentrate on. (Or maybe he was trying to convince me to do something more productive, like sit on the couch so he could warm himself on my lap.)

This memoir is poignant in itself but even more so with the handful of intersections between Paul's life and my own. His daughter was born in the same hospital where I birthed mine, and we both worked at Stanford Sierra Camp, although I worked a fall conference season while he, as a Stanford student, worked the summer camp. He writes about his mortality with emotion but without melodrama or trite sentiments. It's a beautiful and devastating story.

Heartbreaking, as expected. Life-affirming, and beautifully written. Today's mission, in addition to reading & football, is to tell a few people how much I love them. ❤ #nonfiction #health #medicine #death

Thanks for the invitation @kimmypete1 @Eggbeater @MidnightBookGirl - I will try to set a few goals for the weekend, although it's pretty full!

🍁 Finish tagged book (20% left)
🍁 Finish A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny (40% left)
🍁 Start & finish 1 other book TBD

#Anywayyoureadathon

Heavy. This was well written and heart wrenching. I would also add informative regarding what to expect if diagnosed with cancer. I loved that the wife shared her experience during this time.

This book is not just about a young man‘s journey in battling cancer. This is a book that explores the meaning of life and death. I was moved beyond words and thought so much about my own life. How lucky I‘m and how much there is still to chase. Yet the most important thing is to love the ones around you.

I believed When Breath Becomes Air is a book that you have to read at least once in a lifetime.

#memoir #cherishinglife

I thought this book would focus solely on medical and cancer journey. But this book really surprised me by portraying those journey in the philosophical lens. Reading medical memoirs really fills me up with warmth and appreciation.

Amazing !!

About halfway through, and I couldn't put it down, which I'll regret tomorrow morning. So beautifully written. #nonfiction #memoir #medicine #health

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the theology and literature aspects. I also enjoyed the introduction by the author's friend and the epilogue by his wife.

This book was fabulous! Its the 2nd book I've finished during the readathon.

#mbcreadathon
#mbcbookfrogsreadathon11
@MonthlyBookClub

There aren't words for the beauty and heartbreak of this book. Read it and cry. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Good to know about a doctor's Daily life ..and a patient's life.

It was ok. It felt short and he seemed to skip through large amounts of time. I know it‘s because he tried to write it all when he had a limited time left. I was more interested in his life events over the theology/philosophy discussion he added in at times. I listened to the audio, which was fine. I did like that they brought in a female narrator to read the epilogue written by Lucy

Read this for a upcoming book club but admittedly it had been on my shelf for quite awhile and I had always been hesitant to read since I knew the gist of it. I did cry a couple times. I figured I would. I‘m really excited to see what the other members will think of it.
Also the widow looks to be dating another memoirist widow now?

#whenbreathbecomesair #paulkalanithi #memoir #bookclub #librarybookclub #sad #tears #selfie #makeup #crying #redhair

Getting ready to read this for a book club & I made corn bread muffins which are amazing. Oh and my new cute pillow. Is this going to make me cry?

Also I know I‘ve been mia lately and it makes me sad. But I‘ve been in such a stressed out slump. I hope I can come back to reading a lot more. I have so many books to read.

#whenbreathbecomesair #paulkalanithi #cornbread #onceuponatime #pillow #bookpillow #bookclub #librarybookclub #memoir #mia #cry

I have put this book on hold for too long as I knew I could only read it when I was in a calm frame of mind owing to the nature of the subject.
Now that I have I can say that I think the praise it has received is well deserved.
Read this for #covidheroes #booked2021
@Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft