The young man who wrote this book was a neurosurgeon who tragically died aged just 36 of lung cancer. (Like my dear friend and book group buddy, Arlene who recently passed away of lung cancer despite never having been a smoker or lived around smokers.) The first half of the book follows his early life and career path, torn between studying literature and medicine, with plans to practice medicine before turning to writing later in life. His illness curtailed these plans and in the second part he wrote about his own journey with illness and moving towards death until the book is finally finished by his bereaved wife after he ultimately succumbed.
He believed in doctors doing the right thing for each individual patient, which sometimes involves stepping back and not intervening just because they can, which I applaud.
It is certainly an interesting, moving and thoughtful book.
Sarah Wray Writer 