The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

The central figures in the book are Sidney Farber and Mary Lasker. These are just two examples of Cancer's history, definitely extremely well-known to oncologists, that are enhanced by Mukherjee's elegant storytelling skills coupled with little-known details and anecdotes. For example: Pott, a compulsive, reclusive surgeon at Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, “rather than devising new methods to operate on scrotal tumors, was transformed into a reluctant epidemiologist.” Or, in the well-traveled history of the tobacco wars, Mukherjee highlights John Blatnik, an obscure Minnesota chemistry teacher turned Congressman, who proposed that since the Federal Trade Commission could regulate tobacco advertising, it could also investigate whether “filtered” cigarettes were safe. In each section so familiar to all oncologists, Mukherjee peppers the text with fascinating anecdotes that make old stories come alive. That said, does it provide equally compelling reading for experienced oncologists already deeply familiar with many of the unique oncology stories likely to be so intriguing when freshly introduced to lay audiences? After all, every oncologist knows the story of Sir Percival Pott, the chimney sweeps, and scrotal cancer, as well as the political and scientific duopoly that brought about the transformation of smoking attitudes in this country. The book clearly resonates with a very broad readership. Very enthusiastically praised by most of the major newspapers and news magazines, The Emperor of all Maladies was selected by both The New York Times and Time Magazine as one of the top 10 books of the year. Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, DPhil (PhD) a former fellow at Dana-Farber and now an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Columbia, has written an extraordinary account of the history of cancer.Ĭhock-full of early history, facts, figures, personal anecdotes, and scientific insights, the book tells the story of the slow, painful, and often erratic path toward progress accomplished by brilliant, passionate, and dedicated leaders also burdened with the typical human flaws of arrogance, hubris, self-promotion, and naiveté thrown in.

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee