The Emperor of All Maladies
by Siddhartha Mukherjee, Nessa Carey · first published 2010
79% recommend21% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Well-written, sweeping history of cancer and the long search for a cure, covering how treatments and ideas evolved. Suits readers outside medicine who want a solid, engrossing grasp of the disease.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer is a book written by Siddhartha Mukherjee, an Indian-born American physician and oncologist. Published on 16 November 2010 by Scribner, it won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.
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Anyone interested in Cancer has to read the Pulitzer prize winning book, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee. It's one of the most interesting non-fiction books I had ever read and in one of the latter chapters he mentions about the genes which prevent tumors (as…
on “How Elephants Avoid Cancer (2015)” ↗Cancer sucks. If you care to learn more about the disease and the search for a cure, check out "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" by Siddhartha Mukherjee. Fascinating, scary and sobering. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q66B5C
on “Steve Jobs has passed away.” ↗…death rate for males with lung cancer decreased by 45%! [2] Again, this article is misleading and probably has an agenda behind it. If you want to learn more about the history of cancer treatment, The Emperor of All Maladies is a great book. [1] https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/understanding-cancer-deat... [2] https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/facts-and-figures-2018-ra...
on “When Cancer Was Conquerable” ↗…Gene would perhaps be a close second. Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond is also a good read for people in STEM fields. The Emperor of All Maladies, a book about the history of cancer. Extremely fascinating read, and accessible regardless of your level of biology knowledge.
on “Ask HN: Summer reading” ↗You need to read The Emperor of All Maladies[1]. If you think cancer is just an effect of our environment, you are wildly, disasterously, and disappointingly misinformed. [1]: http://www.amazon.com/Emperor-All-Maladies-Biography-Cancer/...
on “Is This How We'll Cure Cancer?” ↗Interesting read is "The Emperor of All Maladies: a Biography of Cancer" by Siddhartha Mukherjee. There have been several miracle "cures" for cancer, none of them has turned out to be a miracle cure. Even the idea that cancer is not "one cause, one…
on “Is This How We'll Cure Cancer?” ↗"The Righteous Mind" - Jonathan Haidt. This book helped me understand conservative thinking, made me less heated in my opinions, and provided a convincing framework for me to understand moral arguments "Emperor of All Maladies" - Siddhartha Mukherjee. An excellently written history of cancer. "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" - Lansing Alfred. A true story of one of the last great explorations man has taken
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2015?” ↗…and also focused a lot on the ethical discussions relating to genetic modification. It also directly discusses CRISPR as it is quite new. I'd recommend all of Mukherjee's other books as well (Mainly Emperor of all Maladies). [0]https://www.amazon.com/dp/1476733503
on “Five big mysteries about CRISPR’s origins” ↗Siddhartha Mukherjee is a fantastic author. If you liked Emperor of All Maladies, check out The Gene: An Intimate History.
on “Cancer ‘vaccine’ eliminates tumors in mice” ↗…and explainers helped me psychologically at that moment – even empowered in a way. I can only compare it with being diagnosed with cancer, and reading Siddhartha Mukherjee's Pulitzer-winning book "The Emperor of All Maladies". It doesn't fix your problem, but empowers with knowledge and more intimate understanding of the enemy, which can dramatically shift your internal assesment of risks and danger.
on “Open Letter to Noam Chomsky (and Other Intellectuals) on the Russia-Ukraine War” ↗…of tumors are definitely not caused by viruses. This was a hypothesis in the field for a number of years, and has been disproven. If you want a good overview of the history of cancer, I recommend “The Emperor of All Maladies” by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
on “A vaccine for pancreatic cancer treatment?” ↗…Rob Carlson The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves. By Matt Ridley Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation. By Steven Johnson What Technology Wants. By Kevin Kelly The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. By Siddhartha Mukherjee Culture, society and travel Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages. By Guy Deutscher Sweetness and Blood: How Surfing…
on “Economist books of the year (science and technology picks)” ↗just wanted to share with anyone interested in cancer.. I finished reading this amazing book "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" Great for anyone but specially those outside the field who want to know abt the history of cancer. http://www.amazon.com/Emperor-All-Maladies-Biography-Cancer/...
on “Harvard Scientists Create Hand-Held Device to Detect Cancer at Bedside ” ↗I would highly recommend "The Emperor of All Maladies" for anyone seeking a more solid understanding of cancer. I really didn't know much about cancer and treatments until reading this book, and now I feel like I at least have a general understanding. I…
on “Has Carl June Found a Key to Fighting Cancer?” ↗…Newport. I've been following his blog for years and I love his methodical approach towards deconstructing and demystifying various career related things. Some books I read this year that stand out: * Emperor of All Maladies (Mukherjee): Beautiful look into the most elusive disease of our generation. Mukherjee provides a biography of cancer. * The Art of Learning (Waitzkin): I've been following Josh Waitzkin since I was…
on “The Best Books I Read in 2013” ↗