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The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer Audiobook
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(4.00) - 16,525 listener ratings
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Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and now a documentary from Ken Burns on PBS, The Emperor of All Maladies is a magnificent, profoundly humane “biography” of cancer—from its first documented appearances thousands of years ago through the epic battles in the twentieth century to cure, control, and conquer it to a radical new understanding of its essence.
Physician, researcher, and award-winning science writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee examines cancer with a cellular biologist’s precision, a historian’s perspective, and a biographer’s passion. The result is an astonishingly lucid and eloquent chronicle of a disease humans have lived with—and perished from—for more than five thousand years.
The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance, but also of hubris, paternalism, and misperception. Mukherjee recounts centuries of discoveries, setbacks, victories, and deaths, told through the eyes of his predecessors and peers, training their wits against an infinitely resourceful adversary that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out “war against cancer.” The book reads like a literary thriller with cancer as the protagonist.
From the Persian Queen Atossa, whose Greek slave may have cut off her diseased breast, to the nineteenth-century recipients of primitive radiation and chemotherapy to Mukherjee’s own leukemia patient, Carla, The Emperor of All Maladies is about the people who have soldiered through fiercely demanding regimens in order to survive—and to increase our understanding of this iconic disease.
Riveting, urgent, and surprising, The Emperor of All Maladies provides a fascinating glimpse into the future of cancer treatments. It is an illuminating book that provides hope and clarity to those seeking to demystify cancer.
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"Just finished this AMAZING book, a history of cancer from ancient times to the present. The author does a fantastic job of pacing the story, much like a Hollywood thriller, while respecting its scientific complexity. Many books about science and medicine that are directed at the general public can be overly simplified, but this guy doesn't pull any punches. The hard-core science is presented with the degree of difficulty it deserves. He also does a great job of describing the slow grind of scientific progress over time, with brilliant men and women laboring for years to make small increments of progress, and often sadly not having their discoveries recognized until years after they are made. Certain historical aspects of the cancer story really stand out, particularly the surgical evolution of the radical mastectomy over the 19th-20th centuries (horrifying, ego-driven), as well as the story of childhood leukemia treatment in the 1950s and the launch of modern chemotherapy practice. A highly recommended book."
— Beth (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Mukherjee’s formidable intelligence and compassion produce a stunning account of the effort to disrobe the ‘emperor of maladies.’”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The Emperor of All Maladies Listener Reviews
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" This audiobook is quite fascinating, although I haven't finished listening to it ! The clarity of speech & the book contents mostly related to the history of cancer, with the admixture of famous quotations, makes it worth listening. The cancer incidence has been soaring up worldwide, but the battle against it also continues ! "
— Muhammad Shoaib, 9/3/2016 -
" There is so much information in this book. The author did a great job of putting the history of cancer and cancer treatments in a timeline. I had little to no interest in cancer prior to reading this book, but now I know more from the beginning of discovering cancer to more modern treatments. Another unique topic that the author touches upon is the social impact of cancer and how it has affected society through history. This is a great book for anyone that's in the medical field, especially with an interest in oncology (obviously). "
— Ray, 2/17/2014 -
" Awesome book. It's not often that you read a book written by an author who not only writes well and captivates the reader, but is also a through historian and scientist. One of my favorite non-fiction books. "
— Kam, 2/7/2014 -
" I found this a fascinating read. Not morbid, just a detailed account of cancer and its treatment through the ages, bringing it completely up to date with quite detailed accounts of current genetic and immunological research, and possible future treatment options. I'm unsure if it leaves one with hope, as in hope in defeating the full range of cancers, more likely an acceptance and an understanding of why it is such a difficult disease to control and treat. Well worth a read, but some parts may be challenging without some scientific/medical knowledge/background. Overall, very highly recommended. "
— John, 2/7/2014 -
" I tried so hard to finish this book but I just couldn't! If you enjoy reading about cancer research, genetics and fundraising, then this may be the book for you. The 1st hundred or so pages were riveting, the rest very dry. I would give the writing 5 stars, and it certainly is a thorough account of the history of cancer. But as for readability, it gets a 2. "
— Cathy, 1/11/2014 -
" Amazing book. If you are even slightly interested in cancer this book is amazing. As a doctoral candidate in cell biology I felt it was very in depth. While also being very readable for someone without a science background. Must read! "
— Darin, 12/26/2013 -
" I am glad I read this book but it took me FOREVER. Initially, this was not the case a for me a little more editing would have been good. "
— Remy, 11/21/2013 -
" i still dont understand how a non medical reader could go beyond chapter 1. its like stephen hawkings- a brief history of time which every body has but nobody completes. "
— Abdul, 9/23/2013 -
" This was really good, dense with the science in a few places, but Mukherjee does a good job of making a complex subject approachable. "
— Carla, 7/25/2013 -
" I recommend this book to everyone; I learned so much from reading it. "
— Kalina, 11/12/2012 -
" An excellent microhistory of cancer. Made the science understandable to a lay person. "
— Kb, 9/18/2012 -
" I thought this was well written. It is interesting to a certain extent but I did not find it interesting enought to finish it. It is long. I think more details and less breadth might have made it better for me. "
— Sheryl, 6/12/2012 -
" Great history of cancer, the scientific work that has gone into its understanding and treatments. My highest recommendation "
— Jim, 5/31/2012 -
" Perfect sleep aid. "
— Sara, 5/17/2012 -
" Serious and fascinating. "
— Abby, 5/4/2012 -
" Excellent book about fighting cancer. "
— Pilla, 9/10/2011 -
" Mukherjee has written a sweeping history of cancer that takes the reader from treatments described by Herodotus to the rapidly changing targeted treatments of today. This book is at once personal and professional -- the author is an oncologist and a cancer researcher. A readable tour de force. "
— Catherine, 9/2/2011 -
" Very well written; accurate without sacrificing narrative or understanding on the part of the reader. If you get the chance to see him in person, I would highly recommend it! "
— Annina, 5/22/2011 -
" Seems to be living up to the good reviews. SUPER dense but interesting. "
— Phoebejones4, 5/19/2011 -
" history of cancer from before Christ to present day. Makes one doubt the science of today's medicine. Really enjoyed the National Enquirer bios of past generations of physicians that were only names, like Halstead. Best read by someone with a medical background. "
— Francine, 5/18/2011 -
" Too detailed and long for someone looking for a cursory glance at the history of cancer. To someone else this could be a plus, it's my own personal grievance, where I don't care enough about the subject material to warrant reading such an expansive book. I had a hard time finishing it. "
— Sean, 5/15/2011 -
" Excellent book. Well written, thoroughly researched, and comprehensive. Not a particularly uplifting message, but one can't really expect one from a book about cancer. "
— Darcy, 5/14/2011 -
" You'd think a biography of CANCER would be a bummer - but that is not the case with book. Exceedingly well-researched, narrative non-fiction is rare. This book hits the marks for readability, veracity, and authority. Highly recommended. "
— Heidi, 5/11/2011 -
" An interesting "biography" of cancer. Gets a little technical at times but is an interesting read. "
— Meredith, 5/10/2011
About Siddhartha Mukherjee
Siddhartha Mukherjee is the New York Times bestselling author of four books, including The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer, winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction. He is the editor of Best Science Writing 2013. He has published articles in many journals, including Nature, New England Journal of Medicine, New York Times Magazine, and The New Yorker. He is an associate professor of medicine at Columbia University and a cancer physician and researcher. A Rhodes scholar, he graduated from Stanford University, University of Oxford, and Harvard Medical School. Visit his website at: SiddharthaMukherjee.com
About Fred Sanders
Fred Sanders, an actor and Earphones Award–winning narrator, has received critics’ praise for his audio narrations that range from nonfiction, memoir, and fiction to mystery and suspense. He been seen on Broadway in The Buddy Holly Story, in national tours for Driving Miss Daisy and Big River, and on such television shows as Seinfeld, The West Wing, Will and Grace, Numb3rs,Titus, and Malcolm in the Middle. His films include Sea of Love, The Shadow, and the Oscar-nominated short Culture. He is a native New Yorker and Yale graduate.