seaglanz's reviews
173 reviews

More of a coffee table book than a true read.

While an entertaining book with many weaving story lines, I wouldn't recommend this book to most average, or non-avid readers. It's super long - which if it's a constantly compelling story, I'm all for.. but there are times in this book where I felt like skimming because there are many long, mundane and seemingly irrelevant passages. And at first the ending really irritated me, but after a few hours to process and trying to connect the dots, and re-reading the first chapter/some other bits at the end - it became a bit more clear. But, still left me slightly unresolved for the effort put into reading the book.

The cult following and high level praise this book received as "the most influential of it's generation" or "the best book of the decade" kind of confused me, as I found it enjoyable for sure - but not at that monumentous level. 

If you find yourself with a month wifiless on a farm or something (that's where I read it) - then yes. Go for it. You will enjoy it and be occupied for hours on end reading. But if you are living and working in a modern world, maybe pick something else more worthy of your limited time.  

This is an incredible read. It's fairly short, and definitely sad (I definitely cried) but it's beautiful and hopeful at the same time. Paul has some powerful passages about going from being a doctor to a patient and reflecting on that perspective, which I found to be interesting. Even as someone who has not endured this kind of trauma personally, or to my immediate family, or have any surgeons in my life, I could still relate to a lot of his emotions and questions.