Saturday, June 1, 2013

BOOK REVIEW: The Escape Artists

(Originally Published 2010, Paperback Edition 484 pages)

On page 388 in the paperback edition, the author writes, "Down to their innate molecular core, cancer cells are hyperactive, survival-endowed, scrappy, fecund, inventive copies of ourselves." No kidding, Sherlock. That seems to be putting it mildly. By this point in Dr. Mukherjee's excellent book, I had come to appreciate the near-infinite challenges of combating cancer. The author's motivation for writing "The Emperor of All Maladies" was an effort to answer many of the questions his patients have asked him about the disease. There is no simple way of describing it. The doctor felt a "biography" of cancer would give people a better understanding. Despite being a very busy, full-time oncologist, the guy pulled it off in this deservedly Pulitzer-Prize-Winning work. Many of the assumptions I had about cancer were incorrect. Dr. Mukherjee's combination of the disease's long history as well as interspersing it with a few personal stories made for a very interesting and humane work.

He covers such topics as leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, Pap smears, mammograms, carcinogens, mastectomies, chemotherapy, the Jimmy Fund, stem-cell research and end-of-life care. Sometimes, the scientists and doctors working on finding cures were their own worst enemies. Egos, politics, ethics, greed, and arrogance played (and still plays) a big part. Cigarette companies correctly come under some especially harsh treatment by the author. If you are interested in a more in-depth history of the odious tobacco industry, I suggest you read the superb "Ashes to Ashes: America's Hundred-Year Cigarette War, the Public Health, and the Unabashed Triumph of Philip Morris" by Richard Kluger.

At its core, the book is a celebration of scientific discoveries as well as inventiveness and the many people who have spent their lives tackling cancer. At times, the author's book had me optimistic and, at other times, slitting my wrists seemed the way to go. Never far in the background is the knowledge that legions of innocent people are taking dirt naps because of cancer. "The Emperor of All Maladies" is very well written, highly informative, great history and I wished it had been around when some of my extended family members developed cancer. Do yourself and your family a favor and read the darned thing.

(Meyers - A few years ago, I started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #363)

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