I love memoirs that are well written and thought provoking. This is both and more. Fajgenbaum was a privileged rich kid who was studying medicine when he almost died from a rare disease (that’s apparently not so rare – it’s just that no one had heard of it). He didn’t just almost die. He endured excruciating multi-organ failure as his body ballooned due to excess fluid and medical abnormalities. His recovery was short. This experience occurred four more times over subsequent years as he endured seven forms of chemo at once (every time he nearly died), finished his medical degree, did an MBA, formed a global research collaborative that has reshaped the medical industry, married, and sought a cure for his disease. And that’s barely scratching the surface. Part memoir, part critique of the medical milieu, and part inspiration, this is a remarkable story about a simply incredible human being. I was mesmerised and read the entire book in one weekend.
— JUSTIN