A review by mikaylahartk
The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human by Siddhartha Mukherjee

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

This was a challenging book for me—Mukherjee simplifies, explains, and clarifies, but he doesn't coddle. I often rewound to catch and reprocess the myriad of vocabulary and metaphor to understand some of the most basic functions of cell biology. (The chapter on how cells of the muscular system, among others, was completely beyond me) I kept on because of the surgical precision of the prose as well as the deeply personal and impactful implications of each chapter. Every one of the heady principles and hard-won research conclusions connects to very real health impacts, from the miracle of IVF to the heartbreak of cancer. He conveys a deep respect for the grind of research and the responsibility of clinicians. So yes, reading this book is a little bit like getting hit over the head with a textbook, but with the crucial addition of humanity, compassion, and wonder at the applications and potential of cells.