Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

3.5 stars
Like most people, I don’t think much about my lungs. This book taught me a lot about how amazing our lungs are and how many discoveries and breakthroughs have helped people with lung diseases to live longer lives. I loved the personal stories, but I struggled with some of the scientific explanations. Overall, interesting, touching, and informative.

This book explores the crucial role of breathing in human existence, discussing evidence of how breathing practices can contribute to healing of numerous illnesses, investigating the range of threats -- from pollution to smoking to toxic dust -- that can threaten our ability to breath, and examining a number of diseases that can disturb a person’s breathing. This book is primarily a popular science look at pulmonary medicine. Unlike other breath-related books that I’ve reviewed, this book is mostly about what can go wrong with our lungs and what medical science is doing to combat these threats. The story of how breathwork and changing breathing patterns can improve health and well-being is addressed, but that’s not the book’s central focus. The book uses plenty of stories (e.g. case studies) and what I call “fun facts” to keep the reading from becoming too dry or clinical for a neophyte reader.

The book consists of fifteen chapters. The first two chapters provide basic background information to help understand how the Earth happens to have the oxygen-laden air necessary for our type of life (Ch. 1) and how the lungs exploit that air in fueling our bodily activities (Ch. 2.) Chapter thee explores how breathing begins in newborn babies, explaining that the lungs are the only major organ that doesn’t start working until we are out in the world, and lung inflation doesn’t always go smoothly. The fourth chapter discusses how breathwork (including -- but not limited to -- yogic pranayama) has been shown to improve health for those experiencing a range of conditions, including: depression, addiction, PTSD, and pain, as well as how breath and meditational practices contribute to better health, generally.

Chapter five investigates the intersection of the respiratory and immune systems, explaining how autoimmune conditions, allergies, and asthma come to be. In chapter six, the author discusses one of the most common and widespread diseases in the world, tuberculosis (TB,) a disease which not only threatens the lives of many, but also sits dormant in a huge portion of the population.

Chapters seven through nine each deal with hazardous materials that are inhaled into the lungs. The first of these chapters is about smoking, and it focuses on the question of how nicotine acts in the body to create intense addictions – as well as what has and hasn’t worked to help people break said addiction. Chapter eight is about pollution. (As resident of a city of twelve million people, I found this to be a particularly disturbing chapter because air pollution is a hazard that is too easy to be blind to if one doesn’t suffer from respiratory problems.) Chapter nine investigates a range of breathable hazards including smoke, dust, and asbestos, and it does so through the lens of the rescue and cleanup at the World Trade Center after the dual collapse of the twin towers on 9-11, an event which released all sorts of toxic material into the air, hazards for which most responders were ill-equipped.

Chapter ten through twelve are about ailments that may or may not be linked to environmental causes like the ones mentioned in the paragraph above. The first of these is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which, by definition, is a condition that arises from an unknown cause, an ailment which involves a stiffening and thickening of lung tissue (which must be thin and supple to allow gas exchange and the expansion and contraction of the breath cycle.) Chapter eleven focuses on lung cancer, which is often due to an inhaled hazard (most notably, smoking,) but not necessarily. While the other chapters of the book focus on breathing as a process by which we take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide, chapter twelve turns to a different role played by breath, one that is crucial to the activities of our species, breath as a means to control the voice.

Chapter 13 describes the process and challenges of lung transplant. As mentioned in the discussion of pulmonary fibrosis, lung tissue is rather delicate material, and so it was no easy task to transplant it. Furthermore, because the lungs are a point at which the external world (air) contacts the body’s internal systems the challenges are even greater than for those organs that are hermetically sealed within bodily tissues.

The last two chapters focus on cystic fibrosis (CF.) Chapter fourteen explores the nature of the disease and the slow, but promising, path towards treating it. CF is a genetic condition in which the lack of a single amino acid wreaks havoc on the ability of cells to process minerals. The last chapter tells the story of two cases of CF. The first story – involving a ten-year-old whose family had to struggle against a policy that essentially locked their child out of the lung transplant list – is particularly engrossing.

As someone who practices breathwork, I found this book to be interesting and insightful. While it is heavily focused on pulmonary medicine, it does offer insights that will be beneficial to those who are not afflicted by respiratory ailments. If one wants to know more about medicine as it pertains to respiration, this is definitely an interesting and readable choice. However, even if one is infatuated with breath more generally, I believe you’ll find in this volume a great deal of beneficial food-for-thought.

I found this book to be both interesting and very effectively communicated. I was curious to learn more about the topic before starting, but the introduction was still very effective and increased my desire to learn more by driving home the importance of our lungs.
As an avid reader of non-fiction, but without a scientific background, I felt that the concepts were appropriately explained. At times there was slightly more explanation than I found strictly necessary, but when I arrived at concepts I was less familiar with I appreciated the clarity.
On the whole, I found the combination of explaining the history of a given issue, exploring the current situation of research and treatment, and also sharing patient anecdotes helped both put everything into perspective and also gave emotional weight to the topic.
Throughout the book I found the writing solidly enjoyable, but thought it particularly shone in the chapter on lung transplants. I felt so engaged with the various developments and metaphorically on the edge of my seat to see how it would progress.
The only real issue I encountered is the very understandable datedness of certain sections, as a result of the unprecedented events of the last year. For example, reading about 10s of thousands of COVID-19 deaths felt a bit jarring, but this is not a major problem at all.

I have a bit of an infatuation with the powerhouse of our lungs, although I admit to not knowing near as much as I should. I have had adult-onset asthma for years (which I’ve since learned that, uncontrolled, can cause COPD, not smoking related!). One grandfather died of smoking-related emphysema, the other lung cancer, and my aunt had a double lung transplant due to bronchiectasis. She never smoked or did anything that should impact her lungs so negatively.

This book was… breathtaking. I admit that it took me a bit to get into and fully get engaged. There is a lot of science in this book, but the author does a great job sharing his story as a doctor entrenched in the physiology of our lungs and the life it brings us. He shares history of lungs, those who were conducive to the advancements made, as well as explanations. Anyone who wants to understand the workings of our lungs would benefit from this book. And I think, especially now with viruses attacking our respiratory system, it’s important to understand.

This is great science writing by an expert

I loved this book. Dr. Stephen tells a great story about the lungs. The science is clearly explained in a conversational tone and with emotion appropriate to the subject matter. He incorporates patients and his own experiences as a pulmonologist into the story, which to me, creates a closer bond between author and reader. I recommend this book for anyone interested in science or medicine.
Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book via Netgalley for review purposes.

Absolutely fascinating read especially during this time period of Covid 19. I have recently done a lot of CPD while working from home to do with the lungs and truly appreciate how vital they are.
I think during covid 19 people have realised how vital and vulnerable our lungs are.
The chapters around Cystic Fibrosis absolutely world class reading.

Good Information On Facts, But Get A Second Opinion On Recommendations. This is a book about the origins and history of lung medicine, by a doc specializing in lung medicine. And because of that very nature, on facts it is quite remarkable. Stephen details everything from the evolution of the lung to the various ailments of it, focusing the last couple of chapters on Cystic Fibrosis in particular, and does so in a very understandable manner. Ultimately this is a prime example of the Flight Director Principle though, where one should absolutely listen to subject matter experts *on their subjects*... and consider the implications on other systems - particularly in conjunction with experts on those other systems - when this particular subject matter expert makes recommendations that impact other systems. And that is where getting a second opinion will be most useful in this particular tale, as many of Stephen's recommendations outside of lung medicine specifically could very likely be problematic at best. Still, only a single star deduction as largely your mileage is going to vary there based more on how you feel about his particular recommendations in those realms. Truly and enlightening read, and very much recommended.

I’ve recently read a fascinating book about breathing, so the opportunity to learn more about our lungs could not be skipped. In "Breath Taking: The Power, Fragility, and Future of Our Extraordinary Lungs" [don't have cover image yet], pulmonologist Michael Stephen offers an expert’s perspective on the subject, stylishly presented in terms comprehensible even to this layperson. The introductory chapters on the evolution of our breathing apparatus and its structure and functionality are deftly unwound. I was especially taken with his startling (to me, remember, I’m a neophyte) explanations of the differences between human and avian lungs and breathing. The profound impact breathing, and hence our lungs, have on health and well-being is covered without fanfare. The second half of the book details the incredible sophistication of the lungs’ defence mechanisms, and the plethora of ways in which they can be breached, from smoke inhalation to lung cancer and other illnesses. The tale of cystic fibrosis is especially harrowing, both depressing and encouraging. Covid-19 even receives summary, early treatment. All in all, this is a splendid everyperson introduction and resource.