Medicine and the body · Popular science · History
The Emperor of All Maladies
Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist, traces cancer from its earliest descriptions in antiquity to modern treatments, weaving the story of researchers and patients into a history of the disease and the fight against it.
Facts last checked 2026-10-17
- First published
- 2010
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 571
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a patient, humane and richly told history of medicine's long battle with one disease.
Skip this if you are facing a recent cancer diagnosis and want something gentler or more practical.
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Quick answers about The Emperor of All Maladies
- What is The Emperor of All Maladies about?
- Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist, traces cancer from its earliest descriptions in antiquity to modern treatments, weaving the story of researchers and patients into a history of the disease and the fight against it.
- Who should read The Emperor of All Maladies?
- Read it if you want a patient, humane and richly told history of medicine's long battle with one disease. Skip it if you are facing a recent cancer diagnosis and want something gentler or more practical.
- How long and how fast is The Emperor of All Maladies?
- It is a slow-paced, long read of about 571 pages, first published in 2010.
- Does The Emperor of All Maladies have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Death, Terminal illness, Child death.
- Can I borrow The Emperor of All Maladies for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Emperor of All Maladies; the borrow button above searches it for you.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Bookshop.org | Check price | Buy new from Bookshop.org |
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| Ebook | ||
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| Audiobook | ||
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| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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