When Breath Becomes Air is a New York Times bestseller, spending 68 weeks on the non-fiction bestseller list.[9] The book was well-received by critics,[10] including starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews[11] and Library Journal.[12]
Kirkus called the book a "moving meditation on mortality by a gifted writer whose dual perspectives of physician and patient provide a singular clarity."[11]
Matt McCarthy of USA Today gave it 4 out of 4 stars and said, "It's a story so remarkable, so stunning, and so affecting that I had to take dozens of breaks just to compose myself enough to get through it."[13] Nick Romeo of The Boston Globe wrote that it "possesses the gravity and wisdom of an ancient Greek tragedy."[14] Melissa Maerz of Entertainment Weekly stated that the book was "so original—and so devastating. . . . Its only fault is that the book, like his life, ends much too early."[15]
Awards and honors
| Year | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & Autobiography | Winner | [16] |
| Waterstones Book of the Year | Shortlist | [17] | |
| 2017 | Jan Michalski Prize | Second selection | [18] |
| Prix Jan Michalski | Second selection | ||
| Pulitzer Prize, Biography or Autobiography | Finalist | [19] | |
| Wellcome Book Prize | Shortlist | [20][21] |
