Though cancer is a terrifying and dangerous prospect for anyone whose life it appears in, the perspective is completely different when you've spent a career studying it and hoping to defeat it. In this memoir, the author details the crossroads of his life after being diagnosed with stage four non-small cell lung cancer. On the one hand, his training and experience as a cancer researcher and epidemiologist working with the CDC equip him with a clear understanding of what to expect and how to realistically assess his prognosis. At the same time, this crisis brings him more in touch with his spiritual side, turning to his faith and Christianity to give him the strength each day to endure the next treatment, the next diagnosis, and every small victory and devastating blow.

The two sides of the cancer journey, presented from the same narrator and perspective, are a powerful reminder of just how much it takes to survive a diagnosis and keep hope alive, or at least make the most of what time remains. The author's deft blending of realism, hard science, belief, and hope into one toolbox will likely inspire readers who are dealing with this terrible disease or caring for a loved one who is to use everything at their disposal to carry on day after day. The author makes full use of this opportunity not only to provide as much information and firsthand wisdom as possible, but also to candidly share his own life story, rife with setbacks and triumphs. This is a powerful read that can offer a great deal of light to those who can relate and need it most.

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