**Longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize 2023**
A NEW YORK TIMES, DAILY TELEGRAPH, ECONOMIST, MAIL ON SUNDAY and GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR
From the dawn of life itself, every being that has ever lived owes its existence to the cell.
'Will leave you in awe' Guardian
The discovery of this vital form led to a transformation in medicine but also in our understanding of ourselves - not as bodies or machines but as ecosystems. It has also given us the power to treat a vast array of mortal maladies...and even to create new kinds of human altogether.
Rich with stories of scientists, doctors and the patients whose lives may be saved by their work, The Song of the Cell is a stunning ode to the building blocks of life and the cutting-edge science harnessing their power for the better.
'Profound...As big a topic as life itself' The Times
'Medical magic' Daily Telegraph
'Vast...important...optimistic' Mail on Sunday
THE SONG OF THE CELL is the vivid, thrilling and suspenseful story of the fundamental unit of life. It describes how scientists discovered cells, began to understand them, and are now using that knowledge to create new humans. Both panoramic and intimate, it is Siddhartha Mukherjee's most spectacular book yet.