Breathless

Surgical Tales from the Brink (and Back)

By: Tali Lando

Narrated by: Tali Lando

Heralded as "a testament to the precision, resilience, and compassion that define the very best of medicine," Breathless is a powerful, unflinching, and deeply human exploration of life and death in the pediatric operating room.

Told from the unique perspective of a high-stakes pediatric airway surgeon, this gripping collection of true surgical stories by Dr. Tali Lando invites listeners behind the doors of a modern trauma hospital to experience what it's like to be responsible for the breath — and sometimes the very life — of a child.

Through 19 exquisitely rendered chapters, Dr. Lando shares unforgettable tales of tiny preemies, trauma victims, surgical miracles, and heartbreaking losses. Each case is recounted with unvarnished honesty, medical insight, and emotional depth — from an infant in respiratory crisis at a prison visitor center to a teenage boy who nearly suffocates after a biking accident. Meet the spunky little girl named Heaven who changed Dr. Lando's life forever and explore the quiet sacrifices of a surgeon-mother navigating home life in the aftermath of trauma. The stories are as riveting as they are revelatory.

©2025 Tali Lando (P)2025 Tali Lando

Medical Drama with Comedic delivery and compassion.

The story's of children in some of their most difficult times being comforted and healed by Dr. Lando. The set up and explanation of how these cases made their way to the ER drew me in initially.. The care and passion Dr.Lando and her team provide to these kids is remarkable and "Breathtaking". Some of the chapters will leave you in tears while the majority will leave you clapping for the surgical team.

Fascinating Book

This is a fascinating book by a super specialist and airway expert. I think anyone interested in clinical medicine or those who watch medical dramas would enjoy it.