Breaking Through

From butcher's daughter in Communist Hungary to winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine 2023, this is the story of one woman's extraordinary determination through decades of obscurity and rejection - and her breakthrough discovery that saved millions of lives. 'Few have overcome adversity like Katalin Karikó . . . This remarkable memoir . . . is a joy to read' FINANCIAL TIMES'Engrossing, touching . . . a vividly written, absorbing memoir of a life filled with triumphs . . . over near-constant adversity' GUARDIAN'It is almost impossible not to feel moved by this story' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENTKatalin Karikó began life as a butcher's daughter in communist Hungary. Raised in a one-room home of clay and straw with no running water, she saw potential everywhere: in the promise a seed, in the alchemy of soap, in the scarlet of a carcass. Breaking Through is the extraordinary story of her courageous determination - first to become a scientist, and then to unlock an elusive molecule she believed could revolutionise medicine. Others disagreed, and for decades she endured demotions, discrimination, even threats of deportation. Yet Karikó persevered, ultimately making a world-shifting discovery: the mRNA vaccine technology that saved millions of lives and will transform healthcare forever. 'Riveting. A true story of a brilliant biochemist who never gave up or gave in. You will be inspired' BONNIE GARMUS'Karikó's story is an inspiration' BILL GATES'Will make you laugh, think and maybe even readjust the way you see the world' KATJA HOYER*An Amazon Best Book of the Year* *One of Nature's five best science books for 2024* *A Financial Times Best Summer Book of 2024*