Breaking Through: A Memoir

From butcher's daughter in communist Hungary to winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, this is the story of one woman's extraordinary determination and her breakthrough discovery that saved millions of lives.

'Riveting. A true story of a brilliant biochemist who never gave up or gave in' BONNIE GARMUS
'This remarkable memoir ... is a joy to read' FINANCIAL TIMES
'Karikó's story is an inspiration' BILL GATES

Katalin 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 of 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 and 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.

'A vividly written, absorbing memoir’ GUARDIAN
'It is almost impossible not to feel moved by this story' TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
'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*