Humans have expressed ideas about death since cave paintings and stone tablets. In this space we’re offering some more recent books that we find particularly important, thought provoking, and helpful.
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The Art of Dying Well
“A common sense path to define what a ‘good’ death looks like” (USA TODAY), The Art of Dying Well is about living as well as possible for as long as possible and adapting successfully to change. Packed with extraordinarily helpful insights and inspiring true stories, award-winning journalist Katy Butler shows how to thrive in later life (even […]
Being Mortal
“We want autonomy for ourselves and safety for our loved ones.” This insight, among many more in this important book, has helped countless people begin to think about the loss of loved ones as well as their own mortality. Through many stories, Gawande stresses the importance of honest conversations.
Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life
We wish every physician, every terminal patient, and every future terminal patient would read this book. Zitter is an ICU and palliative care physician, a great story teller, and a much needed voice of reason regarding end of life care. She takes the reader inside the ICU, bedside with patients facing grave decisions, family consultations, and the sometimes complicated dynamics within the medical team and within individual physicians, especially herself.
Farewell: Vital End-of-Life Questions with Candid Answers
Creagan is a cancer specialist and first board certified palliative care and hospice physician at the Mayo Clinic. He covers emotional and medical aspects of dying, including considerations for advance directives.
Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying
Written by hospice nurses who share indelible stories from their years of being at the bedsides of dying people. It’s wonderfully approachable, written with deep compassion and insight.
Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking
Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking is one of the choices available to people as they face death. It is legal, but not widely known or understood. This new volume by leaders in the right to die movement addresses clinical, ethical, and personal issues.