Best for: Anyone who wants to get the conversation about death going. I know, probably not many folks want to, but the book makes a good case for it. In a nutshell: UK palliative care physician Dr. Kathryn Mannix shares stories from her 40 years working with individuals to manage their symptoms and help with their end of life. Worth quoting: “This conspiracy of silence is so common, and so heartbreaking. The elderly expect death, and many try to talk to others about their hopes […]
A Better Life and a Better Death
Though I haven’t read Atul Gawande’s most famous book, Complications, I read Better a year or so ago and found it compelling and thoughtful. As a result, I was intrigued by the prospect of his most recent book, Being Mortal, about medicine and end-of-life issues, including the story of Gawande’s father’s battle with cancer. Yet, I put off reading it for a bit because a book about death and dying isn’t exactly something you eagerly jump into. However, once I saw it on the best-seller […]