With the End in Mind: Dying, Death, and Wisdom in an Age of Denial - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0316504483 ISBN 13: 9780316504485

Synopsis

For readers of Atul Gawande and Paul Kalanithi, a palliative care doctor's breathtaking stories from 30 years spent caring for the dying.

Modern medical technology is allowing us to live longer and fuller lives than ever before. And for the most part, that is good news. But with changes in the way we understand medicine come changes in the way we understand death. Once a familiar and gentle process, death has come to be something from which we shy away, preferring to fight it desperately than to accept its inevitability.

Palliative care has a long tradition in Britain, where Dr. Kathryn Mannix has practiced it for 30 years. In this book, she shares beautifully crafted stories from a lifetime of caring for the dying. With insightful meditations on life, death, and the space between them, With the End in Mind describes the possibility of meeting death gently, with forethought and preparation, and shows the unexpected beauty, dignity, and profound humanity of life coming to an end.

About this title

Review:

‘The stories read like fiction, from a writer well attuned to her craft. The life in each shines through and the characters practically leap off the page. It is incredibly moving, of course, but what it isn’t is miserable. Yes this is a book about death, but it is also a book about joy. There aren’t all that many books that change the way you see the world. This book really might. It will make you want to do a better job of loving and living. It will make you want to be kinder. And it will make you want to cherish every precious moment of your precious life.’ Sunday Times

‘With the End in Mind deserves to rank with Being Mortal and When Breath Becomes Air. But it’s also unique in showing us the numerous paths a death can take: how it evolves, what a deathbed is actually like, what matters most to the dying, and the bereaved. The stories – by turns touching, tragic, and even funny – show that death delivers far less sting given the right planning, information and a dose of honesty. Read it, and you’ll be better prepared for life, as well as death.’ Bookseller Magazine, December Book of the Month

‘Illuminating and beautiful... Mannix is good company, with a sound eye for an interesting anecdote and a sure ear for language. It’s not a gloomy book. I shed a few tears but it’s not gut wrenching and Mannix weaves the light and dark strands of her experience with finesse. It’s essential reading for anyone who will encounter death, and that means all of us.’ Cathy Rentzenbrink, The Times

About the Author:

Dr. Kathryn Mannix is a physician specializing in palliative care, and a cognitive behavior therapist.

About this edition

• ISBN 10: 0316504483
• ISBN 13: 9780316504485
• Binding: Hardcover