Life Lessons: Two Experts on Death & Dying Teach Us about the Mysteries of Life & Living (An Inspiring Guide to Life) - Softcover

Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth; Kessler MD, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1476775532 ISBN 13: 9781476775531

Publisher: Scribner Book Company, 2014

Synopsis

Ten years after Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's death: "An inspiring...guide to life, distilled from the experiences of people who face death" (Kirkus Reviews)--the beloved classic now with a new introduction and updated resources section.

Is this really how I want to live my life? Each one of us at some point asks this question. The tragedy is not that life is short, but that we often see only in hindsight what really matters.

In her first book on life and living, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross joined with David Kessler to guide us through the practical and spiritual lessons we need to learn so that we can live life to its fullest in every moment. Many years of working with the dying have shown the authors that certain lessons come up over and over again. Some of these lessons are enormously difficult to master, but even the attempts to understand them can be deeply rewarding. Here, in fourteen accessible chapters, from the Lesson of Love to the Lesson of Happiness, the authors reveal the truth about our fears, our hopes, our relationships, and, above all, about the grandness of who we really are.

About this title

Review

After experiencing a paralysing stroke in 1995 and facing her own mortality, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (author of the renowned On Death and Dying) realised she had some unfinished business to take care of. "I wanted to write one more book, not on death and dying, but on life and living", she explains. So she joined forces with co-author David Kessler, a leader in the field of hospice care, and together they wrote about the lessons we can learn about living from those who are dying. As Kessler explains in his Introduction, "The dying have always been teachers of great lessons, for it's when we are pushed to the edge of life that we see most clearly".

In days gone by, the community would have gathering places where children and adults listened to elders tell their stories of life's challenges and the meaning they found in life. In lieu of that kind of extended community, the authors offer this book, filled with stories from the edge. Then, like fireside elders, they weave these personal stories into themes, such as living authentically, the importance of play, finding one's power, loving relationships and self-compassion. One cannot say enough about the lasting value of this beautifully written and carefully rendered book. This is your chance to see life from the 20-20 vision of hindsight. In the end what will we value most? Here are some hints: the days we surrendered and became calm, the times we healed that which was broken, and of course all the moments we opened ourselves to love. --Gail Hudson

Review

"This is a thought-provoking book, one which in my opinion should be made compulsory. It is insightful, inspirational, intelligent, soothing, emotive, and informative about our seemingly arbitrary existence."--Patricia Devine, The Irish Independent

Edition details

• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1476775532
• ISBN 13: 9781476775531
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 240