Being Mortal is an important book. It is very readable and very moving. It is about how people are treated towards
the end of their lives. About what makes
that part of life more bearable and how what people really need is often in
conflict with how doctors are trained and used to acting.
One of the
many startling thing in the book was the explanation of how and why shifts in
perspective happen when people are facing life threatening illness or advanced
age. It made a whole lot of sense to me.
This book
is not about euthanasia at all – it is about trying to ensure people's quality
of life and their own wishes are truly put first.
Does that
sound boring – well the book wasn't boring and it wasn't too intense
either. I have blogged about Gawande
before – here about Better and here about The Checklist Manifesto.
Not sure I would read this, but thanks for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI really want to read this. I've read some of the author's writing in The New Yorker and he writes very well!
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