Reviews tagging 'Death'

The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America by Anita Hannig

2 reviews

cope_cheyenne's review

challenging emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death

schroedenator's review

challenging emotional hopeful informative fast-paced

5.0

Death is never an easy subject to discuss, especially in the United States where it’s become somewhat taboo. With the advance of life extending medical procedures we’ve seen the decline of home deaths, and now many imagine death to be something that happens mostly in medical facilities. Hanning has taken her skills as an anthropologist and used them to give an intimate look into how people with terminal illnesses are taking control of the ends of their lives with medically assisted death. 

 

In the most respectful way possible we are introduced to a variety of people with terminal illnesses and their families, as well as physicians and volunteers who give them aid, and get to see how they navigate the process to procure medically assisted death in states where it’s been legalized. The process is lengthy, with waiting periods and very specific requirements for those who are eligible, but there are still many opponents that don’t believe it should be legal regardless of what safeguards are put in place. As we follow each terminally-ill person’s story we get a glimpse at how having the option to cease prolonged suffering on their own terms can dramatically improve the quality of their end of life and how the grief of loved ones who were participants in the process was effected. 

 

I think most people would benefit from reading this book. Due to the subject matter it may be difficult to read, but opening up the discussions around death is helpful for everyone regardless of their age and any prognoses. 

 

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death