Reviews

With the End in Mind: Dying, Death, and Wisdom in an Age of Denial by Kathryn Mannix

becky_mercer93's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

4.5

A genuinely interesting and thought provoking look at a sensitive topic. Both heartwarming and heart-wrenching at times, this is a very real look at death and all it entails. 

chamsae's review against another edition

hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

kanejim57's review against another edition

5.0

Will be doing a full review and posting it here but let me say that I wish I would have read a book like this when my dad passed in 1991. Very educational and insightful.

tomstbr's review against another edition

5.0

Best book I've read in ages.

This is an incredible book that will truly affect you. I found myself on the train running the full gamut of emotions: from being close to tears to laughing at an anecdote to genuinely feeling unsettled. And all because Kathryn Mannix forces you to look death up close and personal. But this isn’t just a collection of her stories as a palliative carer. It’s also a meditation on death and everything that comes with it. She groups her stories into themes such as Patterns and Legacy and explores each like a surgeon finding the core of a cancer. Plus, she’s just a fantastic, almost poetic writer.

wellingtonboot's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

kanejim57's review against another edition

5.0

Will be doing a full review and posting it here but let me say that I wish I would have read a book like this when my dad passed in 1991. Very educational and insightful.

scottishlindsay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

felravenn's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This non-fiction book about death is one of the most healing books I have read so far. Kathryn Mannix is a specialist in palliative care and she writes from a place of love, understanding and deep compassion that illuminates the lives of the patients she discusses in these pages. She does not shy away from the difficult topic of death and dying, and it was what I needed at a time where my family is dealing with life-threatening health issues. It might seem bleak to read a book like this but this actually helped me a lot - it taught me things I needed to know about death, it helped me grieve, and it helped me come to terms with my current emotions preparing for death. I can't recommend this book enough. Please do not be put off by the subject matter, this is a book about living well, as much as it is about death.

rachel_a_'s review against another edition

4.0

You know you work in Healthcare when nothing about this gets you emotional accept you ball your eyes out at the orange cat story.

The final wrapup reflect chapters are poignant.

paulsnelling's review against another edition

5.0

Justly well known, this beautifully simply written book tells the stories of patients’ deaths which illuminate all lives. Though clearly written with a mission - “to reclaim public understanding of dying”, it never preaches and the message is delivered through the compassion and wisdom of all of the professionals and those who they carefully, lovingly, shepherd. Not philosophy, but profound nonetheless. Highly recommended.