Reviews

Being Mortal: Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

odin45mp's review against another edition

5.0

This was a difficult but very good read. I recommend this to everyone, because sooner or later we're all going to have to deal with being mortal and the fact that our bodies are going to break down. How we deal with that is going to make all the difference in our end of life care - whether we enjoy what good days we have, and work to have more good days, or end up angry and bitter and sent where we do not wish to go, and do that which we do not wish to do.

Wonderfully and soulfully told, Dr. Gawande shares research and stories on the past 30 years of old age care, and several personal and poignant stories from his own practice, and his own family, and how they dealt with old age, decreasing abilities, and finding what makes life worth living.

thecandiegirl's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Death of parent

Moderate: Medical content, Chronic illness, Drug use, and Medical trauma

Minor: Alcohol

abbyprinceatwood's review against another edition

4.0

A helpful look at a topic we don’t like to discuss. I appreciate the anecdotal nature of this book, but wish there were more practical applications or references.

sofip's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

4.0

triumphal_reads's review against another edition

challenging hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

gabypinata's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

jvk14's review against another edition

4.0

Really good book! I was scared that I had set my expectation too high based on the first half of the book, but I flew through the second half. I think Gawande sets up some really important conversations that need to be normalized in medicine and anything adjacent.

signorponza's review against another edition

5.0

È uno dei migliori libri che abbia letto nel 2019. Si tratta in sostanza di una lunga riflessione, fatta attraverso racconti di storie di pazienti incontrati durante la carriera di Gawande, su che cosa significhi oggi affrontare la morte. Nonostante il tema e gli esempi raccontati, non immaginate un libro che metta necessariamente angoscia. Anzi, è un utile strumento per guardare con fiducia al futuro e ai cambiamenti che stanno attraversando la scienza e le società in cui viviamo.

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drjamila's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

kateyhb's review against another edition

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

4.5