A review by maethereader
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

This is a very important book. It was inspiring, hopeful, sad, challenging. I learned so much about aging and terminal illness, nursing homes and alternatives, healthcare, hospice, and dying. That might sound grim, but so much of it was so beautiful and inspiring. It was so enlightening. I feel so much better prepared to go through the process of accompanying a loved one who is dying and to die myself. I also feel really interested in learning more about options for aging people and hospice in my community. And I feel better prepared to advocate for myself and loved ones in medical situations, this was a huge insight into what is happening when healthcare workers aren't giving you straight answers (and I think this carries over into veterinary medicine as well - had similar experiences with two pets who ended up passing away, and the days and weeks of working with the vet hospitals did not have to be that stressful and confusing).

I really think this should be required reading for everyone with a body who will one day have to face their mortality and that of their loved ones.

I listened to the audiobook for the last 1/3 of it, and I thought the narrator did a good job.
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