The Bottom Line
This book is a must-read for anyone who works with the dying, knows someone who is dying or knows that they, too, will die someday.
Pros
- Informative and comprehensive book about death with dignity.
- Each chapter and topic is illustrated with a real-life story from Dr. Byock's work.
Cons
- There are no cons to this well-written book.
Description
- Author: Dr. Ira Byock
- Publisher: Riverhead Books by The Berkley Publishing Group, a member of Penguin Putnam Inc.
- Year Published: 1997
- ISBN # 1-573222-051-5
- Soft Cover Price:
Guide Review - Book About Death and Dying
Ira Byock, MD, is one of my favorite authors and one of my favorite palliative care physicians. He works tirelessly to promote awareness about end-of-life topics, work that is near and dear to my heart. Now that we've established my admiration of the author, let's look at his book.
Dying Well is the product of Dr. Byocks dream that nobody should die in pain and nobody should die alone. He believes that people can die physically "well" without pain or discomfort and that they can die emotionally "well" with closure and completeness. The stories in this book show us that this isn't just a dream but that it can actually happen. Death is always going to be sad, but it doesn't have to be tragic.
This book is a practical guide for dying people, their families and caregivers as they navigate the uncertainties of death. Through these true stories of love and reconciliation, Dr. Byock illustrates how we can make the end of life as precious and meaningful as the beginning.
