With the End in Mind

November 15, 2017

Death comes to all people, whether they are happy or not, kind or mean, and whether they practice yoga or watch TV all day. So why does one pick up a book about how to die? The answers come from those who have participated in the deaths of others, by listening, affirming, and then helping those who remain.In At Peace, physician Harrington, who serves on the board of a nonprofit hospice in Washington, DC, describes the terminal patterns of the six most common diseases, then guides readers in end-of-life conversations and instructs them in how to minimize painful treatments. He speaks with experience and compassion as he discusses the biological and emotional factors of aging and outlines the practical aspects of planning for death. Chapters on dementia and advance directives conclude his work.In With the End in Mind, physician Mannix, through her expertise in palliative care and cognitive behavior therapy, shares stories from a lifetime of caring for the dying. Using case histories, Mannix provides poignant insight into the way people live when they know they are dying, and what those around them may be thinking and wishing to say. The book ends with a template for writing a last letter to loved ones. VERDICT Where At Peace provides a framework for dying, With the End in Mind puts meat on the bones, with some overlapping of personal accounts and medical processes in each. Both are highly recommended.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2017
A physician reflects on her 30-year practice caring for the dying.In her deeply compassionate first book, Mannix, a British palliative care specialist and cognitive behavior therapist, takes readers on an illuminating journey through the natural process of dying. Though palliative care is, by definition, the treatment of symptoms and discomfort associated with any serious illness, and not solely focused on individuals who are dying, the author notes that the majority of her patients are in the last months of their lives. She offers a selection of their stories arranged thematically; each provides a full portrait of the individual, often revealing that how they have lived their lives is a key to how they approach their experience of dying. In the first section, "Patterns," Mannix familiarizes readers with the natural progression of physical symptoms leading to death; here, she includes a discussion of her experience of personal loss. "My Way" reveals the individual coping styles of various patients, ranging from their acceptance or denial of their pending death. "Legacy" touches on ways in which individuals, whether intentionally or not, may choose to create some form of legacy for their loved ones or greater community through actions they take during their final days. For example, a young girl assembles a quilted memory pillow for her mother, and a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy helps raise public awareness for his condition by sharing his personal story through several media interviews. "The art of dying has become a forgotten wisdom," writes Mannix, "but every deathbed is an opportunity to restore that wisdom to those who will live, to benefit from it as they face other deaths in the future, including their own."An inspiring book on an always-difficult subject. Though for American readers the care facilities and specific treatments provided in the U.K. may differ, the personal stories will have universal resonance.

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