Being Mortal
by Atul Gawande
Gawande on how medicine handles aging and dying, mostly badly, and what a good end looks like: autonomy, meaning and the conversations families avoid. It is reported with care and includes his own father's death. Practical for anyone with aging parents and clarifying for anyone with a life.
Read it if…
you have aging parents or are thinking seriously about how you want to live and end.
Skip it if…
you want a lighter read; the subject is heavy, handled gracefully.
Three things you will actually use
- Ask what a good day looks like before deciding treatment.
- Prioritize autonomy and meaning over safety alone.
- Have the hard conversation early.
Do this first
Ask an aging parent what matters most to them if their health worsens, and write down the answer.
Our verdict
Humane and important; a book about the end that improves the middle.
Compare with other Character books
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The Good Life Method
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Thoughtful and rigorous; philosophy as a practice.
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