The Top Five Regrets of the Dying
by Bronnie Ware
A palliative care nurse's account of the regrets her patients expressed most: not living true to themselves, working too hard, not expressing feelings, losing touch with friends, not letting themselves be happier. The book is memoir around the list, gentle and plainly written. The list is the lesson.
Read it if…
you want a short, direct reminder of what people regret at the end.
Skip it if…
you want research; it is one nurse's observations, movingly told.
Three things you will actually use
- Live your own life, not the expected one.
- Work less than you think you must.
- Stay in touch; friends matter at the end.
Do this first
Read the five regrets and write which one you are currently building.
Our verdict
Simple and affecting; the list is worth the book.
Compare with other Character books
The Good Life Method
Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko · Character
Thoughtful and rigorous; philosophy as a practice.
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