But not everyone thinks about dying.
These books provide an overview of the dying process and its many aspects:
- emotional
- social
- legal
- spiritual
- physical
It's my habit to research elements of my various life stages as I move through them.
I've actually read 80+ books on death and dying by taking a very broad view from getting the diagnosis, through illness, caregiving, death, burial / cremation and even beyond to the grief / mourning of loved ones.
The list below is not limited to, but slanted towards nonfiction books about how dying affects people in the second half of life.
If you would like to see a more expansive approach to death, dying, and bereavement (DDB), see my virtual Goodreads bookshelf.
I'm listing a more narrowly defined set of DDB books in reverse chronology of publication, split into two categories:
Books by Doctors, Other Medical Personnel, and Chaplains
Tisdale, Sallie. Advice for Future Corpses: A Practical Perspective on Death and Dying (2018) Review.
Warraich, Haider. Modern Death: How Medicine Changed the End of Life. (2017) Review.
Egan, Kerry. On Living. (2016) Review
 |
| Volandes |
Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (2014). Review
Lynn, Joanne, Janice Lynnn Schuster & Joan Harrold. Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness (2011). Review
Dosa, David. Making the Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat (2010). Review
Chen, Pauline W. Final Exam: A Surgeon's Reflection on Mortality (2006). Review
 |
| Callanan |
Nuland, Sherwin B. How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter (1994). Review
Peck, Scott M. Denial of the Soul: Spiritual and Medical Perspectives on Euthanasia and Mortality (1991). Review
Books by People Who Are Terminally Ill and Books by a Loved One Offering Support
 |
| Schwalbe |
Danticat, Edwidge. The Art of Death: Writing the Final Story (2017). Review
Kalanithi, Paul: When Breath Becomes Air (2016). Review
Butler, Katy. Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death (2013). Review
Schwalbe, Will. The End of Your Life Book Club (2012). Review
Hitchens, Christopher. Mortality (2012). Review
Pausch, Randy. The Last Lecture (2008). Review
Nearing, Helen. Light on Aging and Dying: An Inspirational Gathering on Thoughts on Living a Good Old Age into Death. (1998) GR Review and Blog Review
Rollin, Betty. Last Wish (1998). Review
Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie (1997). Review
A few of these books have a significant discussion of the spiritual aspects of being in the dying process. However, I have found an increase in books about spirituality and aging that talk about several challenges, including an increased awareness of one's own mortality.
I have a separate post about called Books on Aging and Spiritual Growth.
I have found that those with cancer are overrepresented in books about the dying process, especially in memoirs. In the books above, Kalanithi, Hitchens and Pausch are cogent enough to describe their experience as terminally ill people.
Nevertheless, I want to make a special note that Alzheimer's Disease is also a terminal illness that can have a long trajectory like cancer. This gives the person with the disease and their loved ones a space for reflection that many lack when facing death.
I do not have books about the dying process for Alzheimer's Disease listed here because I have a separate post listing Books about Dementia. It's the caregivers / care partners who typically witness the dying process.
Related:
Books about Dementia
Books on Aging
Films about Older Adults Active in the Dying Process
Books on Aging and Spiritual Growth
Kalanithi, Paul: When Breath Becomes Air (2016). Review
Butler, Katy. Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death (2013). Review
Schwalbe, Will. The End of Your Life Book Club (2012). Review
Hitchens, Christopher. Mortality (2012). Review
Pausch, Randy. The Last Lecture (2008). Review
Nearing, Helen. Light on Aging and Dying: An Inspirational Gathering on Thoughts on Living a Good Old Age into Death. (1998) GR Review and Blog Review
Rollin, Betty. Last Wish (1998). Review
Albom, Mitch. Tuesdays with Morrie (1997). Review
A few of these books have a significant discussion of the spiritual aspects of being in the dying process. However, I have found an increase in books about spirituality and aging that talk about several challenges, including an increased awareness of one's own mortality.
I have a separate post about called Books on Aging and Spiritual Growth.
I have found that those with cancer are overrepresented in books about the dying process, especially in memoirs. In the books above, Kalanithi, Hitchens and Pausch are cogent enough to describe their experience as terminally ill people.
Nevertheless, I want to make a special note that Alzheimer's Disease is also a terminal illness that can have a long trajectory like cancer. This gives the person with the disease and their loved ones a space for reflection that many lack when facing death.
I do not have books about the dying process for Alzheimer's Disease listed here because I have a separate post listing Books about Dementia. It's the caregivers / care partners who typically witness the dying process.
Related:
Books about Dementia
Books on Aging
Films about Older Adults Active in the Dying Process
Books on Aging and Spiritual Growth
Thanks for your list!
ReplyDeleteI love Christopher Hitchens so I read his book. But I find the older I get the more I want to read books that focus on living. Or dementia---because you never know : )
I had never read anything by Hitchens before (not even a magazine piece). Whoa. He took a lot of risks as a writer. Very intense and engaging! I get super emotional when I encounter new territory, so I'm hoping these books help me when the time comes for me or a loved one (but I bet I'll still be emotional!).
DeleteSince I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and have had constant relapses, I have thought about my own mortality often. Thanks for the list.
ReplyDeleteHolly: All my best to you and cyber hugs.
DeleteGreat list. Since I am caregiving for my mom who has Alzheimer's it is my goal to document the whole process beginning to end. I just hope it is a very long time from now!
ReplyDeleteAll my best to you and your mom as you travel together in your AD journey.
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