Being Mortal
Being Mortal
Atul Gawande
Ryan Shea
Ryan Shea recommended this book on his website.
Steve Kerr
Steve Kerr recommended this book on Twitter.
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Being Mortal

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Atul Gawande
By
Atul Gawande
4.5
21585
ratings on Goodreads

In "Being Mortal," Atul Gawande embarks on a profound exploration of the final stage of human life, challenging the very foundations of modern medicine. With the precision of a surgeon and the sensitivity of a caregiver, Gawande delves into the complex relationship between medicine's remarkable power to extend life and its often overlooked failure to comprehend the significance of a dignified death. Through a tapestry of compelling narratives and personal reflections, he exposes the uncomfortable truth about the aging process and the end-of-life care in Western society. It is a journey that questions the conventional priorities of healthcare, spotlighting the stark contrast between prolonging life and enriching its final chapters. Gawande offers not just critique but also hope, presenting innovative models of care that promise a more compassionate approach to the inevitabilities of aging and mortality. He champions a vision where the medical community not only addresses the physical needs of the elderly and terminally ill but also nourishes the soul's desire for autonomy, connection, and joy. "Being Mortal" is a clarion call for a shift in perspective, inviting readers, healthcare professionals, and society at large to reimagine how we live our last days. It is a book of immense importance, urging us to confront our mortality with courage and to embrace the beauty of life in all its stages.

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Released
2014
7 Oct
Length
282
Pages

2

recommendations

recommendation

Steve Kerr recommended this book on Twitter.
Ryan Shea recommended this book on his website.
In the end, people don't view their life as merely the average of all its moments—which, after all, is mostly nothing much plus some sleep. For human beings, life is meaningful because it is a story. A story has a sense of a whole, and its arc is determined by the significant moments, the ones where something happens. Measurements of people's minute-by-minute levels of pleasure and pain miss this fundamental aspect of human existence. A seemingly happy life maybe empty. A seemingly difficult life may be devoted to a great cause. We have purposes larger than ourselves.
— Atul Gawande, Being Mortal

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