The journalist and author of Knocking on Heaven’s Door, a mix of memoir and medical reportage, offers a handbook for navigating the practical and emotional complexities of aging, illness, and death.
Not surprisingly...this 'practical guide to a good end of life' delivers on its subtitle, offering detailed advice on dealing with—in poet Philip Larkin’s phrase—'age, and then the only end of age.' Butler’s factual, no-nonsense tone is surprisingly comforting, as are her stories of how ordinary folks confronted difficult medical decisions. In short, if you’re coming up on three score and 10 or have already passed that biblical term limit for earthly existence, you will want to read The Art of Dying Well and keep it handy, if only for its lists of what to do as one’s physical condition changes.
This substantial book, written for the aging and those who love them, offers a stage-by-stage look at the path toward death. It might not seem like fun reading, but the salience of the topic is undeniable ... Butler’s book is a nuts-and-bolts guide to supporting ourselves and each other through the final stages of life ... What Butler offers here is an overview of the terrain and helpful commentary about empowering, meaningful actions for people in a wide range of circumstances. If you are aging or love someone who is, this is a book to add to your list.
In The Art of Dying Well, Katy Butler...provides a roadmap to navigating a good death ... The Art of Dying Well is an empowering guide that clearly outlines the steps necessary to avoid a chaotic end in an emergency room and to prepare for a beautiful death without fear.
