A Beginner’s Guide to the End
Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death
About the book
BJ Miller, a palliative care doctor, and Shoshana Berger have written a practical guide to preparing for death whose stated aim is to leave room for as much living as possible until the end. It ranges from paperwork and dealing with the healthcare and hospice systems to questions patients may hesitate to put to a doctor, such as whether sex is still fine during illness. It also addresses telling an employer, deciding whether to reveal old secrets to family, handling friends who are less supportive than hoped, and talking with children about a will. Survivors get advice too, on closing a loved one's social media accounts, clearing out the house and writing a eulogy.
Elizabeth Gilbert called it possibly the most important guide a reader could have, and Adam Grant praised it as moving, practical and delightful to read.
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This book has 4 recommendations
Adam Grant (Author)
You know what would be fun today? Reading a book about death,’ said no one ever. So you can imagine my surprise when I opened these pages and found myself smiling on the first one. BJ Miller and Shoshana Berger have done something impressive: they’re written a book about dying that’s not only moving and practical, but also delightful to read.
Elizabeth Gilbert (Author)
I wish I’d had this book when I needed it. Death and dying are not subjects that many people are comfortable talking about, but it’s hugely important to be as prepared as you can be—emotionally, physically, practically, financially, and spiritually. This book may be the most important guide you could have.
Susan Block (Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine/Harvard Medical School)
Miller and Berger, through their honesty and deep experience, help us to live the best life possible with a serious illness. This is a beautiful, poignant, expert, and human handbook for all of us.
Ira Byock (Founder & Chief Medical Director/Institute for Human Caring)
When it comes to the final journey, we are all beginners. Navigating the complexities of serious illness requires grace and grit. With elegant simplicity and tender, earthy honesty, this beginner’s guide explains how to prepare, what possible routes you might take, mis-turns to avoid, and the beauty you might see along the way
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Adam Grant, Elizabeth Gilbert, Susan Block, Ira Byock