20 Best Books On Death (2023 Update)

A new york times book critics’ top 10 book of the year “in its loving, fierce specificity, this book on how to die is also a blessedly saccharine-free guide for how to live” (the new york times). former nea fellow and pushcart prize-winning writer sallie tisdale offers a lyrical, thought-provoking, yet practical perspective on death and dying in advice for future corpses (and those who love them). informed by her many years working as a nurse, with more than a decade in palliative care, tisdale provides a frank, direct, and compassionate meditation on the inevitable. from the sublime (the faint sound of mozart as you take your last breath) to the ridiculous (lessons on how to close the sagging jaw of a corpse), tisdale leads us through the peaks and troughs of death with a calm, wise, and humorous hand. advice for future corpses is more than a how-to manual or a spiritual bible: it is a graceful compilation of honest and intimate anecdotes based on the deaths tisdale has witnessed in her work and life, as well as stories from cultures, traditions, and literature around the world. tisdale explores all the heartbreaking, beautiful, terrifying, confusing, absurd, and even joyful experiences that accompany the work of dying, including: a good death: what does it mean to die “a good death”? can there be more than one kind of good death? what can i do to make my death, or the deaths of my loved ones, good? communication: what to say and not to say, what to ask, and when, from the dying, loved ones, doctors, and more. last months, weeks, days, and hours: what you might expect, physically and emotionally, including the limitations, freedoms, pain, and joy of this unique time. bodies: what happens to a body after death? what options are available to me after my death, and how do i choose—and make sure my wishes are followed? grief: “grief is the story that must be told over and over… grief is the breath after the last one.” “sallie tisdale’s elegantly understated new book pretends to be a user’s guide when in fact it’s a profound meditation” (david shields, bestselling author of reality hunger).

A new york times and los angeles times bestseller the best-selling author of smoke gets in your eyes expands our sense of what it means to treat the dead with "dignity." fascinated by our pervasive fear of dead bodies, mortician caitlin doughty set out to discover how other cultures care for the dead. from here to eternity is an immersive global journey that introduces compelling, powerful rituals almost entirely unknown in america. in rural indonesia, she watches a man clean and dress his grandfather’s mummified body, which has resided in the family home for two years. in la paz, she meets bolivian natitas (cigarette-smoking, wish-granting human skulls), and in tokyo she encounters the japanese kotsuage ceremony, in which relatives use chopsticks to pluck their loved-ones’ bones from cremation ashes. with boundless curiosity and gallows humor, doughty vividly describes decomposed bodies and investigates the world’s funerary history. doughty contends that the american funeral industry sells a particular—and, upon close inspection, peculiar—set of "respectful" rites: bodies are whisked to a mortuary, pumped full of chemicals, and entombed in concrete. she argues that our expensive, impersonal system fosters a corrosive fear of death that hinders our ability to cope and mourn. by comparing customs, she demonstrates that mourners everywhere respond best when they help care for the deceased, and have space to participate in the process. exquisitely illustrated by artist landis blair, from here to eternity is an adventure into the morbid unknown, a story about the many fascinating ways people everywhere have confronted the very human challenge of mortality.

It's easy to take it all for granted and go through life feeling invincible–especially if you've spent your life successfully facing challenges, overcoming obstacles in the way, and working hard to improve yourself both mentally and physically. yet for all of us, this feeling of invincibility is an illusion. from sudden death to paradise shares one man's story of suddenly facing his mortality and coming to terms with what he experienced. after being exposed to toxic chemicals while in the military, and unknown to him, author t. s. dismas developed an autoimmune disease that would kill him–one night, dismas suffered sudden heart failure and died for ten minutes. yet in that moment, he had a near-death experience and visited heaven, where he would learn a valuable lesson about himself, his life, his faith, and god. no amount of suffering could take away his joy and peace, and after his experience, life was now sweet and truly a gift. with a new heart–both literally and spiritually–he was able to realize his previous life was not part of god's plan, and that embracing god's love is the only way to sustain happiness and find meaning in this life.

Offers detailed descriptions of what happens to a body from trauma to burial, how autopsies are conducted, the paperwork involved in a death, and the laws that govern how bodies must be handled and buried.

The fear of death, the pain of bereavement, the art of consolation, and the custom of mourning—these are experiences with which all mortals must reckon. in – the grim reader, editors maura spiegel and richard tristman have gathered the best classic and contemporary writing on mortality—from montaigne to monty python—to produce an essential resource for the heart and mind. these idiosyncratic and always enlightening pieces are grouped into thematic parts in which a diversity of perspective on death are revealed. from death in its most personal sphere to the major issues of death in the public realm,the grim reader offers a fresh and unmediated encounter with mortality and the many dimensions of grief and recovery. – a compelling collection of poems, fiction, letters, historical documents, essays, and narrations from a wide variety of writers, including:vladimir nabokov- john ashbery- samuel beckett – adam smith- simone de beauvoir- grace paley – giovanni boccaccio- bertolt brecht- roland barthes – james baldwin- primo levi- anne sexton luis buñuel- paul monette- jessica mitford- stanley elkin

'wise, beautiful, heartbreaking, raw' the times 'a beacon of hope to all of us who will be bereaved' kathryn mannix 'an unforgettable and achingly beautiful story of enduring love' lori gottleib internationally renowned psychiatrist and author irvin yalom has devoted his career to counselling those suffering from anxiety and grief. but never had he faced the need to counsel himself until his wife, esteemed feminist author marilyn yalom, was diagnosed with cancer. in a matter of death and life, marilyn and irvin share how they took on profound new struggles: marilyn to die a good death, irvin to live on without her. in alternating accounts of their last months together and irvin's first months alone, they offer us a rare window into coping with death and the loss of one's beloved. with the candour and wisdom of those who have thought deeply and loved well, they investigate universal questions of intimacy, love, and grief. informed by two lifetimes of experience, a matter of death and life offers poignant insights and solace to all those seeking to fight despair in the face of death, so that they can live meaningfully.

The cofounder of the zen hospice project and pioneer behind the compassionate care movement shares an inspiring exploration of the lessons dying has to offer about living a fulfilling life. death is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. she is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight, helping us to discover what matters most.life and death are a package deal. the five invitations is an exhilarating meditation on the meaning of life and how maintaining an ever-present consciousness of death can bring us closer to our truest selves. as a renowned teacher of compassionate caregiving and the cofounder of the zen hospice project, frank ostaseski has sat on the precipice of death with more than a thousand people. in the five invitations, he distills the lessons gleaned over the course of his career, offering an evocative and stirring guide that points to a radical path to transformation.the five invitations:-don’t wait-welcome everything, push away nothing-bring your whole self to the experience-find a place of rest in the middle of things-cultivate don’t know mindthese five invitations show us how to wake up fully to our lives. they can be understood as best practices for anyone coping with loss or navigating any sort of transition or crisis; they guide us toward appreciating life’s preciousness. awareness of death can be a valuable companion on the road to living well, forging a rich and meaningful life, and letting go of regret. the five invitations is a powerful and inspiring exploration of the essential wisdom dying has to impart to all of us.

In spiritual perspectives on death and dying, the author gathers basic insights from five major sources: c. g. jung, the lsd research of stanislav grof, the hindu and tibetan buddhist traditions and the writings of alice bailey. the sequence of events of the dying process, the fundamental journey of the soul and the thoughtful advice from these sources are reviewed. what unfolds is a vista of challenge and hope.

In this fresh approach to the history of the black death, john hatcher, a world-renowned scholar of the middle ages, recreates everyday life in a mid-fourteenth century rural english village. by focusing on the experiences of ordinary villagers as they lived—and died—during the black death (1345–50 ad), hatcher vividly places the reader directly into those tumultuous years and describes in fascinating detail the day-to-day existence of people struggling with the tragic effects of the plague. dramatic scenes portray how contemporaries must have experienced and thought about the momentous events—and how they tried to make sense of it all.

A grief like no other is the book no one wants to ever have to buy; sadly, many people continue to need it. from 9/11 to cindy sheehan's son – from mass tragedies like the recent london bombings to law and order type crimes that make the news only to be replaced by another name. as such, more people are left with the aftermath of dealing with the violent death of a loved one. it brings its own special brand of grieving since victim's families can spend years dealing with legal ramifications, guilt, and a myriad of other circumstances that don't accompany "normal" deaths. kathleen o'hara knows both sides of this coin. as a therapist, she has counseled hundreds of people dealing with grief. as a mother, she saw her worst fears realized when her college-aged son was brutally murdered in 1999. in the aftermath of aaron's murder, o'hara developed the seven stage journey that is at the heart of a grief like no other. although this is a book for those left behind in the aftermath of violence, it offers concrete and practical steps and stages, allowing family and friends safe passage through this incredibly harrowing journey.

Non-death loss and grief offers an inclusive perspective on loss and grief, exploring recent research, clinical applications, and current thinking on non-death losses and the unique features of the grieving process that accompany them. a main emphasis is the importance of having words to accurately express these 'living losses', such as loss of communication with a loved one due to disease or trauma, which are often not acknowledged for the depth of their impact. chapters showcase a wide range of contributions from international leaders in the field and explore individual perspectives on loss as well as experiences that are more interpersonal and sociopolitical in nature. illustrated by case studies and clinical examples throughout, this is a highly relevant text for clinicians looking to enhance their support of those living with ongoing loss and grief.

Fifty years after its original publication, a commemorative edition with a new introduction and updated resources section of dr. elisabeth kübler-ross’s beloved, groundbreaking classic on the five stages of grief.one of the most important psychological studies of the late twentieth century, on death and dying grew out of dr. kübler-ross’s famous interdisciplinary seminar on death, life, and transition. in this remarkable book, dr. kübler-ross first explored the now-famous five stages of death: denial and isolation, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. through sample interviews and conversations, she gives readers a better understanding of how imminent death affects the patient, the professionals who serve that patient, and the patient's family, bringing hope to all who are involved. this edition includes an elegant, enlightening introduction by dr. ira byock, a prominent palliative care physician and the author of dying well, as well as congressional testimony given by dr.

What is artificial intelligence (ai)? how does ai affect death matters and the digital beyond? how are death and dying handled in our digital age? ai for dying and death covers a broad range of literature, research and challenges around this topic. it explores ethical memorisation, digital legacies and bereavement, post death avatars and ai and the digital beyond. it also analyzes religious perspectives on ai for death and dying, and planning for death in a digital age.

Winner of the pulitzer prize in 1974 and the culmination of a life's work, the denial of death is ernest becker's brilliant and impassioned answer to the "why" of human existence. in bold contrast to the predominant freudian school of thought, becker tackles the problem of the vital lie — man's refusal to acknowledge his own mortality. in doing so, he sheds new light on the nature of humanity and issues a call to life and its living that still resonates more than twenty years after its writing.

Gently, with warm, consoling, and practical guidance, doug manning addresses the painful, often disorientation aftermath of the death of a loved one, helping the bereaved cope with the emotions and confront the decisions that are an inevitable part of this time of radical life adjustment. beginning with the premise that "grief is not an enemy; it is a friend. it is the natural process of walking through the hurt and growing through the walk," manning helps readers face up to grief, move through it, and learn to live again.with the first shock of loss, a survivor is faced with what seems like an overwhelming number of arrangements that must be made immediately. don't take my grief away is a complete, helpful handbook covering such important areas as the choice of a minister, family dynamics during such stressful times, and personalizing the funeral service.

And so it is profoundly important to understand how to approach and experience these occasions with grace, endurance, and joy.in a culture that does its best to deny death, timothy keller–theologian and bestselling author–teaches us about facing death with the resources of faith from the bible. with wisdom and compassion, keller finds in the bible an alternative to both despair or denial.a short, powerful book, on death gives us the tools to understand the meaning of death within god's vision of life.

The art of dying shows us how to do it well. author patricia weenolsen, ph.d., has helped thousands of men and women struggle with these universal yet seldom-discussed issues.

The art of dying shows us how to do it well. author patricia weenolsen, ph.d., has helped thousands of men and women struggle with these universal yet seldom-discussed issues.

Death is a taboo in most societies in the world. what if death was not the catastrophe it is made out to be but an essential aspect of life, rife with spiritual possibilities for transcendence? for the first time, someone is saying just that. n this unique treatise-like exposition, sadhguru dwells extensively upon his inner experience as he expounds on the more profound aspects of death that are rarely spoken about. whether a believer or not, a devotee or an agnostic, an accomplished seeker or a simpleton, this is truly a book for all those who shall die!

Death is a taboo in most societies in the world. what if death was not the catastrophe it is made out to be but an essential aspect of life, rife with spiritual possibilities for transcendence? for the first time, someone is saying just that. n this unique treatise-like exposition, sadhguru dwells extensively upon his inner experience as he expounds on the more profound aspects of death that are rarely spoken about. whether a believer or not, a devotee or an agnostic, an accomplished seeker or a simpleton, this is truly a book for all those who shall die!