Being Mortal
Illness, Medicine and What Matters in the End
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Being Mortal
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Narrated by:
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Robert Petkoff
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By:
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Atul Gawande
About this listen
For most of human history, death was a common, ever-present possibility. It didn't matter whether you were five or fifty - every day was a roll of the dice. But now, as medical advances push the boundaries of survival further each year, we have become increasingly detached from the reality of being mortal.
So here is an audiobook about the modern experience of mortality - about what it's like to get old and die, how medicine has changed this and how it hasn't, where our ideas about death have gone wrong. With his trademark mix of perceptiveness and sensitivity, Atul Gawande outlines a story that crosses the globe, as he examines his experiences as a surgeon and those of his patients and family, and learns to accept the limits of what he can do.
Never before has aging been such an important topic. The systems that we have put in place to manage our mortality are manifestly failing; but, as Gawande reveals, it doesn't have to be this way. The ultimate goal, after all, is not a good death, but a good life - all the way to the very end.
Published in partnership with the Wellcome Collection.
Wellcome Collection:
Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library that aims to challenge how we think and feel about health. Inspired by the medical objects and curiosities collected by Henry Wellcome, it connects science, medicine, life and art. Wellcome Collection exhibitions, events and books explore a diverse range of subjects, including consciousness, forensic medicine, emotions, sexology, identity and death.
Wellcome Collection is part of Wellcome, a global charitable foundation that exists to improve health for everyone by helping great ideas to thrive, funding over 14,000 researchers and projects in more than 70 countries.
©2019 Atul Gawande (P)2014 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Being Mortal
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sugamama
- 03-08-21
more relevant to the American health care system
I really enjoyed the book and certainly understand why it has been recommended to me more than once by colleagues. My only potentially negative comment would be that lots of it applies more to the American health care system (in the UK the hospice care is very good and you certainly don't have to sign a form to say you are not having treatment, also people with terminal disease would not be placed on ventilators as some examples). overall though I liked the concept of reframing how we think about end of life care and priorities.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- F. Walshaw
- 19-01-22
How to die??
Essential reading for all persons growing into old age and contemplating their demise! Not sad or sorrowful but very helpful!
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sophie
- 08-06-20
How to Die
A look at how and why we her end of life care wrong and tips for how to put it right.
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- caroline kerr
- 12-08-19
worth reading
Hard won knowledge given with clarity.
Changed my attitude and actions immediately for the better.
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- Erik Mossberg
- 05-06-23
Excellent approach to a hard subject
This book perfectly fills a gap in the literature about the discourse about life and death. It was an eye opener and will help me have more meaningful and value creating discussions with family about how the inevitable end should play out.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 21-02-24
Informative and thought provoking
A book for everyone, the issues discussed affect all of us.
Atul Gawande is full of compassion for his patients, constantly questioning established practice and showing us a better way.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Kindle Customer
- 19-08-20
I got a new perspective of medicine.
I read it over a couple of weeks. It's a highly inspiring and, at times, emotional book. The narrator is a great story teller.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Rohit
- 24-01-20
Great and moving
Thought provoking
Difficult subject well told
Moving
A really great book
What more can I say ?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Elle Ak
- 09-04-22
An Important Read
All health and social care professionals should read this! It gave me a lot of food for thought and reminded me that a good death is just as important a thing to aspire to as a good life.
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- M. E. Birch
- 04-04-24
Every doctor should read this book!
A brilliant book. Everyone should read it, and it should be compulsory for medical students. A tough listen, but we all need to really confront the fact that these things will probably happen to us and almost certainly to someone we know and love. The way people’s last days are blighted by pointless medicalisation is horrendous. Be brave folks! Still be yourself at the end if you possibly can, and good luck!
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