Publications
APS Bulletin • Volume 9, Number 2, March/April 1999
Resource Reviews
John D. Loeser, MD, Department Editor
Dying Well
Reviewed by John D. Loeser, MD
I. Byock, Riverhead Books, New York, 1998, 299 pages, $14 (softcover) (also available in hardcover), ISBN 1-57322-657-2
This is a wonderful book for those who wish to explore ways to make dying an integral part of living. Byock has written a series of vignettes about patients at the end of life whom he and his colleagues have cared for. Eleven stories are artfully presented; the concluding chapters address issues about illness and dying in our society, provide some starting points for families facing these issues, and list resource organizations and further readings. The message that Byock wants to get across is that the process of dying is an integral part of the growth process that begins at conception, and that we must bring it back from the dark shadows into which it has been forced by biomedicine. The book is written with grace and deep feelings for patients and their families. I strongly recommend it for healthcare providers and families who want to make the end of life a caring, meaningful part of their shared experiences.
John D. Loeser is professor of neurological surgery and anesthesiology at the University of Washington in Seattle.