Butler, K. (2019). The art of dying well: A practical guide to a good end of life. New York: Scribner.
Journalist and bestselling author Katy Butler argues that it's not about living as long as possible, but living as well as possible. She says we have lost touch with the "art of dying" as practiced by our ancestors, but still long for rites of passage and a sense of the sacred. This book offers practical advice to navigate the path to a better end of life.
Gawande, Atul. (2014). Being mortal: Medicine and what matters in the end. New York: Metropolitan Books, Henry Holt and Company,
In Being mortal, surgeon and bestselling author Gawande explores how modern medicine's efforts to extend life may inadvertently extend suffering. He uses research and stories to light the path toward a richer, more dignified end of life.
Miller, B. J., Berger, S., & Luz, M. (2020). A beginner's guide to the end: Practical advice for living life and facing death. New York: Simon & Schuster.
This book provides a refreshingly honest take on what to expect near the end of life, along with practical advice. It covers everything from how to break the news of a diagnosis to your employer to how to close down social media accounts.
Nuland, S. B. (1994). How we die: Reflections on life's final chapter. New York: A.A. Knopf.
Nuland, a surgeon and medical teacher, provides an intimate account of how various diseases take away life, in an effort to demystify the process of dying. Through stories, he paints a picture of dying and helps people navigate end-of-life choices.
Ostaseski, F. (2017). The five invitations: Discovering what death can teach us about living fully. New York: Flatiron Books.
In this book, Zen Hospice Project cofounder Frank Ostaseski shares lessons from his career. "Life and death are a package deal," Ostaseski says. "They cannot be pulled apart and we cannot truly live unless we are aware of death."
Volandes, A. E. (2015). The conversation : A revolutionary plan for end-of-life care. Bloomsbury.
Harvard Medical School physician Angelo Volandes offers a low-tech solution to end of life planning: talking. If doctors explain options, including the choice to forgo medical interventions that are often of little benefit, then patients can tell doctors how they wish to spend the remainder of their lives.
Jennings, T. (2015, Feb. 10). Being mortal. [Video]. Frontline.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/being-mortal/
Frontline follows surgeon Atul Gawande as he explores the relationships doctors have with patients who are nearing the end of life. The film shows how physicians are often untrained and uncomfortable talking about chronic illness and death with their patients.
Miller, B.J. (2015, Sept. 30). What really matters at the end of life. [Video]. TED.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apbSsILLh28
In this TED Talk, palliative care physician BJ Miller asks big questions about how we think about death and honor life.
Death with Dignity. (n.d.) Glossary of Terms.
https://www.deathwithdignity.org/assisted-dying-glossary
Death with Dignity outlines basic terminology in an effort to reduce confusion and improve communication surrounding end of life.
End of Life Choices New York (n.d.) End of Life Glossary.
https://endoflifechoicesny.org/education/resources/glossary/
This glossary defines basic terms encountered in end-of-life planning, such as "advanced directive," "living will" and "DNR."