Atul Gawande's 'Being Mortal' explores the challenges of modern medicine in dealing with mortality, highlighting the importance of compassion and honest communication between doctors and patients. The book is praised for its clear and illuminating style, which makes complex medical facts accessible and thought-provoking.
Atul Gawande's 'Being Mortal' is a profound exploration of the limitations of modern medicine in the face of mortality. The book begins with Gawande's personal journey from a confident medical student to a surgeon who understands the importance of helping patients deal with what medicine cannot cure. Through vivid anecdotes and clear explanations, Gawande illustrates how doctors often struggle to acknowledge the inevitability of death and the need for honest conversations about end-of-life care. The book's thorough examination of the aging process and the decay of the body is both sobering and enlightening. Gawande's writing is praised for its ability to make complex medical facts accessible and thought-provoking, making 'Being Mortal' a valuable read for anyone interested in the intersection of medicine and human life.
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I never expected that among the most meaningful experiences I’d have as a doctor — and, really, as a human being — would come from helping others deal with what medicine cannot do as well as what it can.
He was pursuing little more than a fantasy at the risk of a prolonged and terrible death — which was precisely what he got.
According to 'Being Mortal,' none of these factors do much to slow the march of time.