- Dying: Facing the Facts, Third Edition by Hannelore Wass, Ph.D. and Robert A. Neimeyer, Ph.D.. Taylor & Francis, 1995 pg. 463, paperback,
- This is a tome. In all the finest senses of the word. Weighty, worthy and worthwhile. The content is statistical, academic and scholarly. The range is from a discussion on the different definitions of death to the care of counselors who are dealing with families where a child has died to resources available on audio and video cassette for adolescents with a parent who has died.
- This third edition expands into the current issues around right to die, physician assisted suicide, the Aids epidemic and suicide epidemic. Most of the essays are footnoted with case studies and the bibliographies for each chapter are extensive. For anyone who has an intense interest in the death studies or thanatology field this is a must text. Highly recommended.
- Why We Live After Death by Dr. Richard Steinpach, 1996, Grail Foundation Press, pg. 69, paperback.
- Dr. Steinpach makes an eloquent case for applying the laws of science and logic to the questions of life and death. “What matters is to enlighten people unreservedly about everything associated with death and what takes place at that time, because all this belongs inseparably to the great oneness of our existence. We shall all have to cross this threshold one day. Is it not better to do so knowingly, instead of being pushed into the unknown?”
- Originally transcribed from a series of lectures given in German between 1979 and 1990, Dr. Steinpach’s oratory flows elegantly in English. The pacing of the concepts presented is graceful and steady, with a light touch of humor. There is nothing in these talks that should offend or overwhelm one. “Even now, when people are at last prepared to break the taboo, they are caught at the boundary of what they believe can still be “scientifically” proved.” Dr. Steinpach will stretch, if not eliminate these boundaries while your enjoy his prose. Delightful.
- Dying 101: A Short Course on Living for the Terminally Ill, by Gail Cason-Reiser, Michael J. Demoratz, Richard J. Reiser, 1995 Pushing the Envelope: Publications, pg. 205, spiral-bound.
- The book we all would like to have at the bedside of anyone with a terminal illness. A frank and honest conversation between counselor, social worker and psychotherapist about the end of life issues for patient, doctor, caregiver and family members. Very blunt and forthright style in laying the exact issues on the table, such as, “When you are actually dying, you choose very few people to be in your life. You don’t have a lot of people around you because it’s too hard. You find all too often that you have to take care of some of these people so that they, in turn, can be there for you.”
- This is the kind of helpful dialog that will make the air easier to breathe in the terminal ward. It will be most helpful if many care givers and social workers and family members will take a look at this book. It would be most helpful if the medical profession and the HMO’s would look at this book. This is a clear and precise picture of some of the worst of the dying problems in this culture. Thank you for your courage in putting this in print. -PE
