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happylilkt's review against another edition
4.0
Now that I've finished this book, I feel that I would love to own this, but I also wouldn't want a precocious preteen/teen reading it (which I was myself), so I might just have to check it out from the library periodically (unless I create my own giftschrank? Check out the 99 percent invisible podcast if you don't know what that is). This is such a wonderful and unique book, but most definitely not for a juvenile or language-sensitive reader. It is a little Portland-centric in the choice of its subjects for interview, but since I'm a new transplant to Portland, this was not a mark against it. There was one interview from a musician that seemed more faith-focused than death-focused, but I could tell the author was a fanboy, so I humored him (also it was still an interesting interview, if a little off-topic).
This book gave me so much to consider and has a strong spirit of optimism and courage, in spite of its at-times rough material. There were several times as I read it that I wanted to write a letter to the person being interviewed or to the author to say "thank you for sharing this" or "I feel this way, too!" or just to give a figurative hug. I don't agree with many of the beliefs and opinions of those interviewed, but then I was also surprised by how many times I felt a connection to someone dissimilar to me. This is a very tender and special book.
original:
I heard the author interviewed on public radio and was interested enough to request it through the library. It's fascinating so far. Obviously it's a heavy theme, but the range of interviews gives it another level of depth. I should mention that there is a lot of mature content/language, so be advised.
This book gave me so much to consider and has a strong spirit of optimism and courage, in spite of its at-times rough material. There were several times as I read it that I wanted to write a letter to the person being interviewed or to the author to say "thank you for sharing this" or "I feel this way, too!" or just to give a figurative hug. I don't agree with many of the beliefs and opinions of those interviewed, but then I was also surprised by how many times I felt a connection to someone dissimilar to me. This is a very tender and special book.
original:
I heard the author interviewed on public radio and was interested enough to request it through the library. It's fascinating so far. Obviously it's a heavy theme, but the range of interviews gives it another level of depth. I should mention that there is a lot of mature content/language, so be advised.
ashod's review against another edition
5.0
GOD DAMN! This book! It took me forever to pick it up because, let's be honest, I am not a fan of death. Still ain't but this book steps so gingerly into the depths that you almost don't mind being engulfed by it. I cried a bunch but it felt good. Super heavy but so is the world so...
brandinh's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting read to be sure, but it was a little more loosely compiled than I had anticipated. Also, I often experienced anxiety while reading due to my own hangups about death.
ephermeyal's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
Let's goooo in making talking about death a norm! It was really interesting to see how other people think about it. All I can say lang talaga is very coollllll. There's something cathartic or at least relieving in discussing death
loreaccuratealex's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
erine's review against another edition
4.0
There is just... so much... in here. The scope and variety of the interviews range from personal to professional, practical to philosophical, angry to serious to amused.
For something that affects literally everyone, death really gets ignored rather a lot. The fundamentals of it, anyway. As the video game designer gets into, the idea of “a death” isn’t unfamiliar to us at all, but it’s a statistic or a sterile anecdote. We are missing the processes of dying, death, mourning, and grief. This isn’t exactly surprising, since the beginning of life is substantively ignored as well, despite birth also quite literally affecting every person on the planet. Are these beginnings and endings too messy? Too hard? Too traditionally female? What gives?
For something that affects literally everyone, death really gets ignored rather a lot. The fundamentals of it, anyway. As the video game designer gets into, the idea of “a death” isn’t unfamiliar to us at all, but it’s a statistic or a sterile anecdote. We are missing the processes of dying, death, mourning, and grief. This isn’t exactly surprising, since the beginning of life is substantively ignored as well, despite birth also quite literally affecting every person on the planet. Are these beginnings and endings too messy? Too hard? Too traditionally female? What gives?
kingweirdo's review against another edition
4.0
A conversational and vulnerable exploration of the many ways death impacts us. Warm and familiar.
ohwhatagloomyshow's review
4.0
Definitely a neat little collection of interviews. I learned a lot--for myself, the most fascinating and valuable interviews were those with people who dealt with death or aspects of it professionally. This could've benefitted from a better editor, there were a few superficial errors in the text itself, but an interesting collection.
I feel the need to add I was surprised how many presumably white Buddhist this guy knows? What's up with that.
I feel the need to add I was surprised how many presumably white Buddhist this guy knows? What's up with that.