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Being Mortal

Being Mortal

EssaysHealth
Pages
304
Published
2014
Language
English

Synopsis

In Being Mortal, surgeon Atul Gawande explores the realities of aging and dying. He shares personal stories and reflections, questioning the medical focus on survival over well-being. Gawande advocates for a shift in care to prioritize what truly matters to patients in their final stages of life.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

Thought-ProvokingReflectiveEmotionalPhilosophical

Genres

Essays Health Medicine Sociology Biography & Memoir Philosophy & Religion Science & Nature

About the author

A
Atul Gawande

Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, is a surgeon, writer, and public health researcher. For more than 20 years, he has practiced general and endocrine surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Samuel O. Thier Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is also Executive Director of Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation, and Chairman of Lifebox, a nonprofit orga...

Frequently asked questions

  • What inspired Atul Gawande to write Being Mortal?

    Atul Gawande was inspired to write Being Mortal by his experiences as a surgeon and his observations of how the medical system often struggles to provide dignified care for the aging and dying, including personal experiences with his own family members.

  • How does Being Mortal relate to Atul Gawande's other books?

    Being Mortal continues Atul Gawande's exploration of medical ethics and the human experience within healthcare, building on themes of fallibility and improvement found in his earlier works like Complications and Better.

  • Has Being Mortal won any awards?

    Being Mortal was a finalist for the National Book Award in Nonfiction and was recognized as one of the best books of the year by numerous publications upon its release.