Book Review - Last Acts of Kindness

About the Book

Exploring the many paths at the end of the road

You are getting older. Like it or not, Woody Allen was right—“There is no getting out of here alive.” You might as well get used to the idea now. In fact, making plans for your end of life care could be the greatest gift you can give to your family and friends. 

In the new book Last Acts of Kindness, Judith Redwing Keyssar, San Francisco Registered Nurse and end of life care specialist, offers compelling, poignant stories and the most valuable lessons learned from people who lived and died among us. Drawing from over 25 years of experience in palliative care, she shares what the dying teach us about the art of living fully.

Plato told us that the most important thing in life is to “practice dying,” Keyssar says. “The problem is that in America, the word “death” is still taboo.” Keyssar believes that the remedy is in educating ourselves.

Last Acts of Kindness explores the fear and confusion that often occurs around a terminally ill person.  The stories emphasize the benefits and importance of planning when we are not in crisis.  With grace, poise and eloquence, Keyssar presents guidance to the many questions and technical issues so that one can acquire a real understanding of the relationships and human connections that are needed to achieve successful caring of the person at the center of the wheel.

Keyssar shares insights aplenty and provides a comprehensive roadmap to navigate the process.

“Real life support” is not a function of wealth or technology. It is a function of compassion, understanding, and love. Navigating this complicated and inevitable journey requires knowledge of our beliefs, personal desires, and the relationships we have with the people around us.

My Take on the Book


This book provides so much comfort and solace for those that are dealing with death as well as sharing the stories of those who know that this is the reality of their life at this point. The author does a tremendous job at sharing the stories of some of these individuals and through these heartwarming stories you are able to see the importance of hospice workers as well as the importance of sharing the stories of the people who are dying to the masses. 


As I have a neighbor who is dying and going through hospice right now, this book hit home and made me truly appreciate what the staff does for my neighbor as well as what my neighbor's wife is going through right now as well. 


What I loved about the book was that the stories that are shared are so intimate and personal and you are simply drawn into the book. The stories are raw and real and you can simply see and feel the honesty that exists in the author's words!


All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
New to the Divadom or to Dad of Divas Reviews? 
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader 
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com