Becoming Mortal

Atul Gawande

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2014

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Atul Gawande

Becoming Mortal

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2014

Book Details

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Publication Year

2014

Audience

Adult

Super Short Summary

In Being Mortal, Atul Gawande explores how the medical field approaches the end of life. The text emphasizes the importance of human dignity, quality of life, and personal choices in aging, serious illness, and death, advocating for a shift from prolonging life to helping individuals live meaningfully until the end.

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Atul Gawande’s Becoming Mortal is widely praised for its compassionate exploration of aging and end-of-life care, blending personal narratives and medical insights. It is lauded for its thought-provoking, emotional depth, and accessibility, but a few critics note it can be overly somber. Overall, it effectively challenges societal views on mortality and end-of-life decisions.

Who Should Read Becoming Mortal?

A reader who values exploring the complexities of medical ethics, end-of-life care, and the human side of medicine would enjoy Becoming Mortal by Atul Gawande. Fans of Paul Kalanithi’s When Breath Becomes Air and Abraham Verghese’s Cutting for Stone will find it equally compelling.

Fun Facts

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande explores profound medical, ethical, and personal themes, and was influenced by Gawande’s own experiences as a surgeon and son.

The book sparked widespread discussions about end-of-life care and has been credited with influencing policies and practices around palliative and hospice care.

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Being Mortal was adapted into a PBS FRONTLINE documentary in 2015, which further helped to raise awareness and provoke conversation around the issues the book addresses.