Reviews
"Haider Warraich's elegant and poignant book takes us on an unforgettable journey. Warraich's quest is remarkable: he wants us to confront the act of dying. A caring and thoughtful doctor, he also writes beautifully--drawing from his own patients and from statistics, medical ethics, literature and the sciences. He succeeds in humanizing a complex topic and gives us remarkable insights about the changing nature of 'modern death'."--Siddhartha Mukherjee, New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene "Dr. Haider Warraich has written an extraordinarily informative and reflective book, deftly balancing historical facts, statistics, humanism and masterful story telling. While reading it, I forgot that the subject matter was death as the pages so educated me and enlivened my spirit. Kudos to Dr. Warraich for penning this gift to the reader--a truly illuminating book. It is a gem, one I shall treasure and share with many."--Sanjiv Chopra, MD, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, bestselling author of Live Better, Live Longer "There is no topic more universal--or more universally unnerving--than death. Haider Warrich's Modern Death is a much-needed exploration of this treacherous territory, offering clear-eyed analysis of what it means to die in America today and how to focus one's own life toward a saner and gentler denouement."--Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of What Patients Say; What Doctors Hear "An omnivorous, fascinating, free-range romp through the history and co-evolution of death and modern medicine. I devoured it in one sitting."--Katy Butler, New York Time s bestselling author of Knocking on Heaven's Door "From the minutest exploration of how cells die to the larger philosophical questions about life and death, Haider Warraich invites the reader to contemplate the art and science of death and dying. The author brings us through the 'medicalization' of death and returns us to a deep humanity that we seem to have lost along the way. That he does this lyrically and with brilliance, courage, and humility sets this book apart. Modern Death is informative and beautifully written. I couldn't put it down."--Eve Joseph, author of In the Slender Margin "Harder Warraich has looked at modern death with the cool eye of a scientist, and the heart of a humane doctor. It's a wonderful combination of history, anatomy, public policy, and storytelling. A warm and thorough guide to living well all the way to the end."--Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and New York Times bestselling author of I Know Just What You Mean and Paper Trail "A contemporary Virgil, Dr. Haider Warraich escorts us through the complicated and messy world of modern death. In a smart, contemplative, and appealingly humble voice, he dissects the mysteries of CPR and DNR, brain death, and slow codes, and exposes the bizarre fact that most hospital deaths are handled by the youngest and least experienced doctors. Ultimately, he guides us back to a place where the take-home message remains the same, that at the end of life, being there - with family, with community, with clarity - is what matters now, and forever."--Anna Reisman ,M.D., Director, Humanities in Medicine, Yale School of Medicine " Modern Death tells the most compelling story: how something that once seemed so simple -- the difference between life and death -- became so complicated, and so important. Against all odds, Haider Warraich takes on this mammoth subject and explains it with clarity, humor, intelligence and élan. I loved it."--Daniel Wallace, author of Big Fish, "An omnivorous, fascinating, free-range romp through the history and co-evolution of death and modern medicine. I devoured it in one sitting."--Katy Butler, New York Time s bestselling author of Knocking on Heaven's Door "From the minutest exploration of how cells die to the larger philosophical questions about life and death, Haider Warraich invites the reader to contemplate the art and science of death and dying. The author brings us through the 'medicalization' of death and returns us to a deep humanity that we seem to have lost along the way. That he does this lyrically and with brilliance, courage, and humility sets this book apart. Modern Death is informative and beautifully written. I couldn't put it down."--Eve Joseph, author of In the Slender Margin "Harder Warraich has looked at modern death with the cool eye of a scientist, and the heart of a humane doctor. It's a wonderful combination of history, anatomy, public policy, and storytelling. A warm and thorough guide to living well all the way to the end."--Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and New York Times bestselling author of I Know Just What You Mean and Paper Trail "A contemporary Virgil, Dr. Haider Warraich escorts us through the complicated and messy world of modern death. In a smart, contemplative, and appealingly humble voice, he dissects the mysteries of CPR and DNR, brain death, and slow codes, and exposes the bizarre fact that most hospital deaths are handled by the youngest and least experienced doctors. Ultimately, he guides us back to a place where the take-home message remains the same, that at the end of life, being there - with family, with community, with clarity - is what matters now, and forever."--Anna Reisman ,M.D., Director, Humanities in Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, "An omnivorous, fascinating, free-range romp through the history and co-evolution of death and modern medicine. I devoured it in one sitting."--Katy Butler, New York Time s bestselling author of Knocking on Heaven's Door "From the minutest exploration of how cells die to the larger philosophical questions about life and death, Haider Warraich invites the reader to contemplate the art and science of death and dying. The author brings us through the 'medicalization' of death and returns us to a deep humanity that we seem to have lost along the way. That he does this lyrically and with brilliance, courage, and humility sets this book apart. Modern Death is informative and beautifully written. I couldn't put it down."--Eve Joseph, author of In the Slender Margin, "An omnivorous, fascinating, free-range romp through the history and co-evolution of death and modern medicine. I devoured it in one sitting."--Katy Butler, New York Time s bestselling author of Knocking on Heaven's Door "From the minutest exploration of how cells die to the larger philosophical questions about life and death, Haider Warraich invites the reader to contemplate the art and science of death and dying. The author brings us through the 'medicalization' of death and returns us to a deep humanity that we seem to have lost along the way. That he does this lyrically and with brilliance, courage, and humility sets this book apart. Modern Death is informative and beautifully written. I couldn't put it down."--Eve Joseph, author of In the Slender Margin "Harder Warraich has looked at modern death with the cool eye of a scientist, and the heart of a humane doctor. It's a wonderful combination of history, anatomy, public policy, and storytelling. A warm and thorough guide to living well all the way to the end."--Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and New York Times bestselling author of I Know Just What You Mean and Paper Trail "A contemporary Virgil, Dr. Haider Warraich escorts us through the complicated and messy world of modern death. In a smart, contemplative, and appealingly humble voice, he dissects the mysteries of CPR and DNR, brain death, and slow codes, and exposes the bizarre fact that most hospital deaths are handled by the youngest and least experienced doctors. Ultimately, he guides us back to a place where the take-home message remains the same, that at the end of life, being there - with family, with community, with clarity - is what matters now, and forever."--Anna Reisman ,M.D., Director, Humanities in Medicine, Yale School of Medicine " Modern Death tells the most compelling story: how something that once seemed so simple -- the difference between life and death -- became so complicated, and so important. Against all odds, Haider Warraich takes on this mammoth subject and explains it with clarity, humor, intelligence and élan. I loved it."--Daniel Wallace, author of Big Fish, "An omnivorous, fascinating, free-range romp through the history and co-evolution of death and modern medicine. I devoured it in one sitting."--Katy Butler, New York Time s bestselling author of Knocking on Heaven's Door "From the minutest exploration of how cells die to the larger philosophical questions about life and death, Haider Warraich invites the reader to contemplate the art and science of death and dying. The author brings us through the 'medicalization' of death and returns us to a deep humanity that we seem to have lost along the way. That he does this lyrically and with brilliance, courage, and humility sets this book apart. Modern Death is informative and beautifully written. I couldn't put it down."--Eve Joseph, author of In the Slender Margin "Harder Warraich has looked at modern death with the cool eye of a scientist, and the heart of a humane doctor. It's a wonderful combination of history, anatomy, public policy, and storytelling. A warm and thorough guide to living well all the way to the end."--Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and New York Times bestselling author of I Know Just What You Mean and Paper Trail
