--- product_id: 14416359 title: "Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic) Lrg Edition" brand: "atul gawande" price: "265.95 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 17 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/14416359-being-mortal-medicine-and-what-matters-in-the-end-thorndike store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic) Lrg Edition **Brand:** atul gawande **Price:** 265.95 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (Thorndike Press Large Print Basic) Lrg Edition by atul gawande - **How much does it cost?** 265.95 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/14416359-being-mortal-medicine-and-what-matters-in-the-end-thorndike) ## Best For - atul gawande enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted atul gawande brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Old and Sick Are Not Children *by S***A on Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2016* This is a timely book for me because my parents are very elderly (94 and 88) and determined to stay in their home until the last possible second. After reading this thought provoking book that teaches so much I am thinking that it may be possible for them to stay until the end which could be next week or a few years from now. It's going to take some organizing, but it looks like it is worth some research and time. It makes me sad to see how much of their independence they have lost, but they still enjoy their lives as limited as they are.There is a tendency to treat old people like children which I realize now is usually very wrong. My dad is a diabetic and we (my siblings and I) have told him over and over that his diet of sugary cereal or cinnamon rolls and orange juice for breakfast and light store brand fruit yogurt with grapes and three cookies for lunch is not what he should be eating. He acts surprised every time we mention this, but doesn't change a thing because I now understand that he wants the independence of eating as he pleases. He has lost so much--can barely hear or see or walk, that he needs these very small pleasures to continue. I imagine he doesn't see the point in giving up anything else because he has so little left. My mother's memory is going and she has COPD, but somehow has lots of get up and go. She does a lot for my dad even though I suspect she is the sicker one. Being Mortal is making me think about the best way to help my parents which will probably start with asking them what they want.One thing that surprised me completely was Dr. Gawande's statement that genetics is only a small part of reaching old age. Here I've been thinking that because my parents have lived so long that reaching old age is probably a no brainer for me. I have to think about that possiblity some more--a lot more.This book has some touching stories about very sick people and how their lives ended. Unfortunately for many sick people the medical community is driven to act, but not necessarily to do what is best for the individual. It seems to me that they've forgotten "the do no harm" part of being a doctor. It seems to me it does harm people to ruin the time sick people have left.A very through provoking book that will ultimately make me think about what I want when the end is near. I wish everyone would read it; especially medical people. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "There is a time for everything..." (Ecclesiastes 3:1) *by A***T on Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2018* Dr. Gawande writes that modern medicine can extend the limit of our mortality, but there is a finite boundary to that limit. This book is emotionally difficult because the reader and Dr. Gawande confront painful topics that one is loath to consider: aging, frailty and death. Yet, these are essential stages of life and there are essential decisions that one must make at each stage.One can see the signs of aging as they appear on the outside: gray hair, age spots, and wrinkles. Dr. Gawande, a surgeon, also shares what he sees when he peers inside the body of an older patient. Each day some parts of the body die and are remade while others wear and change with constant use. What happens when the limitations of one's aging body require a change in one's lifestyle? There are now many choices and Dr. Gwande rails against settling for just safety and longevity, institutionalization and restriction. He relates the history of nursing homes and visits first-hand the many options for living a life of privacy and community, of vibrancy and purpose. He applauds those in the field of gerentology who have thought "outside the box" for the development of active communities for those who are aged and frail.The reader experiences the morphing of Dr. Gawande from a mere practitioner to the son of a dying parent. How does a doctor broach the difficult end-of-life options with terminally ill patients and loved ones? The menu of medical options for treatment can be insufficient and it is essential that the practitioner also ask the patient what she or he wants most in the finite time remaining. Is it a mistake to prolong suffering or is it better to provide value in a shortened life? The author suggests that courage is required for both aging and sickness: the courage to confront the reality of mortality and the courage to act on the truth of that reality. Have the courage and the wisdom, dear reader, to explore these difficult topics presented in the pages of this transformative book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Uncomfortable and challenging *by J***U on Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2018* This book had been chosen as my latest book club choice because we all decided that it would challenge us. There is no doubt of that as we all contemplate the concept of mortality - of peers, parents and our own. All of the group have parents who are elderly, dying or already dead which present constant dilemmas for those left to care or take responsibility in any way.The book is just over 280 pages, split into eight chapters by subject.I was slightly scared to read this book as I expected it to force me to confront emotions that I usually bury. And it's true that there were some very familiar issues dealt with regarding the quality of life and the moralities of the healthcare system forcing people to live longer than they actually should be able to.The narrative is very easy to read . It is direct, not avoiding difficult subjects and discussing decline/death in the way that you would hope of a physician.It should be noted that this is a US author so the statistics and examples are all from the US. The easiest way to approach this from the UK is assume that everything is the same here but, of course, that isn't necessarily true.Many problems are raised with the system but, unsurprisingly, not too many solutions are discussed. It is never going to solve problems but will provoke thought which I think is its main purpose. The ideas that are raised are very plausible though and worthy of trying out.There are many points in the book where the author theorises and I thought that it was much more effective when he used real examples to illustrate what he is trying to say.He tackles geriatric care very openly but when he moves on to the mortality of terminally ill younger people the book becomes more controversial - money is always a limiting factor and we are asked to think about whether extending a life temporarily (and miserably) is sensible - he actually refers to this option being the "default choice" of many people in the medical world. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/14416359-being-mortal-medicine-and-what-matters-in-the-end-thorndike](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/14416359-being-mortal-medicine-and-what-matters-in-the-end-thorndike) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-08-25*