Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Crichton's posthumous thriller Micro

When Michael Crichton died of cancer in 2008, he left behind a partial manuscript for a book titled Micro, in which a group of graduate students get more than they bargain for when they accept work with a mysterious biotech start-up in Hawaii. Reuters reports that Richard Preston, author of the science thrillers The Hot Zone and The Cobra Event, was selected to complete the book by the Crichton estate and by publisher HarperCollins. Now, the last work of the author who gave the world Jurassic Park is scheduled for release on November 22. Reserve your copy today!

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda

Crichton's posthumous thriller Micro

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