Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Remembering Norman Schwarzkopf

General Norman Schwarzkopf, who led the Allied forces during the Persian Gulf war, died yesterday at the age of 78. In his refreshingly candid autobiography, It Doesn't Take A Hero, Schwarzkopf reviewed his life and his career including events and adventures that molded him into the distinguished and admired man he was. Sometime blunt and full of soldier's wit, this book is a must read for anyone interested in learning more about one of America's unsung military heroes.

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

Remembering Norman Schwarzkopf

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