Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: 6th book out in 'John Wells' series: 'Shadow Patrol'

Fans of Alex Berenson's popular "John Wells" series of suspenseful novels set in war-torn Afghanistan will be happy to hear that the sixth book in the series has just been published. The Shadow Patrol continues the story of John Wells, an undercover operative for the CIA, as he travels to Kabul to investigate a drug trafficking operation that involves the agency, the military, and the Taliban. New to the series? Start with The Faithful Spy, and continue with The Ghost War, The Silent Man, The Midnight House, and The Secret Soldier.

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

6th book out in 'John Wells' series: 'Shadow Patrol'

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