Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: Thrilling Sequel to a Classic Horror Story: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

Danny Torrance, the young boy from The Shining, is back in Doctor Sleep. Clearly, the events that took place in the Overlook Hotel have affected him - he's a drunk just like his dad - and he has been haunted by the hotel's inhabitants ever since.

Danny ends up settling in a New Hampshire town and gets a job in a nursing home where his "shining" abilities provide a crucial final comfort to the terminally ill. When Dan meets Abra Stone, it is her spectacular shining gift, that reignites Dan’s own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra’s soul and survival.

"Less terrifying than its famous predecessor, perhaps because of the author's obvious affection for even the most repellent characters, King's latest is still a gripping, taut read that provides a satisfying conclusion to Danny Torrance's story." - Publishers Weekly Reviews

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

Thrilling Sequel to a Classic Horror Story: Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

The Shining

Doctor Sleep

No comments:

Post a Comment