Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, 2nd Edition [Paperback]

Barry K. Baines (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 4, 2006

As evidenced in the Terri Schiavo case that made national headlines, having a living will is an essential element in ensuring that the way in which you would like to spend your last days will be respected. It informs both family and doctors of your medical treatment preferences in specific situations. An ethical will is a complementary text that communicates personal values, beliefs, blessings, and advice to relatives and to future generations. It can be more meaningful to friends and family than any material possession you could bequeath to them. Together, living and ethical wills ensure that your wishes and hopes are "on the record," not to be lost, ignored, or forgotten. Offering practical and inspirational advice for people at any stage of life, Ethical and Living Wills includes: --Three recommended writing approaches to capturing our feelings for posterity --Expert information for understanding the legal and practical issues involved in documenting your medical care and treatment preferences in commonly occurring situations --Advice on when to distribute both ethical and living wills -- Tips to protect the legacy you leave in an ethical will-preparing and caring for the document you create

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A primer on the subject." -- Financial Advisor, November 2006

"[An] excellent resource for those who wish to write their own ethical wills." -- The Tidings, 9/15/2006

About the Author

Barry K. Baines, M.D., is Medical Director of Ucare, Minnesota, and Associate Medical Director of Hospice of the Twin Cities. He is the co-founder and CEO of The Legacy Center, an organization dedicated to preserving stories, values, and meaning for individuals, communities, and organizations. Dr. Baines lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 217 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 2nd edition (April 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738210552
• ISBN-13: 978-0738210551
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #537,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #80 in Books > Law > Practical Guides > Wills

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reading Ethical Wills will touch you and stay with you, April 29, 2008

By 

Mary Breakstone (NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ethical Wills, Second Edition (Paperback)

Whether you want to write your own ethical will or help others write about their values and what they want to leave behind - this book will help you. Dr Barry Baines is caring, honest and has in-depth experience which he shares with us in this book. I found myself coming back to it for a second and third time. Even when I see it just sitting there on my book shelf, it triggers more thoughts about my own life and what I will leave behind. This book gives you something to think about and to work with. It will touch you.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They May Be Needed More Than You Think, June 2, 2006

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

Most wills are legal documents. They discuss how to split up the physical assets you have accumulated over the years. For the most part this comes down to money, perhaps a few treasured possessions, a house/car/boat, and so on.

A second legal document is a living will. It is a document that directs decision makers if you are no longer capable of making decisions on your own. Perhaps the most famous such situation in recent memory was that of Terri Schiavo. In the absense of a living will, the courts said that her husband was the one legally in charge of making these decisions. As you probably remember, her parents held different opinions, but in the long run the husband was in control.

An Ethical Will, on the other hand, is not a legal document but a letter you might write to your family to express the values you hold dear. It's a document that explains how you think, perhaps why you think that way. This little book explains Ethical Wills, gives some excellent examples, and explains why you might want one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On Being Remembered, December 11, 2006

By 

Michael "Sojourner in the Faith" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ethical Wills: Putting Your Values on Paper, 2nd Edition (Paperback)

Ethical Wills by Barry Baines, MD breaks new ground in the ethical will movement within the US. Written for easy comprehension, this book covers the topic in excellent fashion, while providing the inspiration so essential to completing the task of putting our values in print for those we leave behind. I highly recommend this book, not only for the informational content, but for the encouragement it brings for completing the process. The section on living wills and advance directives is also very informative and useful. For those looking for a single source of information on this subject, Ethical Wills by Barry Baines is an outstanding resource.