The Last Goodnights: Assisting My Parents with Their Suicides [Hardcover]

John West (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 24, 2009

A husband and wife, both medical professionals, are gravely ill. Rather than living in pain, they choose to end their lives, and they turn to their son for help. Despite the legal risks and certain emotional turmoil, he agrees—and ultimately performs an act of love more difficult than any other.
The Last Goodnights provides a unique, powerful, and unflinching look inside the reality of one of the most galvanizing issues of our time: assisted suicide. Told with intensity and bare honesty, John West’s account of the deaths of two brave people is gritty and loving, frightening and illuminating, nerve-wracking and even, at times, darkly humorous. As West’s story places him in one of the most difficult experiences anyone can endure, it also offers a powerful testament to the act of death by choice, and reveals the reasons why end-of-life issues are far too personal for government intrusion.
Intimately told, The Last Goodnights points out the unnecessary pain and suffering that is often forced upon dying people and their families, and honors the choice to die with purpose and dignity. In the end, this story is not just about death—it is also about love, courage, and autonomy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Death is as natural as life, and should be sweet and graceful." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Counterpoint; First Edition edition (February 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582434484
• ISBN-13: 978-1582434483
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #859,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Courage runs in this family!, February 1, 2009

By 

G. A. Metz (Maine coast) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Goodnights: Assisting My Parents with Their Suicides (Hardcover)

"The Last Goodnights" is a detailed heartfelt narrative by a loving son who clearly inherited the spirit of independence and willingness to face unpleasant reality his parents showed in their lives. He describes the cast of characters clearly: their strengths and weaknesses, their hopes and fears, their determination. The planning and secrecy caused him great emotional stress which he describes without excessive self-pity. As his mother slides slowly into senility he describes in detail the cruel and pitiless nature of her illness and makes clear the importance of timing: her need to extract from life whatever pleasure she could still find in it while evading the impending helplessness that would have made it impossible for her to escape the degrading downfall nature planned for her.

Assisted suicide is a controversial issue but the author states, "For some people, the physical pain is the worst; for others, it's the emotional pain. Who's to say which is worse, and when enough is enough? ...There's only one person who can say: the person experiencing the pain. No one else."

John West promised his mother he would write this memoir and has succeeded wonderfully in his final gesture of abiding love. Gerald A. Metz, M.D.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, readable writing about an important subject, January 25, 2009

By 

S. Pierce - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Last Goodnights: Assisting My Parents with Their Suicides (Hardcover)

Astonishing! This is an important book, and also a great read! What a combination!

The author takes us right to the very heart of the issue, in a deeply personal way, and shines a bright light on a world that is usually shrouded in secrecy. But his story is not grim in any way. In fact, it's remarkably uplifting. It's moving, meaningful, funny(!), sad, scary, gripping, challenging, and inspiring all at the same time. Extraordinary!

I had planned to read it a bit at a time, given the subject matter, but I simply couldn't stop turning the pages. I'd recommend this book to everyone, except maybe the very faint-hearted. There are some intense scenes. But to me, that's part of what made the book so good! Even for people who aren't "into the issue" this is a worthwhile book because it's a fascinating story, it's very well written, and it's an amazing look into a hidden world. Just about everything you could want in a book.

Five full stars!

I'm definitely going to give this book to my friends and to all my family members, young and old. (Well, maybe not a couple of them.) It's truly a terrific read, and it's also something that can get people talking realistically about the issues. We need more kindness and dignity in this world. This book can help us get there.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully written book on a compelling, important subject, February 2, 2009

By 

Elizabeth Cole - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Last Goodnights: Assisting My Parents with Their Suicides (Hardcover)

As someone who works with doctors, students, and other healthcare-related individuals, I looked forward to reading this book, as the issues raised are crucially important. West does an outstanding job of contributing to current and much-needed end-of-life discourse. Just as impressive is the humanity that leaps out of every page. Here is a portrait of a family going through the most difficult of times, and Mr. West's courage, compassion, and resolve make a compelling narrative. Each character is as fully realized as in a novel, yet sadly this is not a work of fiction. Anyone concerned with end-of-life issues and choices should read this book. This is a vitally important work.