Customer Reviews

When the Dying Speak : How to Listen to and Learn from Those Facing Death

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My mother (Rosemarie Twomey - see review above) gave me a copy of this book. I have enjoyed it so much and it has given me such a different way to approach my fear of death of loved ones that I'm here at Amazon.com to buy copies for friends of mine who have recently lost loved ones and also one who ministers to the dying and bereaved. I'm so glad to have the opportunity to read this while my parents, spouse and siblings are still alive and healthy. Thank you Ron!
- Teresa Twomey

Following my mother's death, my faith in the afterlife was sorely challenged until I read "When the Dying Speak". This book provided a reaffirmation of my beliefs. The myriad of messages shared with Mr. Wooten-Green by dying patients and by their families provided VALUABLE insights and understanding of what the dying may be experiencing, what they may be needing, and what the families may be needing. A most significant message shared by the author is that when we are with the dying, we are on holy ground! I will be forever grateful that this author took the time to "put to paper" such an inspirational review and commentary. GET THIS BOOK FOR YOURSELF AND FOR OTHERS!

This is an easy-to-read book that, I believe, would be extremely useful to anyone facing the imminent death of a loved one or friend, or (as will happen to most of us) will face that at some time in the future. For me, it takes away the feeling of helplessness I have felt in the past when dealing with such a situation. The author gives some practical and edifying guidance as to how to "be there" for the dying person. Beyond that, it is an uplifting and spiritual rendering of the experiences that the author has had in his ministry as a Hospice chaplain, including some painful, but beautiful, accounts from his personal life. Anyone in the hospice or caring industry would be well-served by a reading of this book.

I can't say enough good things about this book. It is written simply in easy to understand prose but I'm sure it has much to offer the professional grief counselor. The stories in here speak to everyone - we all have lost someone or will lose someone. This book gave me enormous comfort in that the stories the author tells give real support to the belief that the dying are going to a good place with loved ones there to welcome them. For the most part, the author lets the dying tell their own stories - and they are incredible. It is a book for all faiths and, it would seem, all cultures. Through these stories and through the author's experience with the dying, there is much here to think about for those involved in helping someone with the dying process and those going through the death of a loved one. It is a book to read also before these experiences occur in your life as it will help you be prepared and bear these just a little bit better. If you've gone through these difficult experiences, it will give you comfort. The author also provides questions after each chapter which can be ignored, used for private reflection or are useful for book club or other group discussions. You will never be sorry you read it - and I am willing to say, you will be profoundly glad. My husband is reading it and next we are giving it to our 14 year old son to read. As a mom I am so glad I read it - I always worry about my kids, now I KNOW that if the worst were to happen to them and I wasn't there, someone would be there to help them through lovingly. Thank you, Ron and thank you to all the individuals and families who shared their stories!

I read this book with not a little fear as my daughter has cancer which is terminal.
It is an excellent read and I got great support and comfort from it.
The subject is not pleasant and it may not mean as much to someone who is not in this situation but I would recommend it highly for anyone out there.

Author is the hospice chaplan who tends to dying persons. He believes that dying persons use metaphors to express their feelings, fears and experiences on encroaching death. Their language should not be dismissed as halucinations, or side effects of powerful drugs they may be on. On the contrary, author suggests they are separating themselves from this world and their ego and starting to assume more of a spiritual role subconsciounsly. This particularly book explans near death experience (NDE) of the persons who were clinically dead but returned to their life, near death awareness (NDA) of the people in their last moments in this world when they are aware that they are transcending to a diffirent, spiritual world and near death life (NDL) experiences of the people that are deceased but appear to the other persons to whom they were emotionally close while live thru shadows, smell or dreams. I found particularly soothing to learn that most people die the way that they have lived. If they were private persons, they choose to die alone; if they were angry persons, they die angry death by being hostile to the people around them. If anything, this book has helped me understand and accept that we are all deeply spiritual beings and carry that spirituality with us without even knowing. Death in itself is union between our spiritual inner self and God. It can be one of the most rewarding ad gratifying moments in one's life and people who care about that person the most. This book has made me understand death as more acceptable part of life process.

A wonderfully written book by Mr. Ron Wooten-Green. I recommend this book highly to nurses, doctors, and anyone else who has a loved one facing death. After reading "When The Dying Speak," one will think of death in a whole different light. Aileen

In earlier times, author Ron Wooten-Green, a Catholic lay minister and Hospice chaplain, would have been labeled a heretic and burned at the stake for writing such a book. Generally, stories of near-death experiences, death-bed visions, and other spirit communication, as related by Wooten-Green from his Hospice work, are taboo subjects for both the Catholic and the Protestant because some of the messages are not always consistent with the narrow and distorted meanings given to Scripture.

In fact, this book was found in a Catholic book store, even though Wooten-Green states the "cloud of witness arrives on the scene whether the dying person is Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Native American, or none of the above." Either the Church watchdogs missed that or there is hope for the Church.

The author relates about 20 interesting, intriguing, and inspiring stories from his experiences -- near-death experiences, death-bed visions, apparitions, nearing-death awareness, and near-life experiences. They support Wooten-Green's contention that life is a spiritual process that begins with birth, flows eventually to death, and continues on to a new life.

Anyone involved in giving care to the dying should read this book. It should also offer comfort to those facing death as well as to those with friends or relatives who may soon pass.

A must have for anyone who is dealing with a loved one dying. The dying have so much to tell us about living and this book helped me realize what my mother was trying to tell me. Beautiful!!

I own this book. I sent a copy to my cousin in another state who just lost her mother, my aunt. She was haveing a very difficult time dealing with the death much less her feelings of not doing enough to help her mother. She read 8 pages and shared it with her sisters, who went and purchased their own. Any one who has or is experiencing the loss of a loved one would benifit from the stories in this book.