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Katie Engelhart

The Inevitable: Dispatches on the Right to Die Hardcover – March 2, 2021

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“A remarkably nuanced, empathetic, and well-crafted work of journalism, [The Inevitable] explores what might be called the right-to-die underground, a world of people who wonder why a medical system that can do so much to try to extend their lives can do so little to help them end those lives in a peaceful and painless way.”―Brooke Jarvis, The New Yorker

More states and countries are passing right-to-die laws that allow the sick and suffering to end their lives at pre-planned moments, with the help of physicians. But even where these laws exist, they leave many people behind. The Inevitable moves beyond margins of the law to the people who are meticulously planning their final hours―far from medical offices, legislative chambers, hospital ethics committees, and polite conversation. It also shines a light on the people who help them: loved ones and, sometimes, clandestine groups on the Internet that together form the “euthanasia underground.”

Katie Engelhart, a veteran journalist, focuses on six people representing different aspects of the right to die debate. Two are doctors: a California physician who runs a boutique assisted death clinic and has written more lethal prescriptions than anyone else in the U.S.; an Australian named Philip Nitschke who lost his medical license for teaching people how to end their lives painlessly and peacefully at “DIY Death” workshops. The other four chapters belong to people who said they wanted to die because they were suffering unbearably―of old age, chronic illness, dementia, and mental anguish―and saw suicide as their only option.

Spanning North America, Europe, and Australia, The Inevitable offers a deeply reported and fearless look at a morally tangled subject. It introduces readers to ordinary people who are fighting to find dignity and authenticity in the final hours of their lives.

Print length

352 pages
Language

English
Publisher

St. Martin's Press
Publication date

March 2, 2021
Dimensions

6.39 x 1.27 x 9.57 inches
ISBN-10

1250201462
ISBN-13

978-1250201461
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A remarkably nuanced, empathetic, and well-crafted work of journalism ... Engelhart gives eloquent voice to different sides of the intricate arguments.”―Brooke Jarvis, The New Yorker

“Katie Engelhart’s deeply researched and beautifully reported book raises familiar quandaries. Do people have a right to die on their own terms?”―The Economist

“An essential, vulnerable book…Like much great narrative journalism, The Inevitable powerfully justifies its form when mapping how people relate to each other outside dominant systems―in this case, how end-of-life care can exist away from, or in opposition to, big medicine.”―Elena Saavedra Buckley, Los Angeles Review of Books

“[A] searching, compassionate narrative…Evenhandedly and without undue criticism, Engelhart brings forth the counterarguments...but she offers enough convincing evidence about the efficacy and ethical standing of the right-to-die movement that many readers will be persuaded of its value to society.”―Kirkus Review

“A must-read for anyone concerned about quality of life at the end of life.”―Library Journal (starred)

“Through exhaustive reporting, Engelhart unflinchingly captures unsettling exit scenes that force readers to think about whether people must fulfill a ‘duty to live’ or whether they should be able to choose what they consider to be ‘dignity in dying.’”―Booklist

“Engelhart ably sets out the case for the right to choose when to die. I find it hard to imagine how a decent and rational person could resist it.” ―Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene

“The Inevitable challenges us to keep looking and asking hard questions, even if we are uncomfortable... I couldn't stop reading.”―Anne–Marie Slaughter, author of Unfinished Business

“Katie Engelhart’s writing is honest, bold, unsparing. I’ve never read anything like this.”―Ali Velshi, host of MSNBC’s “Velshi”

“This is an extraordinarily moving book that will change forever the way we think about the longing for death.”―Larissa MacFarquhar, author of Strangers Drowning: Impossible Idealism, Drastic Choices, and the Urge to Help

About the Author

KATIE ENGELHART is a reporter and documentary film producer from Toronto and based in New York City. She is also a National Fellow at New America. Engelhart has worked as a correspondent for VICE News, based in London, and NBC News, in New York. Her writing has appeared far and wide. Formerly, she was a graduate student of history and philosophy at Oxford University. The Inevitable is her first book.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (March 2, 2021)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250201462
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250201461
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.39 x 1.27 x 9.57 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #142,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #9 in Hospice Care
- #48 in Health Policy (Books)
- #101 in Sociology of Death (Books)

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234 ratings

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Katie Engelhart

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Katie Engelhart is a journalist and documentary film producer based in New York City, and a National Fellow at New America. She has worked as a correspondent for VICE News, in London, and NBC News, in New York. Her writing has appeared far and wide. Formerly, she was a graduate student of history and philosophy at Oxford University. The Inevitable is her first book.

Customer reviews

5 star		79%
4 star		13%
3 star		5%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

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Esther Mercado

Informative

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 30, 2022

Verified Purchase

It's good to know we have the right to choose, as a Catholic it's out if the question but it's good information and interesting conversation topic amongst friends and family.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 9, 2022

Verified Purchase

We're all dying all the time. It's important to consider the issues around that truth.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

A rare unbiased, narrative-free, thoughtful & well-researched book on autonomy at end of life.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on June 14, 2021

Verified Purchase

"Extreme longevity is a curse disguised as a gift." -Julian Baggini
If you don't understand the above quote, perhaps you should read this wonderful book.
Ms. Engelhart stated in an interview that the book took 5 years to write. It shows.
It covers how and why many people with devastating illnesses take control of the time and manner of their death rather than submit to a protracted dying process. Ms. Engelhart paints portraits of people participating or contemplating self-chosen deaths, both as patients and practitioners.
It is an easy-to-read book if you are not death phobic. Extensive references are listed in the back of the book. Highly recommended.

12 people found this helpful

Helpful

Derek Humphry

A different approach

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 14, 2021

Verified Purchase

I’ve read every non-academic book on the right to die in the last 40 years and the scope of this new one comes as a pleasant change: in-depth, international, doctor-probing, and examining certain people who want accelerated death from birth to their life’s end.

The intensive studies of the backgrounds and philosophies of four doctors (Shavelson, Nitschke, Irwin, Kevorkian), ground-breaking professionals, are a gem in themselves, something not examined this way before.

The suffering and distress of selected persons with painful and distressing illnesses who are looking for a quick, non-violent end is told in deep, thoughtful stories. And compassionate. We need to know exactly how it is for some.

39 people found this helpful

Helpful

BG-expat

Starts off well! I have not yet completed a slow read.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 19, 2021

Verified Purchase

Dear Readers--having just had prostate surgery for the removal of a cancer--much to think on mortality and self control. Having control over my life-living alone--is important. Living in an Orthodox country limits some choices and assistence. Take your time reading this book-philosophy to ponder.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

jnich665

Interesting, non-biased read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 5, 2021

Verified Purchase

The author present what can be a very emotional subject and presented it in a neutral way. She did this while still allowing the readers to connect with the book. I still learned a lot about the subject while I was reading the book.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Michael

Good Information

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

Interesting read and perspective. Worth the purchase.

Helpful

Betty A. Crawford

How people value the end of life

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 5, 2021

Verified Purchase

do not like each state making their own rules regarding the end of life. What happens to sacred religious values ?

2 people found this helpful

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Robert Ashton

Thought provoking

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 17, 2021

Verified Purchase

A fascinating, at times haunting, exploration of the challenges facing those as they near the end of life. Society goes to great lengths to give us control over our lives, but as death nears, we are denied the opportunity to bring it to a peaceful close. The author sensitively explores the boundaries between suicide and assisted dying, and the sometimes surprising support those wishing to die receive from their families.

Let's hope this book will encourage legislators to allow assisted dying in the UK.

5 people found this helpful

Peter C

Excellently Written Book on the Subject of Assisted Dying -- Strongly Recommend

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 29, 2021

Verified Purchase

Excellent book on the subject of 'assisted dying'. Very well written with good insight into the people Katie Engelhart focuses on for the character-based narrative-thread of the book. Her research for the content of the book has been extensive, well reported, threaded into the character narrative in ingenious ways, and brings the history of the subject area alive in insightful ways. I particularly liked the 'international' scope of the book with evidence being drawn from the USA, the UK and the rest of Europe, and from Australia. I am, and have been for a long time, a strong advocate for assisted dying legislation to be introduced in the UK/Scotland yet even with that keen interest on the subject Engelhart left me with much to think about, subtle things that I really hadn't considered before. This was particularly so when she was painting character portraits of medical doctors who are actually involved in helping people with assisted dying.

In all I would strongly recommend 'The Inevitable'. For me it goes to my list of the best two books to buy on the subject of assisted dying. The other book being Colin Brewer's book titled "O, Let Me Not Get Alzheimer's, Sweet Heaven" (don't be fooled by the title it is somewhat wider-ranging than just Alzheimer's/dementia).

In any case, I couldn't recommend 'The Inevitable' enough, definitely buy it, I doubt you will be disappointed in the read. On a political note I would hope that, as far as the UK/Scotland is concerned, this will be another goad on the politicians to introduce assisted dying here in the UK/Scotland.

One person found this helpful

A B S BALL

Should be widely read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 11, 2021

Verified Purchase

Beautifully written and a great reminder of how far behind we are compared to other countries. Ord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill is a start.

One person found this helpful

Maribel

Un libro vibrante y repleto de humanidad

Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on March 4, 2021

Verified Purchase

Excelentemente escrito y documentado, aporta una visión nueva en el derecho a la muerte voluntaria. Te lleva a todas esas historias de personas que por distintos motivos quieren escoger el momento de su muerte. Qué les motiva a ello?, cómo lo hacen clandestinamente? ¿por qué gente que nunca ha hecho nada fuera de la legalidad ahora deciden que es importante para ellas morir bien y no les queda otro remedio que hacerlo fuera de la legalidad vigente?
Suelen ser libros difíciles de leer, duros. Las historias que recuenta katie, las historias que le han contado son duras, pero su estilo es tan ágil y tan vital que no he soltado el libro hasta que lo he acabado.
El libro ya está disponible como ebook

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Jürgen

A must read for anyone interested in the worldwide right-to-die movement

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on September 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

The author, Katie Englehart, a seasoned journalist, interviews in-depth, 5 varied situations of persons faced with severe conditions that move them to consider end of life options. This is perhaps the single, most comprehensive, and recent book examining the ethical, legal and practical matters on dying peacefully, reliably, and painlessly in different circumstances and in different countries. Highly recommended to all as none of us will get out of this alive! Especially relevant for those in the helping professions, including doctors, nurses, therapists, and anyone else involved in assisted dying.
-Dr. J Dankwort, PhD, MSW, Exit International, Canada chapter.

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