Revision: Loved to death, in so little time
927394
I loved these to death.  In just a short time all the lids have failed.  Either they spin spin spin when i try to tighten them -- or worse, take them off....  or they come off if i lift them off.
1461973
I recall when this author first published a booklet (and at 86 pages this again is little more than a booklet), but then watching newspaper headlines of people dying slow, agonising deaths by this method. Although those were directly connected (a right to die group distributed them, with one of their members being questioned by police), the blame could not be placed on the contents of the book per se. Some while ago, Chabot did some case studies of people dying by stopping eating and drinking and noticed that, even in liberal Netherlands, several had considerable problems. Somehow this can be glossed over in the enthusiastic sales reception and embracing of the 'idea' by desperate individuals. Within weeks of this edition being published (which seems largely a re-hash of his earlier work), Jean Davies, a prominent English right-to-die campaigner stopped eating and drinking in order to die: she described the process as "hell" (public records). Chabot has genuinely added to work and studies done by other people in a small way academically; but the blithe suggestion that one can simply "take control" as the title suggests is, it would seem, more about marketing. For a more balanced view, read one of the primary writers on willed death, such as Humphry, Docker or Nitschke. Chabot's booklet is more suited to person living in Holland who both read it slowly and are assured of Dutch medical assistance during the process.
744433
In "When We Die," Biology Professor Cedric Mims provides a succinct overview of all things macabre.  He touches upon standard death and dying subjects such as embalming, burial, cremation, organ donation, and bereavement, as well as more unusual topics, including cannibalism, cellular suicide, mummification, compostoriums, acid baths, and necrophilia.  No stone is left unturned in his discussion of death, dying, and "the science, culture, and rituals of death."

As much as I enjoyed "When We Die," it was not without its flaws.  For starters, it doesn't seem as though the book was properly edited.  I wouldn't go as far to say that Mims is a BAD writer, but it could have been better.  His misuse of commas, for instance, is atrocious.  He also tends to have trouble transitioning between topics.  Some of the awkwardness probably stems from the fact that Mims lives in England and spent some time in Australia and Africa.  His phraseology can be clumsy and cumbersome, and I'm willing to bet that it's due to cultural differences.  The book was initially released in the UK, and it doesn't appear to have been "cleaned up" for its US edition.  Spelling and word usage differences remain intact, when his editor really should have changed them in the US version to reflect his new audience.

Additionally, I found some of his statements to be questionable, while other claims were just plain incorrect.  For example, he says that $6 million, "spent over 10 years," is enough to clean all the water in third world countries and eliminate deaths due to diarrhea (that estimate seems awfully low, no?).  He also refers to the 1978 Jonestown massacre as a "mass suicide" (despite overwhelming evidence that many members were murdered outright), and makes the dubious claim that, "in all cases [of sensational homicides] the murderer is mentally deranged."  Taken together, these errors made me question the rest of the information Mims included in "When We Die."  Though he does list 4+ pages of references, he does not use footnotes in his text - so it's usually impossible to tell what information he pulled from which sources.

Nonetheless, "When We Die" is a fascinating and largely enjoyable read.  Serious scholars may want to pass this one by, but it's an interesting and manageable discussion for laypeople.
4385971
From: [...]
Author & Book Views On A Healthy Life!

Book Review: One Month To Live by Kerry and Chris Shook

If you had one month to live, would you spend your time differently?  One year ago this month, I arrived to the emergency room of our local hospital.  My father had been there for 12 hours, trying to find a diagnosis for the pain in his side and yellowing skin. A team of doctors gave him their final statement--pancreatic cancer, less than a year to live. Of course we left in tears, but how we spent the next few months was not easy either.

Kerry and Chris Shook, authors of One Month To Live: Thirty Days To a No Regrets Life, have written a book which raises awareness of this issue.  Some of us know when we'll die, but most of us don't.  In their profession as pastor and wife, they've witnessed grief and sadness while residing over many funerals. Believing that people need to live as if their time is limited--which it is--Chris first implemented his idea of living awareness at a retreat. There he had staff fill out a daily journal about how they would live differently if they only had one month to live.

My father and mother awkwardly met with my sister, myself, and our spouses for lunch at a restaurant the following day.  None of us knew what to say.  I could hardly look at my dad with his piercing blue eyes. Mom and Dad began to travel--to visit my brother, grandmother, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, old friends.  Dad saw just about everyone, in his own way, saying goodbye. People were important to my father. He'd also really wanted his entire life to see the Grand Canyon, but never did.

"Mortality," the Shooks write, "is the great equalizer."  We will eventually all leave this earth.  The purpose of One Month To Live is to give the reader "a greater clarity of purpose, and a renewed passion for things that really matter."  The book is divided into four sections or weeks which include Make It Count Moments--questions for the reader which will help him examine his life and target what's most important, and Make It Last For Life--ideas on how to utilize each day's focus.

Section One: Live Passionately--Are you putting things off?  Thinking you'll get to it in the future? The time is now.

Section Two: Love Completely--People are made to be social and emotional beings.  Have sincere relationships with family, your spouse, and your children.

Section Three: Learn Humbly--Your money and looks will not bring contentment.  Change needs to begin within.  Drop that grudge!

Section Four: Leave Boldly--Leave a lasting legacy. "Our relationships are the only investment that can't be destroyed by a fire or natural disaster or be lost in the stock market."--The Shooks

During my dad's final months, he purchased a convertible red Mustang with a black pull-down roof.  He drove it once.  He also buried the hatch with all grudges against various individuals he'd been carrying around for a lifetime.  Of everything that occurred, that was the most welcoming change. Dad loved people and they loved him back.  Do yourself a favor, bury the hatchet, at least for yourself, now and live as if each day was your last.  Appreciate the small moments that count.

4 Stars
4566026
I really, truly did. The pain of the run is temporary, but announcing to the world exactly how crazy I am can last forever.
Thank heaven!
409086
The author was an Air Force team-mate of my oldest brother; they flew many B-52 missions during Vietnam era. I was saddened to learn recently of Tom Johnsons passing on 5/17/18. Tom had only learned 3 1/2 weeks earlier that his condition was terminal. I was on page 57 when I learned the news; as a tribute to Tom & family, Im reading passionately now.
1472338
OK I realize these may not be made for a three to four times per day use. But that's what I do. I have loved it until it just died. I had none of the reported odor issues. It is a tad loud, but it heats the water fast & it sure gets hot - - perfect for tea. Exactly what I wanted & correct size. Problem is - after six (6) months it's just died. Now I guess it's still under warranty. Problem is - I have to find the paperwork & I have too much to do to deal with that. I've had Krups & something else before. The American brand died after a year. The Krups lasted for about 18 months. Now this one only 6 months. Bad trend as far as I'm concerned. So - would I recommend this one - No. I can not do that, six months is not long enough lifespan for this item at this price.
4865971
I have an interest in narrative non-fiction written about biology and forensics, but what drew me to this book was a desire to better understand the ordeal I had actually lived through myself. I contracted childbed fever after delivering my son. Up until then, I only had a vague notion that women used to die from this in "the old days." Most women I mention this to have no idea what I'm talking about. Well, I gave birth in a modern hospital in the USA in 2015 and, while rare, I came down with a classic case. I can tell you from experience that it is excrutiating and terrifying. I was in the hospital for four days on an IV. We are all blessed to live in the time of antibiotics!
3126316
Too much to write , too eager to wait to share experience with doctors and patients, too thankful to use words to express. Wish to read this book 10 years ago when starting Metformin , or even 20 years ago when I was diagnosed gestational diabetes. Wish my mother and my grandma had followed this book. Will update my experience. The biggest wish is that my 20 year old daughter will read this book. Just read.
4594036
It was amazing at the beginning! But when Anton died, nope, I stopped there and never finished it. And the fact that the girl (I forgot a name) was 12 and Anton was 22, I was like, no way!! D:<
457100
The Atrocity Archive (Not, incidentally, 'Archives,' despite what the cover says...) initially blew me away. The technologification of magic and the Cthulhu mythos was genius (er...you know...like...super-fun beach-reading genius...not like Faulkner genius...). Unfortunately, I liked it so much that it became like literary comfort food to me, and I read it fourish times. Yeah, I know...books like this are not really made to hold up upon relentless re-reading... Turns out that it doesn't take that long for random, contentless references to the Halting Problem, Godel, and diagonalization to get tedious--especially if you actually know something about these things. Nevertheless, I have to say, TAA was a lot of fun before I burned myself out on it. The Jennifer Morgue...also fun. Enough so that I broke my own rule against buying hard-cover novels, and sprung for The Fuller Memorandum. Meh. I had to be critical of Charles Stross who has provided me with so many hours of reading pleasure...but I guess I can't really give it above a 'C'. Worth a read if you loved the first two Laundry books...but likely to be disappointing.
2105906
"Do you remember the first lad or lass you loved? When you felt your chest was too narrow to hold your heart? When it seemed the world was made anew by your passion? And do you remember the fear that comes with love? The fear that it cannot last? The fear that you cannot be worthy of it? Truly we were not. None of us. But did it not come anyway?

How we have poured our souls into another's lips and eyes. How we have died and been born again in the ebb and flow of their breath. All gone.

The flesh you loved is dust. The words you whispered stir no echoes. And it may be that the one you loved most dearly sits at supper now with angles and has forgot your name."

This is my favorite speech in the volume. It is offered up by a bit player of minor consequence. Expanding upon the Judeo-Christian creation stories is a difficult feat, for they are so weighed down with both familiarity (to even those outside of religion) and seriousness (to those inside the religions). Carey is able to use the characters to tell new stories, but more significantly, occasionally chime in on love, power, politics, family and life. The above speech is wonderfully wrought, and caused me to linger over the pages for several minutes and then return to them a few days later.

Great writing sometimes exist outside of the context of the passage. Here, it does.
1109446
The man who was murdered was my brother-in-law.  Thank goodness someone finally told the story of his untimely death.  He was a dedicated husband and father and highly respected in our community.  We all miss him.
4845413
Multiple deaths a nn????

Multiple deaths from a car accident in one family with the fate of the possible survivor left much in question. Handled with as little gore and as much love as possible. Although the family of the protagonist may be just a little too good to believe.
Great reading for the junior high and high school crowd without too many questions of god  but not without recognition of issues of faith and belief.
Just enough hope i n the end to have some uplift.  Makes vyo

asnt to go  on

Hs
3758053
It's my true belief that the author died before finishing or editing
this potentially great book.  What else is to be said?  The book, even
though very trying at times in its unedited state, was becoming
fascinating when both it and the author passed away.
3512888
Three generations of imbeciles are enough. (p. 270)Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

EUGENICS IN AMERICA?  Government forced sterilizations of the feebleminded right here in the good ole U. S. of A.?  Yessireeright here in River City.  Perhaps as many as seventy thousand, over the years. Court sanctioned; all legal and tidy like.

And who knew? Sadly, many of its victims knew least of all what had been done to them.

Adam Cohens deeply researched, extensively footnoted, non-fiction offering, Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck, is incredible. Although at times densely detailed and hard to follow (a bit of a slog), at othersparticularly the last three chaptersan anthem, a spotlight, of illumination on the very dark, very scary, extremely seductive ideas of eugenics.

How tempting would it be (was, and is) to be able to virtually rid society of feeblemindedness, drunkenness, addiction, and indolenceand a whole menu of social defectsall at the flash of the surgeons scalpel? If only the ends could justify the means

How scary to think about in the 21st century, at the dawn, perhaps, of even designer babies.

Recommendation: Never more timely a read. Highly recommended for all who missed this chapter in high school American History.

It [eugenic sterilization] was an idea that had strong appeal in America, particularly during the 1920s, when the middle and upper classes felt threatened by mass immigration, urbanization, and other forces that were profoundly disrupting the social order. (p. 321)

Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition, 403 pages
1595892
We lived in Bismarck, ND at that time and I remember the "goings on" with the cult activities. The cult frequented a park a couple miles from our house where young people gathered at night. My children saw them across the street at the top of the hill in a ritutal around a bonfire. They were scared and came running home. I remember the dead dogs and cattle with no blood in them but otherwise the bodies were healthy. The place they met south of town and close to a Univerity (more young people). You saw them walking with red vests with their Priestly garb and upside down crosses. We also know the young lady killed in Stanford University chapel and her husband (now a Dr in Child Paycology). Maurey covered it well and I can not imagine all the time and energy he has put into the update. Wonderful!! A must read!!