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And Finally
- Matters of Life and Death
- Narrated by: Henry Marsh
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
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And Finally
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
As a neurosurgeon, I lived in a world filled with fear and suffering, death and cancer. But rarely, if ever, did I think about what it would be like if what I witnessed at work every day happened to me. This book is the story of how I became a patient myself.
As a retired brain surgeon, Henry Marsh thought he understood illness, but he was unprepared for the impact of his diagnosis of advanced cancer. And Finally explores what happens when someone who has spent a lifetime on the frontline of life and death finds himself contemplating what might be his own death sentence. As he navigates the bewildering transition from doctor to patient, he is haunted by past failures and projects yet to be completed, and frustrated by the inconveniences of illness and old age. But he is also more entranced than ever by the mysteries of science and the brain, the beauty of the natural world and his love for his family. Elegiac, candid, luminous and poignant, And Finally is ultimately not so much a book about death, but a book about life and what matters in the end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- susie
- 02-09-22
Outstanding account of a cancer diagnosis
Mr Henry Marsh narrates his cancer fight superbly. An important book. All doctors please read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Answer
- 17-07-23
Wonderful
Henry Marsh writes with so much heart and honesty, I have loved all of his books and I really hope that he's able to write another.
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- S.A.M
- 06-09-22
Thank you Henry Marsh
It is good of you to open up about your feelings and progression from your diagnoses until today. I wish you every good for your future days.
My brother died of bone cancer recently. It started in his prostrate progressed to his bladder during lockdown and three or so delays in his cystectomy meant it travelled. The path it took was much as you described. Both sides of despair and hope happened as you said. We both believed strongly in dignity in dying and I wondered if I would be brave enough to help. I was not worried about being caught, only that I might botch it.
Your book highlights a very important failure of successive governments.
All of us grow old all of us will die. Why it has not been made possible for us to die in a manner of our choosing in this day and age when science can tell us so much is beyond understanding.
All I can think is that those that decide think that old age is far off and a painful death can be controlled by drugs. Death is certain. Pain cannot always be controlled by drugs. But the pain aspect is hardly the worst side. Ghastly confusion and nightmares caused by drugs followed by total loss of dignity is as bad.
How could anyone think that was alright to inflict this just to save their own conscience from discomfort?
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 11-10-23
A beautiful reflection
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s beautifully heartfelt, human and thoughtful. I love hearing the authors own voice deliver this deeply personal story. It’s a book I’m sure I will re-visit many times, along with his previous books.
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- Linda Rose
- 07-01-23
A amazing heartfelt story
One can’t have listened to this book but review one’s life and ask oneself some pertinent and difficult questions. He is an amazing storyteller and reminds me of my beloved grandfather.
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- Max Banet
- 09-05-24
Doctors can be patients too.
Refreshing to read a book by an eminent surgeon viewed through the eyes of a patient. Uplifting, sensitive and humane.
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- Anonymous User
- 25-03-23
Brilliant
Wonderful. Honest and thought provoking. I so enjoyed it and loved that it was read by Henry Marsh. I have huge admiration for him.
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- Sheila C Richards
- 08-06-23
Great story
So interesting to hear a surgeon’s view of his own Cancer and how it impacts his life. Long May he live in a way that is acceptable to him and his family
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Sally Goldman
- 18-11-23
Interesting, but not his best
Having loved his previous books (which I read in hard copy), I was keen for this one. Overall I felt it wasn't as good, but that's not to say I didn't find it worth a credit.
I always enjoy an author reading his or her own work, as there is undoubtedly a personal passion and understanding that comes through. March, although obviously not a professional actor, read it well enough.
I thought the chapters on the quality of life versus its length and assisted dying the most interesting and worthy of debate and would have bought the book just for these. They were extremely thought-provoking, especially for us readers who are at the latter end of our lives and who have been through cancer treatment.
His reflections on being a surgeon and how his attitude changed once he was a patient and how he would do things differently were he still in practice were also great chapters. Perhaps every newly qualified doctor or nurse should read these.
The chapter telling a fairy story he made up for his granddaughters was boring and, quite honestly, completely irrelevant to the rest of the book. He could have left it at mentioning that he made up stories for them. If I wanted to buy a fairy story I would have looked in the kids' section and found better written ones. Other parts of this book could have done with some serious editing, as there is a fair bit of repetitive rambling in places.
So overall I am glad I spent a credit on this, but wouldn't say it's a 'must get'.
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- MR B J BRACKNER
- 30-09-22
Fantastic book
Henry thank you for sharing your journey and some history. Great book and not at all just about death.
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