★ 09/01/2022
Trained as a cultural anthropologist, Hannig (Beyond Surgery: Injury, Healing, and Religion at an Ethiopian Hospital) spent five years shadowing those on the front lines of assisted dying, immersing herself into the intimate spaces of patients' lives as they navigate the murky waters as well as the legal and emotional ramifications of dying with dignity. Linda Jones narrates this heartbreaking and profoundly informative audiobook with polished intimacy and elegance, tenderly retelling the personal accounts of the terminally ill. When the chapters become informative, her poignant approach shifts into an authoritative one, and her pace quickens, but her voice remains respectful and steady throughout. With compassion and expertise, Hannig's extensive research shows the deep considerations and vulnerable side of assisted deaths and explores the bureaucratic nightmare and legal restrictions of what it means to die on your terms in the wake of modern medicine; she does so without losing objectivity. VERDICT Beautifully written with easily accessible language and narrated with a level of delicacy, this character-driven title is a must-have for all nonfiction collections.—Emily Pykare
