Dr. Ira Byock's Four Things That Matter Most explores well-being through the end of life, emphasizing the importance of emotional health even in the face of death. His work highlights that human development continues through life’s final stages.

Under Ice follows Johanna as she performs a death-defying healing ritual, submerging herself in ice-cold water to heal a life-threatening leg injury. Her practice brings both physical and emotional healing.

Lydia Dugdale’s The Lost Art of Dying emphasizes that to die well, one must live well, urging readers to prepare for death by reconciling relationships, considering medical choices, and engaging with life's ultimate questions.

Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison’s Wholehearted highlights the transformative power of compassion and shared suffering in end-of-life care. Raised amidst the AIDS pandemic, he emphasizes commitment and connection, encouraging readers to embrace moments of happiness.

Nancy Slonim Aronie's "Memoir as Medicine" encourages others to uncover their stories, with a focus on healing through writing. In a candid interview, she reflects on love, death, and the importance of relationships. She shares her grief over the loss of her son and expresses a peaceful view on death, highlighting love as the essential lesson. Her ideal last day would be balanced, and she imagines returning as a country music star. Aronie's wisdom and humor make her insights both liberating and inspirational.

Robert, originally from Germany, reflects on life and the importance of living with purpose, stating the best insurance is living as if time is limited. He now resides in India, continuing his journey.

Alexandra Vassilaros uses writing workshops, born from her personal experience with grief, to help others navigate loss. Her Make Meaning Workshop emphasizes that grief can lead to grace, love, and transformation.

In Inside Out, Sadness, often seen as a negative emotion, plays a crucial role in connecting people through loss. Embracing sadness helps us process grief and identity, uniting us with others in response.

David Brooks contrasts "résumé virtues" (career skills) with "eulogy virtues" (kindness, love, bravery), urging us to focus on deep character. He argues true success comes from inner growth, not external achievement.

Frank Ostaseski, cofounder of the Zen Hospice Project, teaches how embracing death helps us live fully. His "Five Invitations" guide us to be present, compassionate, and open to life's impermanence.

Dying Prepared features Francesca Arnoldy, a community doula and death literacy educator, sharing insights on navigating mortality, preparing for death, and the importance of compassion and human connection.

After his wife's death, William Murray chose to believe in her continued presence and love, embracing beliefs that helped him heal. He found peace by committing to these beliefs, regardless of evidence or outside opinions.

Ashton Applewhite, in This Chair Rocks, advocates for an empowered view of aging, urging us to confront and embrace the aging process without fear. She highlights moments of happiness, defies ageism, and supports psychedelic hospice for a peaceful end.

Michael Hebb, founder of the Death Over Dinner movement, encourages self-compassion and nurturing community connections as key to healing and a peaceful end. His exit plan involves a meaningful, intimate gathering before passing, ideally surrounded by loved ones, with music filling the air.