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.

In Being Mortal, Atul Gawande explores how medicine has taken over mortality, often ignoring patients' true priorities. He emphasizes the need for doctors to engage in honest, compassionate conversations about death.

Klara Prowisor, now 92, credits her survival to a dying man who gave her his years. Her life story, including surviving the Holocaust, is documented in Matan Rochlitz’s film, sharing her extraordinary journey.

The Invisible Hour by Alice Hoffman blends time travel, mother-daughter love, and magical realism. Set in New England, it follows Mia’s escape from a cult and her transformative connection to The Scarlet Letter.

DeathLab, a research collaborative at Columbia University, explores sustainable death practices in urban spaces. Their winning design, Constellation Park, transforms bodies into energy, creating a public memorial.

Hartsdale Pet Cemetery, founded in 1896, is the world's oldest pet cemetery, offering a final resting place for over 100,000 pets. Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park, founded in 1971, provides similar services.

Mark Dowie reflects on death, mortality, and legacy in this heartfelt interview.

Kathleen, a hospice-care volunteer for ten years, faces her own death with acceptance. She emphasizes living fully, without mystery around dying, enjoying moments like a dinner party with good company.

In Last Rites, Todd Harra explores the evolution of American funeral practices, tracing them from home-based care in early colonies to modern, elaborate rituals. The book offers a historical look at death care.

Barbara Becker's Heartwood explores the intersection of life and death, inspired by her journey through a friend's terminal illness and the lessons on living fully in the face of mortality. It encourages embracing death as a teacher to live with heightened awareness.

The resurgence of the ethical will, a centuries-old tradition, allows individuals to pass on their values, beliefs, and life lessons. It offers a reflective process, creating a meaningful, personal legacy.

Going In Style offers bespoke funeral planning, focusing on individuality and luxury. They design funerals as a personal celebration, incorporating custom details that reflect the deceased's life and passions.

Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard is a metaphysical exploration of suffering, God, and existence. Written during 14 months of solitude, this poetic work offers comfort and reflection for those witnessing grief.

Scott Simon, author and NPR host, spent hours at his mother’s bedside in the ICU, sharing her wisdom and wit on Twitter. His tweets became a tribute to her lessons, later compiled in his book.

Philip Gould, a political consultant, embraced his terminal cancer diagnosis as an opportunity to focus on love and support for his family. His reflections on life and death are captured in the film When I Die.

Alix Strauss' The Joy of Funerals, newly reissued after 20 years, explores the culture's readiness to discuss loss and loneliness. Strauss reflects on funerals as a means of connection and belonging.

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.

In Happiness Is a Choice You Make, John Leland reflects on the lives of the 'oldest old,' exploring the emotional richness and wisdom they offer. His work emphasizes how the framing of experiences shapes happiness.

Rebecca Louise Law's 2016 exhibition "The Beauty of Decay" explored life, death, and decay through hanging flowers. Her art captures nature’s cycle, preserving and reusing flowers as they change over time.

Elizabeth Lopatto reflects on her cat Dottie's two-year battle with leukemia, highlighting the clarity and honesty of her vet’s end-of-life discussions, contrasting them with the challenges in human healthcare.