A comprehensive manual for those reaching the end of life, and for their friends, relatives, advocates, and caretakers. Abraham describes in detail the challenges faced by those who wish to avoid months or years of painful treatment after losing hope of ever recovering any reasonable quality of life.

Subjects include:

♦ the nature of physical death;

♦ legal documents to clarify one's wishes;

♦ the need for a strong advocate to have the patient's wishes honored;

♦ moral issues that must be considered;

♦ means of dying painlessly once the decision is made;

♦ and much more, including how to respond to reluctant doctors, and the value of humor in communicating with a dying patient.