On Death and Dying

Synopsis:

This is the world-famous best-seller by the woman who popularized the field of thanatology as a subject for general social commentary. Written in plain language that anyone can understand, this important book can help families understand what's going on as death of a loved one draws near. This was Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' first book on the topic. It is still considered a classic. It is required reading in many academic settings, including medical and nursing schools, theological seminaries, and popular psychology courses.

The book introduced the author's seminal "stages of dying" or "stages of grief" model which is still widely quoted. According the Kübler-Ross model, there are five stages that a dying person goes through when they are told that they have a terminal illness. The five stages go in progression through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This model has been widely adopted by other authors and applied to many other situations where someone suffers a loss or change in social identity. The model is often used in bereavement work. Not all workers in the field agree with th Kübler-Ross model, and some critics feel the stages are too rigid. Other authors, such as John Bowlby, developed models with different numbers of stages. Regardless of whether you feel the stages are absolute, the book is a "must read" for anyone seriously interested in death and dying issues.

This content is provided by Growth House, Inc., the Internet's leading resource for end-of-life care. Visit our main web site at www.growthhouse.org.