Research Catalog

Details

Description

1. ix, 319 p.; 24 cm.

Summary

1. "In the past twenty years, an increasing number of authors have written memoirs focusing on the last stage of their lives: Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, for example, in The Wheel of Life, Harold Brodkey in This Wild Darkness, Edward Said in Out of Place, and Tony Judt in The Memory Chalet. In these and other end-of-life memoirs, writers not only confront their own mortality but in most cases struggle to "die in character"--that is, to affirm the values, beliefs, and goals that have characterized their lives. Examining the works cited above, as well as memoirs by Mitch Albom, Roland Barthes, Jean-Dominique Bauby, Art Buchwald, Randy Pausch, David Rieff, Philip Roth, and Morrie Schwartz, Jeffrey Berman's analysis of this growing genre yields some surprising insights. While the authors have much to say about the loneliness and pain of dying, many also convey joy, fulfillment, and gratitude. Harold Brodkey is willing to die as long as his writings survive. Art Buchwald and Randy Pausch both use the word fun to describe their dying experiences. Dying was not fun for Morrie Schwartz and Tony Judt, but they reveal courage, satisfaction, and fearlessness during the final stage of their lives, when they are nearly paralyzed by their illnesses. It is hard to imagine that these writers could feel so upbeat in their situations, but their memoirs are authentically affirmative. They see death coming, yet they remain stalwart and focused on their writing. Berman concludes that the contemporary end-of-life memoir can thus be understood as a new form of death ritual, "a secular example of the long tradition of ars moriendi, the art of dying.""--Publisher's website.

Subject

1. Authors, American > Biography > History and criticism
2. American prose literature > 20th century > History and criticism
3. Critically ill > United States > Biography > History and criticism
4. Terminally ill > United States > Biography > History and criticism
5. Autobiography
6. Death in literature
7. Self in literature
8. Death > Psychological aspects

Contents

1. Introduction: "It is when faced with death that we turn most bookish" -- "I never saw or heard the car coming": my close call with death -- "Death itself is a wonderful and positive experience": Elisabeth Kubler-Ross and The wheel of life -- "With autobiography there's always another text, a countertext": Philip Roth and Patrimony -- "Death confers a certain beauty on one's hours": Harold Brodkey and This wild darkness -- "I have never been tempted to write about my own life": Susan Sontag, David Rieff, and Swimming in a sea of death -- "Sleeplessness for me is a cherished state": Edward W. Said and Out of place -- "There is more than one sort of luck": Tony Judt and The memory chalet -- "I never realized dying could be so much fun": Art Buchwald and Too soon to say goodbye -- "Learn how to live, and you'll know how to die": Morrie Schwartz's Letting go and Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie -- "I'm dying and I'm having fun": Randy Pausch and The last lecture -- "Now I cultivate the art of simmering memories": Jean-Dominique Bauby and The diving bell and The butterfly -- "I live in my suffering and that makes me happy": Roland Barthes and Mourning diary -- Conclusion: "alive when they died".

Call number

1. JFE 13-3128

Bibliography (note)

1. Includes bibliographical references (p. 299-311) and index.

Author

1. Berman, Jeffrey, 1945-

Title

1. Dying in character : memoirs on the end of life / Jeffrey Berman.

Imprint

1. Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press, c2012.

Bibliography

1. Includes bibliographical references (p. 299-311) and index.

LCCN

1. 2012030821

ISBN

1. 9781558499652 (pbk. : alk. paper)
2. 1558499652 (pbk. : alk. paper)
3. 9781558499645 (library cloth : alk. paper)
4. 1558499644 (library cloth : alk. paper)

Research call number

1. JFE 13-3128