Dear Life cover art

Dear Life

A Doctor’s Story of Love and Loss

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Dear Life

By: Rachel Clarke
Narrated by: Rachel Clarke
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About this listen

 'A magnificent, tender book' Independent

'Her words are brimful of love, grace and kindness' Guardian

'She writes with a tender, lyrical beauty' Sunday Times

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Your Life in My Hands comes this vibrant, tender and deeply personal memoir that finds light and love in the darkest of places.

As a specialist in palliative medicine, Dr Rachel Clarke chooses to inhabit a place many people would find too tragic to contemplate. Every day she tries to bring care and comfort to those reaching the end of their lives and to help make dying more bearable.

Rachel's training was put to the test in 2017 when her beloved GP father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She learned that nothing - even the best palliative care - can sugar-coat the pain of losing someone you love.
And yet, she argues, in a hospice there is more of what matters in life - more love, more strength, more kindness, more joy, more tenderness, more grace, more compassion - than you could ever imagine. For if there is a difference between people who know they are dying and the rest of us, it is simply this: that the terminally ill know their time is running out, while we live as though we have all the time in the world.

Dear Life is a book about the vital importance of human connection, by the doctor we would all want by our sides at a time of crisis. It is a love letter - to a father, to a profession, to life itself.©2020 Rachel Clarke (P)2020 Hachette Audio UK Death & Dying Grief & Loss Medical Personal Development Professionals & Academics Relationships Sociology Women Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Medicine

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All stars
Most relevant  
This book attempts to put into words - love. The scenarios and stories capture the most precious moments in life and convey to the reader heartfelt, raw emotion.

The eloquence of the writer is superb and should be read and reflected on by everyone especially those of us involved in end of life care. Thank you Rachel.

Astounding…

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Beautiful and sensitively written. At times made me weep. Thoroughly recommended to those dealing with life in the raw

Essential read for those at the sharp end

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Beautifully written and read. Moving, eloquent and fascinating. An important listen for all of us.

Excellent.

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A fantastic read, beautifully written. So full of love and life. Found it to be Informative too.

Beautiful

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Wow!

From the perspectives of physician, and family member the author takes us on a harrowing journey.

As a physician describing the end of life care of her patients she maintains a human connection while detailing the clinical realities.

As a daughter describing her father’s journey to the end of life she describes how her feelings mirror those of the families of her patients.

Right at the end she describes how the majority of hospice care is funded by charities.

There are some harrowing moments shared but for the most part what comes through is the human experience, the resilience of those facing their death, scattered in are also poignant moments and humour.

Well recommend reading this book.

An in depth look at the end of life

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A must read for all Doctors & health staff in NHS and Hospice. Nursing Home and Care Homes.

Care of Dying.

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I took interest in this publication as a palliative care professional. Having engaged well with a similar work from a different author I was excited to engage witch a fresh point of view.
The content of this book is essential for any professional involved in the palliative care sector, perhaps more so for healthcare professionals who are not palliative care focused.
There is poetry in the prose and the author should be proud of this creation.
The only note I could give is that the subject matter lacks peaks and dips, the heaviness of the subject matter is a constant flow that makes the work a bit heavy to listen to without breaks. The more serious the topic, the more necessary the occasional comic relief in both substance and delivery.

On balance, this is a fantastic achievement and a vital piece of insightful work. I highly recommend it.

Insightful but heavy

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This is one of the best non fiction books I have listened to. I am so plz I tuned in to Chris Evans breakfast show on Virgin radio as I would have missed the interview with Rachel and this incredible book of love, tenderness and truth. It helped me realise that I was not afraid of death per se but the affects it could have on my loved ones and the space left behind. After being with my husband, at home, as he died with his family around him I Ifound, when managed correctly and with compassion the nurses, our GO and other agencies, that I was filled with gratitude and love. I felt blessed and honoured being with the man I loved on the last steps or should I say breaths of his journey. Many of Rachel’s observations and experiences struck home.
This is a must read or listen to book to help us start conversations about death and and dying and to talk about what we would like to happen if given the choice. Thank you 🥰

Honest, Brutal but Tender

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Strange that it is so unusual to hear somebody speak at such length about something which will happen to everybody. For that reason alone, I found this to be an important book. Excellent writing. There are some beautifully lyrical sentences in this book -- so much so that I sometimes wished I was reading it rather than listening, so that I could underline certain passages which really struck me. The narrator has a sometimes strangely clipped way of speaking, but overall she handled the gravitas of the subject well.

Deeply personal insight into the end of life

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Just a fantastic experience, have listened twice already. Too late now, 88, how I wish I had been a doctor. Watched original interview with Denis Potter 26 years ago and remember every minute. Thank you Rachel for writing and reading such a book.

Thank you

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