The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
On Living

On Living

Life’s greatest lessons and last thoughts from the dying

Summary

"A brave and uplifting meditation on how important it is to make peace and meaning of our lives while we still have them" - Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love

What are the greatest regrets of the dying?

At her patients' bedside, witnessing their final moments, this is what Kerry Egan discovers. How do the dying seek to making meaning of their lives, the people and moments that have shaped them; and what are those things above all else that they wish they could have done differently?

From stories of families torn apart by war, to making peace with the shame of a long-hidden secret, these are the tales of people who wished they had loved their partners more, cherished their children more, forgiven feuds and betrayals, and those who simply wish they had danced more.

This isn't a book about dying - it's a book about living. Each of Egan's patients taught her something: how to find courage in the face of fear, how to make amends whilst you still can, how to see that the world is not just black and white, and that there can be beauty in the grey.

In this deeply moving and illuminating book, Kerry captures the fragility of the human experience, imparting the poignant and profound lessons from the dying, on how to live a life without regrets.

Reviews

  • A brave and uplifting meditation on how important it is to make peace and meaning of our lives while we still have them
    Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love

About the author

Kerry Egan

Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more