First published 1997
Jerome Groopman presents eight intimate portraits of individuals confronting fatal diseases. The author, a physician and writer, examines how these patients navigate their diagnoses and treatments while experiencing unexpected spiritual transformations. Each story reveals how facing mortality can lead to profound personal growth rather than simply despair. Groopman documents the painful physical and emotional journeys these people endure, but focuses equally on the spiritual awakenings that emerge from their struggles. The collection shows how terminal illness, while devastating, can become a catalyst for deeper understanding of life's meaning. These are not stories of miraculous cures but of human resilience and the capacity to find transcendence amid suffering. The book offers readers insight into how people discover strength and spiritual clarity when confronting their own mortality.
Genres: psychology, medical, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, personal-growth
238 pages · Hardcover · Viking Adult
Content warnings: terminal-illness