Achieving a Good Death

Topic: Author Chris Palmer talks about his new book "Achieving a Good Death" Time: Oct 23, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2969229560?pwd=WVRaNEI4RmJkU3cxY3d2d1E5Wit4Zz09&omn=86406966774 Meeting ID: 296 922 9560 Passcode: nature

There is an art to dying well that can be taught and learned. While death is inevitable, dying badly is not. A good death is achievable, and author and end-of-life activist Chris Palmer explains how.

Bloomsbury will publish Chris Palmer's latest book, Achieving a Good Death: A Practical Guide to the End of Life, on October 1.

Early reviews are praising the book, calling it “deeply meaningful,” “compelling,” “eloquent,” “a major accomplishment,” “profoundly wise,” “highly readable,” and “an extraordinary guide.”

Chris Palmer says, "This book started for me about a decade ago when I realized I was petrified of dying and resolved to confront this fear. My parents and three brothers, including my twin Jon, all died badly, and I was determined that my own end would be different. This book is the result of searching for answers to questions like how to deal with dementia, when it is appropriate to hasten death, and how we can talk about death and dying more openly."

He adds, "Whenever I tell someone I’ve spent years writing a book on death and dying, they wonder why I’m interested in such a gloomy, dark subject, but it’s a fascinating topic that’s all about life and living fully to the end. Achieving a Good Death will help people because there is an art to dying well that can be taught and learned. While death is inevitable, dying badly is not. A good death is achievable, and the book explains how. It will reduce the fear that often cloaks discussions about death and dying and give readers the knowledge and skills to achieve a peaceful, gentle, and dignified death."

The book is available for preorder on Amazon and elsewhere. All proceeds from book sales will fund student scholarships at American University, where Chris taught for 14 years.

BIOGRAPHY

Chris Palmer is an author, speaker, wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, educator, professor, and grandfather. He dedicated his professional career to conservation but now devotes his life to end-of-life activism. Bloomsbury will publish his 10th book, "Achieving a Good Death: A Practical Guide to the End of Life," on October 1, 2024. He is a trained hospice volunteer and founded and runs an "Aging Well" group for the Bethesda Metro Area Village.

He serves on the Boards of several nonprofits, including Montgomery Hospice & Prince George’s Hospice, Maryland Office of Cemetery Oversight, Final Exit Network, Hemlock Society of San Diego, and Funeral Consumers Alliance. He is on the Bethesda Metro Area Village Board and, until recently, was a Board member of the Green Burial Association of Maryland.

During his filmmaking career, he swam with dolphins and whales, came face-to-face with sharks and Kodiak bears, camped with wolf packs, and waded hip-deep through Everglade swamps.

Chris and his wife, Gail, have lived in Bethesda, Maryland, for nearly 50 years and raised three daughters. They now have nine grandchildren. Chris was a stand-up comic for five years and has advanced degrees from London and Harvard. He has jumped out of helicopters, worked on an Israeli kibbutz, and was a high school boxing champion. Chris is currently learning to juggle, draw, dance, play tennis, and play the piano. He loves standing on his hands for exercise and keeps a daily gratitude journal.