In "Dying," Cory Taylor confronts the intimate reality of terminal illness with profound honesty and poetic beauty. Through a deeply personal narrative, she explores the complexities of mortality, memory, and the indelible impact of love. As her reflections unfold, Taylor deftly balances raw emotion with philosophical insights, inviting readers to ponder their own lives. With each page, she challenges cultural taboos surrounding death, prompting a fresh dialogue about end-of-life choices. "Dying" is an evocative meditation on what it means to truly live and to gracefully face the inevitable.
By Cory Taylor
Published: 2017
""Death is not a failure; it’s the ultimate testament to life, reminding us to cherish every fleeting moment we have.""
"Bracing and beautiful . . . Every human should read it." —The New York Times A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and 2017 Critics' Pick One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2017 At the age of sixty, Cory Taylor is dying of melanoma-related brain cancer. Her illness is no longer treatable: she now weighs less than her neighbor’s retriever. As her body weakens, she describes the experience—the vulnerability and strength, the courage and humility, the anger and acceptance—of knowing she will soon die. Written in the space of a few weeks, in a tremendous creative surge, this powerful and beautiful memoir is a clear-eyed account of what dying teaches: Taylor describes the tangle of her feelings, remembers the lives and deaths of her parents, and examines why she would like to be able to choose the circumstances of her death. Taylor’s last words offer a vocabulary for readers to speak about the most difficult thing any of us will face. And while Dying: A Memoir is a deeply affecting meditation on death, it is also a funny and wise tribute to life.
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Cory Taylor was an acclaimed Australian author known for her poignant and deeply introspective writing. Her notable works include 'Me and Emma,' a novel that delves into the complexities of childhood and family, and 'The Last Tale of the Flower Bride,' which showcases her talent for blending the surreal with the real. Taylor's writing style is characterized by a lyrical prose, keen psychological insight, and an ability to convey profound emotional truths, often exploring themes of memory, loss, and identity.
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View Collection“"Death is not a failure; it’s the ultimate testament to life, reminding us to cherish every fleeting moment we have."”
Dying
By Cory Taylor
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