THAT GOOD NIGHT

For every Canadian worried about dying someday — or who loves someone who is getting close.

Medical advances mean our demise will likely be a negotiated event, not simply nature taking its course. We may seek guidance from the professional ethicists now on staff at major hospitals, but even they have no obvious answers for the toughest question we’ll ever face: how and when do you want to die?

Tim Falconer once again transforms a complicated subject into a thoughtful, readable and engaging book, one that shows us what ethicists do while tackling the difficult dilemmas that precede the modern death.

By sharing the compelling stories of those who’ve made hard choices, by considering living wills and by exploring the merits of assisted suicide and euthanasia, That Good Night untangles a topic that touches us all.

PRAISE FOR THAT GOOD NIGHT

“Falconer has done right by his readership—provoking thoughtful reflection on a deeply emotional and divisive subject that remains controversial. Anybody who has spent days at a time caring for an elderly relative in a hospital will appreciate this lucidly-written text which seeks to comfort those facing death with the knowledge that they are not alone.”
— Chris Morgan, London’s Scene Magazine

“Falconer takes the reader on his journey through the increasingly ethically complicated ways death is handled in modern society—particularly in hospitals.”
— Stuart Laidlaw, Toronto Star

“Falconer’s most significant point is that technology has plopped some new problems on a very old doorstep. Except in cases of sudden death, our lives today have negotiated conclusions…He hits all the bases, but focuses on the ethical considerations, alternating chapters between talks with an ethicist and stories of people who have had to deal with death…Falconer shows us, through the stories of five imperfect people’s battles with the ultimate cliché, the value of tackling this particular taboo before it tackles us.”
— Bert Archer, National Post

“As a bioethicist whose work in clinical ethics is also dominated by end-of-life issues, I particularly welcome how That Good Night includes multiple voices and perspectives—it weaves stories of patients, families, physicians, and ethicists together in exploring how our health-care system, despite its promises to be patient-centred and respectful of diverse perspectives, often fails to honour the wishes of or provide comfort for those who are facing an impending death. Various anecdotes illustrate how the lack of appropriate support has led to people dying alone, in pain or hooked up to machines.”
— Anita Ho, Literary Review of Canada

“Falconer approaches the thorny issues surrounding end-of-life care with sensitivity. He has one powerful piece of advice to dispense. Think carefully about the things that could go terribly, terribly wrong and consider the circumstances in which you would want to carry on living. Make sure your loved ones know how you feel. Otherwise, someone else might be making that decision for you.”
— Daniel McCabe, McGill News