The more we talk, the less we fear

Since the dawn of time, human beings have been curious about death. Most of us have little time in our busy lives to think about the things that are important to us. Often, it’s not until we have a personal experience that we give any serious thought to our own life and our mortality.

With over twenty years’ experience as a specialist palliative care nurse, grief and bereavement counsellor, Molly Carlile AM has written The Death Talker which offers a common sense approach to the issues we can think about to live and die well.

I will admit that at times I found this book to be a little confronting, but the personal stories speak of the different cultural experiences of death, the way we in our Western society handle death now compared to 90 years ago, and how people can often come to the end of their lives with remorse and regret. The stories are thought provoking and encourage the reader to delve into the mysteries of the grieving processes, living a life that will satisfy you when you face death, and how best to prepare both yourself and family for the inevitable.

The Death Talker also discusses the physical processes of death, how to be informed, make choices and take control, your social media and online presence, and the how our choices can affect those left behind.

Now a Chief Executive Officer of a large metropolitan, community palliative care service, Molly Carlile AM uses her passion and knowledge to build informed and empowered communities so that dying and grieving people can be supported to live life to the full.

The Death Talker provides practical information in a very easy to read format and is a sensitive guide for exploring the things that matter to each of us and to help us have meaningful conversations with the people we love.