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In the Midst of Life
The last collection of true-life nursing stories from the No.1 bestselling author of the CALL THE MIDWIFE series.Jennifer Worth's bestselling memoirs of her time as a midwife have inspired and moved readers of all ages. Now, in IN THE MIDST OF LIFE she documents her experiences as a nurse and ward sister, treating patients who were nearing the end of their lives. Interspersed with these stories from Jennifer's post-midwife career are the histories of her patients, from the family divided by a decision nobody could bear to make, to the mother who comes to her son's adopted country and joins his family without being able to speak a word of English.IN THE MIDST OF LIFE also gives moving insights not just into Jennifer's life and career, but also of a period of time which seems very different to today's, fast-paced world.
423 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2010
176 people are currently reading
5114 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Worth
18 books953 followersWorth, born Jennifer Lee while her parents were on holiday in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, was raised in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. After leaving school at the age of 14, she learned shorthand and typing and became the secretary to the head of Dr Challoner's Grammar School. She then trained as a nurse at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, and moved to London to receive training to become a midwife.
Lee was hired as a staff nurse at the London Hospital in Whitechapel in the early 1950s. With the Sisters of St John the Divine, an Anglican community of nuns, she worked to aid the poor. She was then a ward sister at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in Bloomsbury, and later at the Marie Curie Hospital in Hampstead.
She married the artist Philip Worth in 1963, and they had two daughters.
Worth retired from nursing in 1973 to pursue her musical interests. In 1974, she received a licentiate of the London College of Music, where she taught piano and singing. She obtained a fellowship in 1984. She performed as a soloist and with choirs throughout Britain and Europe.
She later began writing, and her first volume of memoirs, 'Call the Midwife', was published in 2002. The book became a bestseller when it was reissued in 2007. 'Shadows of the Workhouse' (2005; reissued 2008) and 'Farewell to the East End' (2009) also became bestsellers. The trilogy sold almost a million copies in the UK alone. In a fourth volume of memoirs 'In the Midst of Life', published in 2010, Worth reflects on her later experiences caring for the terminally ill.
Worth was highly critical of Mike Leigh's 2004 film Vera Drake, for depicting the consequences of illegal abortions unrealistically. She argued that the method shown in the movie, far from being fairly quick and painless, was in fact almost invariably fatal to the mother.
Worth died on 31 May 2011, having been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus earlier in the year.
A television series, Call the Midwife, based on her books, began broadcasting on BBC One on 15 January 2012.
Lee was hired as a staff nurse at the London Hospital in Whitechapel in the early 1950s. With the Sisters of St John the Divine, an Anglican community of nuns, she worked to aid the poor. She was then a ward sister at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in Bloomsbury, and later at the Marie Curie Hospital in Hampstead.
She married the artist Philip Worth in 1963, and they had two daughters.
Worth retired from nursing in 1973 to pursue her musical interests. In 1974, she received a licentiate of the London College of Music, where she taught piano and singing. She obtained a fellowship in 1984. She performed as a soloist and with choirs throughout Britain and Europe.
She later began writing, and her first volume of memoirs, 'Call the Midwife', was published in 2002. The book became a bestseller when it was reissued in 2007. 'Shadows of the Workhouse' (2005; reissued 2008) and 'Farewell to the East End' (2009) also became bestsellers. The trilogy sold almost a million copies in the UK alone. In a fourth volume of memoirs 'In the Midst of Life', published in 2010, Worth reflects on her later experiences caring for the terminally ill.
Worth was highly critical of Mike Leigh's 2004 film Vera Drake, for depicting the consequences of illegal abortions unrealistically. She argued that the method shown in the movie, far from being fairly quick and painless, was in fact almost invariably fatal to the mother.
Worth died on 31 May 2011, having been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus earlier in the year.
A television series, Call the Midwife, based on her books, began broadcasting on BBC One on 15 January 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
May 20, 2015
HAVE YOU MADE A LIVING WILL/ADVANCE DIRECTIVE?
HAVE YOU TOLD ALL THOSE CLOSE TO YOU WHAT YOUR WISHES ARE IN THE FACE OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY?
That is the essential message of this book, that and raising awareness of the discussion our society needs to have about our current obsession with prolonging life at all costs.
The author was a nurse for many years, and the book contains some gruesome descriptions of old people whose lives have been prolonged through medical intervention - people who have spent their last hours, days, months or even years in extreme distress - thanks to being given life-saving treatment after having severe strokes or heart attacks, or other medical emergencies. Obviously if you have been healthy before these episodes, intervention is often a very positive step forward, but if you are elderly, frail, and perhaps even suffering with inoperable conditions like metastatic cancer, these interventions can hugely worsen your quality of life. People doubly incontinent, who can only be fed with a feeding tube, often people left in a state that is almost vegetative. Time and time again the author shows how all the stress in emergency work is nowadays put into preserving life, rather than letting people just die a decent death. Even people who are clearly dead, are treated with things like defibrillation when ambulances and paramedics come onto the scene. The onus on the medics is that they must try and restore life, however tenuous the opportunity to do so.
There is a chapter on euthanasia, but organisations like Dignitas in Switzerland are treated with a degree of ambivalence. The organisations she does support of course are hospices, which in recent years have done so much to improve the lives of people who are dying. Most of all though she feels passionately that medical intervention has gone haywire - and that the lives of too many elderly people are being horrendously affected by our insistence to try and save lives however dire and negative the situation, or possible outcome.
Besides changing legislation and current medical philosophy, (a mammoth task for those brave enough to try and tackle this minefield), the only way forward is for individuals to make living wills, and for them to make sure that everyone around them knows their wishes. Some people want medical intervention in all instances - and of course it is their right to be able to have this. But for those of use who don't want emergency interventions as we come towards the end of our lives, we need to let people know our wishes.
This book is not an easy read, but insofar as it nudges anyone out of their complacency and into making a living will - it's extremely important.
March 21, 2024
Jennifer Worth’s most well-known work is The Midwife trilogy, which was made into a compelling TV series, 'Call the Midwife.' While her trilogy deals with the beginning of life, this book explores the landscape of end of life and attempts to answer the question of what makes a good death.
I quickly became immersed in the stories of patients facing some really difficult decisions. One of the most tragic was where the patient was not able to make their own decision and the children became bitterly divided in their idea of what was best for their mum.
Worth reveals that she is a strong proponent of dying a peaceful death rather than prolonging life for the sake of it, especially if that existence is rather a poor one. She writes about how most people slip quietly away alone, when loved ones have stepped out of the room for a moment.
“There is a living spirit that is the spark of life, and when it knows that the flesh, which it has animated for a while, is decaying, the soul wants to slip away quietly, when no one is looking.”
On the darker side of things, Worth explores the idea that people may be kept alive simply because of the income earned for the facility they reside in. “The majority of care homes are profit-making establishments, which can be bought and sold on the open market.”
Worth is not a proponent of euthanasia. She writes that, “suffering is a part of life, just as happiness is, and it is certainly not a justification for ending life. Suffering stalks the wards of all hospitals, but it is not senseless; if it was, all life would be senseless, and it is not.”
The term, ‘To die in peace’ is from the bible and Worth explains that it means “to be allowed the space, the time, and the silence in which to know that I am going to die, to contemplate death and to come to terms with the inevitable, and above all to become friends with and welcome the Angel of Death, is what I pray for.”
We can fight against death and shout out about our dignity and our rights but at the end of the day, death comes to us all. “The Grace of Humility, and her sister Acceptance, will be a better and surer guide on the hard and stony path that lies ahead.”
Finally, Worth writes about how faith in God has been eroded over time and been replaced by faith in science instead, as something we have more control over. We cling to life and accept advanced medical treatment without questioning that perhaps it is time to let go.
Worth believes “the dilemma has not come upon us through science or medicine, per se, nor even from social attitudes to death. It has crept up on us through lack of faith, and hidden between the lines of this book is a plea for a return to the simple understanding that life and death are in God’s hands, not ours.”
About six months after this book was published Worth was diagnosed with cancer. In April 2011 she wrote, "As everything slides away, what I am left with is faith and love. Faith, which has been the cornerstone of my life, and love, which has been always with me." She died in May 2011.
I quickly became immersed in the stories of patients facing some really difficult decisions. One of the most tragic was where the patient was not able to make their own decision and the children became bitterly divided in their idea of what was best for their mum.
Worth reveals that she is a strong proponent of dying a peaceful death rather than prolonging life for the sake of it, especially if that existence is rather a poor one. She writes about how most people slip quietly away alone, when loved ones have stepped out of the room for a moment.
“There is a living spirit that is the spark of life, and when it knows that the flesh, which it has animated for a while, is decaying, the soul wants to slip away quietly, when no one is looking.”
On the darker side of things, Worth explores the idea that people may be kept alive simply because of the income earned for the facility they reside in. “The majority of care homes are profit-making establishments, which can be bought and sold on the open market.”
Worth is not a proponent of euthanasia. She writes that, “suffering is a part of life, just as happiness is, and it is certainly not a justification for ending life. Suffering stalks the wards of all hospitals, but it is not senseless; if it was, all life would be senseless, and it is not.”
The term, ‘To die in peace’ is from the bible and Worth explains that it means “to be allowed the space, the time, and the silence in which to know that I am going to die, to contemplate death and to come to terms with the inevitable, and above all to become friends with and welcome the Angel of Death, is what I pray for.”
We can fight against death and shout out about our dignity and our rights but at the end of the day, death comes to us all. “The Grace of Humility, and her sister Acceptance, will be a better and surer guide on the hard and stony path that lies ahead.”
Finally, Worth writes about how faith in God has been eroded over time and been replaced by faith in science instead, as something we have more control over. We cling to life and accept advanced medical treatment without questioning that perhaps it is time to let go.
Worth believes “the dilemma has not come upon us through science or medicine, per se, nor even from social attitudes to death. It has crept up on us through lack of faith, and hidden between the lines of this book is a plea for a return to the simple understanding that life and death are in God’s hands, not ours.”
About six months after this book was published Worth was diagnosed with cancer. In April 2011 she wrote, "As everything slides away, what I am left with is faith and love. Faith, which has been the cornerstone of my life, and love, which has been always with me." She died in May 2011.
May 3, 2023
I'm reading two Jennifer Worth books right now.
This book, unlike the other one is brilliantly written. Worth was clever with words. Simple ones, no witty turns of phrase or unique synonyms, but unusually perceptive writing of a very ordinary kind. In other words, very easy reading but not lacking depth.
However, it's awfully depressing. It's all about people who have decided to die and medical science won't let them. People who do die and not necessarily peacefully. Hospices, drugs and more people dying. It's my bedtime book. I'm not sure this is a good idea.
This book, unlike the other one is brilliantly written. Worth was clever with words. Simple ones, no witty turns of phrase or unique synonyms, but unusually perceptive writing of a very ordinary kind. In other words, very easy reading but not lacking depth.
However, it's awfully depressing. It's all about people who have decided to die and medical science won't let them. People who do die and not necessarily peacefully. Hospices, drugs and more people dying. It's my bedtime book. I'm not sure this is a good idea.
May 10, 2012
What an eye-opener!!! It is more than simply a collection of stories about people dying, but it raises much debate on our attitudes towards death - that as a society we have come to reject the idea that death is a natural order of life. There are so many cases of people being kept alive, who under normal circumstances would 'slip away peacefully'. There are some pretty harrowing cases too - of people literally being pulled back from the brink of death who then go on to suffer a slow and painful deterioration. That such is medical intervention that 'people are no longer allowed to die' yet doctors are bound by rules, through 'fear of litigation' that they must to everything they can to 'save a life'.
God forbid any of us ever end up like some of the poor souls in this book. The only bit which made me smile was the list of circumstances where resuscitation would not be attempted, which included decapitation! Well you'd look pretty strange without a head!
Many of the stories were very moving and beautifully told through the eyes of the author, in her capacity as a nurse, while caring for these people at the end of their lives. I think everyone should read this book!
God forbid any of us ever end up like some of the poor souls in this book. The only bit which made me smile was the list of circumstances where resuscitation would not be attempted, which included decapitation! Well you'd look pretty strange without a head!
Many of the stories were very moving and beautifully told through the eyes of the author, in her capacity as a nurse, while caring for these people at the end of their lives. I think everyone should read this book!
November 29, 2015
My, oh my, what a beautiful book. 2015 has been a wonderful year reading-wise, since I’ve had the joy of reading all of Jennifer Worth’s books (well, most of them anyway – other than one on eczema and food allergies). This was yet another fantastic book by her and unfortunately her final one. It was about death and dying and very thought-provoking. I just realized that I’ve been reading quite a few books on death as well, not that I mind at all. Most people don’t like to talk about death, yet we’re all going to have to face it at some point, and for that reason I think that everyone should read this, but most especially those in the medical professions. I love how reading this encouraged me to have a new perspective on life – “life is short, enjoy it while you may.” I highlighted so many quotes and excerpts, here are a few of them.
"In the natural course of events, the period when death is taking over a body is fairly brief. My grandfather (who had no medication) had about a fortnight of this period in his life. Today it can drag on for months or years."
"There is not a single dying human being who does not yearn for love, touch, understanding, and whose heart does not break from the withdrawal of those who should be drawing near."
"The husband of one of my dearest friends died in hospital of lung cancer, but she was with him most of the time in the last few weeks. She told me, ‘I was with him, and I could see that he was going to die, so I pulled the curtains round and lay on the bed beside him. I took him in my arms (he weighed almost nothing, he was so thin) and whispered to him and kissed him. He knew I was there. Then he just stopped breathing, but I didn’t move. I stayed there with him until he was quite cold. Then I got up and went to one of the nurses and told them that he had gone. The nurse came to check, and touched him. 'But he’s quite cold,' she said. 'When did he die?' '“It was at half past two – I know because I looked at my watch.' 'But you should have come and called one of the staff; it’s nearly four o’clock now,' the nurse said. '“No, I wanted to be alone with him, quietly, lovingly, giving him time for his soul to leave his body.' 'This is most unusual,' remarked the nurse, and gave me a very funny look. But I didn’t care what anyone thought. I knew that he was safely on his way to wherever we go after we die, and I left the hospital, happy.'"
"As everything slides away, what I am left with is faith and love. Faith, which has been the cornerstone of my life, and love, which has been always with me. Love of my husband; our love for each other; love of my daughters and my grandchildren, and their surpassing care of me. And overall, and around all, the love of God. Thanks be to God."
"In the natural course of events, the period when death is taking over a body is fairly brief. My grandfather (who had no medication) had about a fortnight of this period in his life. Today it can drag on for months or years."
"There is not a single dying human being who does not yearn for love, touch, understanding, and whose heart does not break from the withdrawal of those who should be drawing near."
"The husband of one of my dearest friends died in hospital of lung cancer, but she was with him most of the time in the last few weeks. She told me, ‘I was with him, and I could see that he was going to die, so I pulled the curtains round and lay on the bed beside him. I took him in my arms (he weighed almost nothing, he was so thin) and whispered to him and kissed him. He knew I was there. Then he just stopped breathing, but I didn’t move. I stayed there with him until he was quite cold. Then I got up and went to one of the nurses and told them that he had gone. The nurse came to check, and touched him. 'But he’s quite cold,' she said. 'When did he die?' '“It was at half past two – I know because I looked at my watch.' 'But you should have come and called one of the staff; it’s nearly four o’clock now,' the nurse said. '“No, I wanted to be alone with him, quietly, lovingly, giving him time for his soul to leave his body.' 'This is most unusual,' remarked the nurse, and gave me a very funny look. But I didn’t care what anyone thought. I knew that he was safely on his way to wherever we go after we die, and I left the hospital, happy.'"
"As everything slides away, what I am left with is faith and love. Faith, which has been the cornerstone of my life, and love, which has been always with me. Love of my husband; our love for each other; love of my daughters and my grandchildren, and their surpassing care of me. And overall, and around all, the love of God. Thanks be to God."
July 22, 2013
Memories of a nurse who worked with dying patients. Also a brief, but thoughtful history of the hospice movement. A small bio on Elizabeth Kubler-Ross who wrote 'On Death and Dying' which was one of the most influential books of my youth. I must revisit it!
Jennifer Worth is the author of the beloved 'Call the Midwife" trilogy and this book is just as fascinating. I have not had a literal cry while reading a book in many years. The beautiful little story on page 80 did me in.
This is by far the most important book Worth has written. I learned so much. For example, I was shocked by how low (single digit) the number of lives actually saved by cardiac resuscitation is. People rarely die peacefully anymore. Their physical bodies are assaulted in extreme ways with our ever advancing technology, long after any chance of a meaningful recovery is left. We can't cheat death, but we can prolong it in agonizing ways.
Death can be beautiful and spiritual, but we have hidden it away and are afraid to speak of these things. I was shocked to find members of my own family who do not want to talk about dying.
We all need to make our wishes known to our next of kin, and sign health care powers of attorney in case of sudden disability.
A big MUST READ for everyone I know.
Jennifer Worth is the author of the beloved 'Call the Midwife" trilogy and this book is just as fascinating. I have not had a literal cry while reading a book in many years. The beautiful little story on page 80 did me in.
This is by far the most important book Worth has written. I learned so much. For example, I was shocked by how low (single digit) the number of lives actually saved by cardiac resuscitation is. People rarely die peacefully anymore. Their physical bodies are assaulted in extreme ways with our ever advancing technology, long after any chance of a meaningful recovery is left. We can't cheat death, but we can prolong it in agonizing ways.
Death can be beautiful and spiritual, but we have hidden it away and are afraid to speak of these things. I was shocked to find members of my own family who do not want to talk about dying.
We all need to make our wishes known to our next of kin, and sign health care powers of attorney in case of sudden disability.
A big MUST READ for everyone I know.
June 23, 2015
“In The Midst Of Life” is every bit as thought-provoking as Worth’s three “Call The Midwife” books. On the whole I thought it darker and more chilling because though we almost invariably welcome birth, our present day society still largely manages to maintain a taboo on discussing death and exploring the issues that we may anticipate surrounding our own death. Might this be in part due to society’s loss of the reassurance and rituals instilled by a well-rooted and informed religious faith; and/or the enormous financial investment that so many parents make in bringing up a child; or simply the fact that compared to previous generations we see so little of death? How many of us have seen, smelt, or touched a human corpse? Is it dangerous that we are so protected from death: until we meet it, unprepared?
Phoenix categorises this book as non-fiction / memoir. I find that disingenuous, bald and unhelpful. I would instead describe this as a book that celebrates life and the timely end of life; not limited to those experienced first-hand by the author, but also heart-warming narratives of pioneering lives such as that of Dame Cicely Saunders (the founder of the hospice movement), and observant of other authors such as Edith Cotterill: “The dying need only a hand to hold and a quiet in which to make their departure.” (pg.80) So true.
In this book Worth illustrates her experiences of ‘good’ death and ‘bad’ death. Respect, empathy and knowledge are the qualities in demand here. Other de-humanising behaviours she describes and rails against are frighteningly capable of causing untold pain and suffering; and not merely to the dying person. As we grow into advanced old age and our so-called ‘caring’ and ‘civilised’ ‘democratic’ society demands ever higher taxes from us, so medical services devise ever more, literally tortuous, methods and procedures to ‘protect’ us: exemplified by (to put it baldly) reducing national unemployment through the monetisation and unnecessarily prolongation of life; to their victim’s, and victim’s friends and family’s, acute pain, deep distress, and permanent emotional scarring.
God/Fate (depending on your view) may appear to make the manner of the end of life something of a lottery nowadays; but we really MUST be vigorous in identifying and questioning the raw ugly truth of the motives behind the corrosive self-interest and fear of legal action which causes those who have the temerity to dare to die to be seen as a problem. Life is not ours to deliberately preserve at a cost to our humanity. The deep healing which flows from reconciliation, sprung from a timely and well-mannered death, benefits both the deceased and the living. A ‘good’ death should not be subject to lottery.
That’s why this is an extraordinarily important book; which I would especially and urgently urge more MEN to read. I couldn’t help by be disturbed to cast an eye down the list of those on Goodreads who have reviewed, rated, or simply read Jennifer Worth’s “In The Midst Of Life”; only to observe that they all appear to be female!
Phoenix categorises this book as non-fiction / memoir. I find that disingenuous, bald and unhelpful. I would instead describe this as a book that celebrates life and the timely end of life; not limited to those experienced first-hand by the author, but also heart-warming narratives of pioneering lives such as that of Dame Cicely Saunders (the founder of the hospice movement), and observant of other authors such as Edith Cotterill: “The dying need only a hand to hold and a quiet in which to make their departure.” (pg.80) So true.
In this book Worth illustrates her experiences of ‘good’ death and ‘bad’ death. Respect, empathy and knowledge are the qualities in demand here. Other de-humanising behaviours she describes and rails against are frighteningly capable of causing untold pain and suffering; and not merely to the dying person. As we grow into advanced old age and our so-called ‘caring’ and ‘civilised’ ‘democratic’ society demands ever higher taxes from us, so medical services devise ever more, literally tortuous, methods and procedures to ‘protect’ us: exemplified by (to put it baldly) reducing national unemployment through the monetisation and unnecessarily prolongation of life; to their victim’s, and victim’s friends and family’s, acute pain, deep distress, and permanent emotional scarring.
God/Fate (depending on your view) may appear to make the manner of the end of life something of a lottery nowadays; but we really MUST be vigorous in identifying and questioning the raw ugly truth of the motives behind the corrosive self-interest and fear of legal action which causes those who have the temerity to dare to die to be seen as a problem. Life is not ours to deliberately preserve at a cost to our humanity. The deep healing which flows from reconciliation, sprung from a timely and well-mannered death, benefits both the deceased and the living. A ‘good’ death should not be subject to lottery.
That’s why this is an extraordinarily important book; which I would especially and urgently urge more MEN to read. I couldn’t help by be disturbed to cast an eye down the list of those on Goodreads who have reviewed, rated, or simply read Jennifer Worth’s “In The Midst Of Life”; only to observe that they all appear to be female!
April 1, 2012
Not a novel, more a series of essays on dying. Some are recollections, some more Jennifer's thoughts on the process of dying. Her main point is that in the 'good old days' you were allowed to die quietly at home in bed, death was understood to be what happened at the end of life & professionals had more wriggle room to think about the quality of life of those who were near death & take that into account in their treatment. She contrasts this with current practice which is more about avoiding being sued, avoiding headlines about doctors/nurses killing vulnerable clients etc & attempting ressucitation in all circumstances even if the person is obviously dead or will be denied a peaceful death in bed for a lingering end in hospital at massive cost & much personal suffering for patient & family. It certainly put the fear of death into me & made me think about making a will insisting I am not ressuciated in certain circumstances & it made me think if I found a loved one dead or near death when they were very old or very ill, I would take my time before calling 999.
April 23, 2020
A wonderful, beautifully written , and in my opinion, life-enhancing book on the subject of how we treat the dying, and attitudes towards death, by the author of the Call the Midwife books. Jennifer Worth herself died of cancer in the year following publication of this book, and as the Guardian obituary said:
'She met her last illness with courage. Jennifer was determined to put into practice the ideas that she wrote about in her last book, In the Midst of Life (2010) – namely, the absolute dignity of the dying person, whose wish for a natural end should be respected. Jennifer had a very happy family life, the deep peace of a life well lived, and a death committed to God.'
'She met her last illness with courage. Jennifer was determined to put into practice the ideas that she wrote about in her last book, In the Midst of Life (2010) – namely, the absolute dignity of the dying person, whose wish for a natural end should be respected. Jennifer had a very happy family life, the deep peace of a life well lived, and a death committed to God.'
March 11, 2014
2.5 stars
This wasn't as interesting as Worth's earlier books, I was quite bored for the most part. There were only a few sections that I found truly engrossing.
-What's what: Jenny's memoirs as a nurse in the fifties/sixties. Focused mainly around her observations on patients, family, illness, and death.
-The writing was a bit too preachy and religious at times.
-There were a few too many chapters filled with uninteresting info dumps, it felt like I was reading a textbook rather than a memoir.
-Pretty much every story was depressing and full of doom and gloom. In Worth's midwife memoirs there was a mix of sad and uplifting stories. Her nursing memoirs were just full of grim, hopeless stories.
All in all, this didn't captivate me like Worth's previous books did… Jenny's time as a domiciliary midwife made for far more fascinating reading than her time as a hospital nurse.
This wasn't as interesting as Worth's earlier books, I was quite bored for the most part. There were only a few sections that I found truly engrossing.
-What's what: Jenny's memoirs as a nurse in the fifties/sixties. Focused mainly around her observations on patients, family, illness, and death.
-The writing was a bit too preachy and religious at times.
-There were a few too many chapters filled with uninteresting info dumps, it felt like I was reading a textbook rather than a memoir.
-Pretty much every story was depressing and full of doom and gloom. In Worth's midwife memoirs there was a mix of sad and uplifting stories. Her nursing memoirs were just full of grim, hopeless stories.
All in all, this didn't captivate me like Worth's previous books did… Jenny's time as a domiciliary midwife made for far more fascinating reading than her time as a hospital nurse.
November 1, 2012
I cried my eyes out while reading this book! It discusses one of the most important issues that we will all face - death. How do you want to die? Do we have a choice? What is the role of modern medicine? Have societal views of death and people who dying changed because of modern medicine? While taking me through various case studies, the book challenged my views of 'dying with dignity', euthanasia, resuscitation...It asks many provocative questions. For example, is it ethical to save a life of a very old, ill person even though the quality of their life afterwards would be so poor and would have detrimental effects on people around them too? Very thought provoking.
December 14, 2013
Required reading for anyone who might die, or if you know people who've died. Of particular interest to those in the health care field. Not as warm fuzzy as her earlier stories but though provoking and strongly written.
February 21, 2021
Jennifer Worth was one bloody hell of a good writer and storyteller. It's hard to say enough good things about this and her other books. So I'll be brief: just read them!
June 19, 2013
This book is a thought provoking and heart rending look at how we deal with death and dying in England. We are so afraid of death (which many spiritual seekers see as a gateway into the next 'chapter' of our eternal existence)that we hold on to so-called life beyond any quality or self-determination.
Jennifer Worth has exposed our cultural spiritual poverty and how we seek to avoid the inevitable via legislation and technology.
I am totally opposed to euthanasia in any form but there has to be compassion and dignity.
This book made me weep. It is a must-read for anyone working in a care home or with frail, elderly people who are nearing the end of their natural lives.
Jennifer Worth has exposed our cultural spiritual poverty and how we seek to avoid the inevitable via legislation and technology.
I am totally opposed to euthanasia in any form but there has to be compassion and dignity.
This book made me weep. It is a must-read for anyone working in a care home or with frail, elderly people who are nearing the end of their natural lives.
July 13, 2015
I'm getting closer to knowing my mind about an Advanced Directive. Not often does a book change my mind, but this one did. End of life issues aren't the most popular dinner party topic, but I'd love to talk this through with more friends. We began such a discussion recently. I said, with a bit of tease in my voice, "Curt (my husband) doesn't want *any* measures taken at *any* time." A wit looked at Curt replied, "Oh, so if you are choking on a cherry pit, we'll not take any measures."
A few days ago I had cataract surgery. I was curious that the clinic stated up front "These emergency measures will take place regardless of any Advance Medical Directives that have been provided."
I will update this with more content from the book when I have more breathing space. :)
A few days ago I had cataract surgery. I was curious that the clinic stated up front "These emergency measures will take place regardless of any Advance Medical Directives that have been provided."
I will update this with more content from the book when I have more breathing space. :)
January 5, 2021
3,5 stars
February 19, 2023
Jennifer Worth is an amazing storyteller. I've enjoyed all her books! It's difficult to write a good book when the subject is death but I appreciated her thoughtful insight.
December 25, 2016
I had two reasons for choosing to read a book about death so close to Christmas and the start of a new year. The first is because my family has been hit hard in the past year and a half by death. Last October we lost my grandmother, the following month my mother passed away, both were sudden and rather unexpected deaths, and then this past October my grandfather died two months after suffering a serious stroke. So it hasn't been an easy year and I had hopes I might get some comfort by reading this book. The second reason I have worked in health care for over ten years now, in nursing homes with seniors and wanted to see how attitudes and overall care have changed and evolved over the years. Even in my relatively short career I've seen changes. For the most part this book did help me out. I felt relief in knowing that when my loved ones died they were at peace, did not suffer much or at all. As my mother told her sister before going to the surgery that ended her life "if I die in the middle of it I won't know it". The only suffering death seems to cause is in those of us left to mourn. While most of the stories took place several years ago, much remains the same. As I read I saw many of the stories reflected those I've seen in my own workplace. From the family divided on whether or not to operate or prolong their mother's life, to patients who continuously bounce back from the brink of death time and time again and a major factor that unfortunately we in healthcare face, the lack of staff. Staff shortages are something I fear we will always have to live with. While most of the book was riveting and I found myself agreeing with the author there were a few things I found not to be true at least in my career. It could be the difference in countries and health systems. Mrs. Worth is in Britain, I'm in Canada. Who knows? I find that we are a bit more open to death. Doctors often encourage families of our residents to sign DNR forms and to sign advanced directives that say their loved one can remain in the nursing home and be kept comfortable, rather than go through the trauma of a hospital visit. Most of the families I've seen have someone around the clock with their mom or dad, except in those sad cases when there is no one and we take their place. When you spend eight hours five days a week with these people they do become your family. But I also am coming from a more social perspective rather than clinical, so maybe I don't see all the major behind the scenes medical drama that goes on. Overall though the book was well written. It would have me in tears one moment and in a rage the next. The stories of Mrs. Ratski, Mrs. Doherty and Dr. Hyem were ones I found hard to stop reading. However there were a few rather dry points in the book that made me take off a star. This should be mandatory reading for anyone going into hospice care, or even long term care as it puts the reality of death and dying into perspective and makes you realize it's not at all frightening something that has given me great comfort given the events of the past fifteen months or so.
August 29, 2018
I had a hard time coming to terms with the author’s seemingly contradictory opinions on passing away in peace and assisted suicide or euthanasia. She was very against assisted death because she felt it was full of moral implications not to mention opening many new pathways for abuse of those unable to speak for themselves, yet she supported people passing in “peace” at the end of life. She had many stories of people who had reached the end by being very old, very sick, or both, and doctors trying their hardest to perform cpr or pumping them full of drugs so they could live longer, if poorly. I’m not sure how assisted death, if that’s what is wanted by someone with all their faculties intact, is somehow worse than dying in a prolonged way, just waiting for disease to finish one off. I’ve seen people I love dearly pass on after a relatively short (6 weeks) of acute illness, and struggle through failed treatments and slow decaying of both mind and body for years. I know which I would pick, but if assisted death was another option besides a slow and painful wasting away, watching friends and family pity me more and more until I was no longer aware of my surroundings and became bedridden, hooked up to tubes and machines, until I was a mere shell of my former self, I would choose the least painful option for everyone.
July 27, 2013
Jennifer Worth, of Call the Midwife fame, moves from her nursing experiences at the beginning of life to working with dying patients. Through the very poignant personal stories, she examines what makes for a good death and what impedes it, while adding some wonderfully luminous insights of her own. Clearly on a mission, she constantly asks how valid is medical intervention, especially with patients who are already terminal. This takes on a much more personal turn at the end of the book as she discloses her own terminal prognosis and reflects on her own impending death. As with the previous books, this one is beautifully written. Highly recommended.
February 8, 2017
A well written and thoughtful book about a subject that is still a taboo in our society - death and dying. Makes the very valid and true point that so much of medicine these days is defensive medicine - i.e. Treatment given not because it's in the best interest of the patient but so that they don't get sued later down the track for not having done everything possible to keep someone alive, even if that means the patient dying in pain in hospital rather than in peace at home, or living in pain and incapacitated. Death comes to us all and, as Worth shows through the various stories she shares, it is possible to have a good death. A very thought provoking read indeed.
November 27, 2017
Disappointing. A messy collection of tales and anecdotes about old people dying badly possibly due to untimely, ambitious medical intervention. The aim is to make us rethink care of the elderly and our desires to prolong life. It raises some interesting discussion points but for me her arguments were delivered with a sledgehammer-like insistence, and no balance. Worse than this was the fact that she had somehow lost her “voice” - that quiet, calm, amusing inner narrative of her other books is replaced by a third person, pared-down, factual style, lacking warmth and depth. An interesting book to discuss but a dry, laborious read.
I adore all her Midwife books.
I adore all her Midwife books.
October 8, 2019
I loved this book, it’s made me look at life and death in a different way - definitely
well worth a read
well worth a read
May 10, 2024
I accidentally spent a whole morning finishing this book! Jennifer Worth was definitely an intellectual woman. I've read some of her other well known books and have been impressed by her knowledge in the medical progression, however the jargon made it a bit difficult for me to follow. However, the compassion that she writes with could be felt right through the pages, the gentleness that she had with patients during her time as a nurse. Those are the things that can be universally understood, even without a degree.
In the Midst Of Life will make you question the things you've been told or that have been drilled into you from society. The things achieved with modern medicine are truly incredible and lives can be drawn out much longer than anyone would have once expected. But where to draw the line with playing God? What good is a life drawn out by months, years, if the individual is fully dependent on machines, drugs and hospitalization? Is it wrong to let people suffer when suffering is just another experience, like happiness, that is a part of life/what it is to be human? Too often we avoid confronting death because from our experiences of grief and loss, it's painful. But for the individual dying might very well be the best thing that happens to them, seeing beyond the curtain. A sense of infinite peace. I love that the way Worth has written her book, she isn't pressing ideas or beliefs forcefully on the readers. She's exposing readers to her experiences as a nurse from the time she was a young woman till an experienced older woman and putting ideas out there. My only thing would be that because medicine progresses steadily the book is outdated and because I don't have medical education I found the jargon difficult. This book sits high on my list of excellent literature though and I would even say it's challenged and altered my ideologies.
In the Midst Of Life will make you question the things you've been told or that have been drilled into you from society. The things achieved with modern medicine are truly incredible and lives can be drawn out much longer than anyone would have once expected. But where to draw the line with playing God? What good is a life drawn out by months, years, if the individual is fully dependent on machines, drugs and hospitalization? Is it wrong to let people suffer when suffering is just another experience, like happiness, that is a part of life/what it is to be human? Too often we avoid confronting death because from our experiences of grief and loss, it's painful. But for the individual dying might very well be the best thing that happens to them, seeing beyond the curtain. A sense of infinite peace. I love that the way Worth has written her book, she isn't pressing ideas or beliefs forcefully on the readers. She's exposing readers to her experiences as a nurse from the time she was a young woman till an experienced older woman and putting ideas out there. My only thing would be that because medicine progresses steadily the book is outdated and because I don't have medical education I found the jargon difficult. This book sits high on my list of excellent literature though and I would even say it's challenged and altered my ideologies.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2022
This book deeply affected me. Worth's contemplations about modern medicine and death culture resonated with my own thoughts about the interventions we perform in healthcare when someone is dying. As a paramedic I often wonder what we are really doing, delaying the inevitable with invasive procedures that keep the machinations of the body going but leave a person with no quality of life. I think about what happens to our patients after we drop them off at the hospital, whether we really did the right thing, why people in general struggle so much with the concept of death, how we provide false hope and the public really doesn't understand the consequences of these actions. So many tricky ethical debates that we usually settle on scene with legal logic for fear of the consequences, not compassion and humanity.
September 28, 2024
Such an eye opener challenging those both inside and outside the profession to acknowledge how advances in medicine have changed our views on aging, death and end of life care, and whether the hospitalisation of death care is really the answer in every case. It's difficult to read in one go of course, because the subject matter is not necessarily light reading, but it is equally readable, concise, thoroughly researched, by the looks, medically accurate, emotive and raw.
Offers a unique and challenging perspective!
Offers a unique and challenging perspective!
March 17, 2021
This is an interesting book about death, full of anecdotes and discussions of the issues about death. If you are familiar with Jennifer Worth's "Call the Midwife" series, then you will know what to expect.
However, the author blew it for me at the end when she briefly tried to summarize and defeat the views of atheists about death. Maybe she didn't know any atheists, or didn't talk to any, so she didn't know that atheists may have different views about death. Certainly what she put in her book did not sum up my views on death and I am not a believer in a supreme being (but I will refrain from mocking the religious view here).
However, the author blew it for me at the end when she briefly tried to summarize and defeat the views of atheists about death. Maybe she didn't know any atheists, or didn't talk to any, so she didn't know that atheists may have different views about death. Certainly what she put in her book did not sum up my views on death and I am not a believer in a supreme being (but I will refrain from mocking the religious view here).
April 26, 2023
Amazing book. I think everyone should read this. It has really made me think about death in a completely different way. Outstanding.
November 27, 2023
Another interesting look at life and medicine over the decades! ❤️
July 7, 2015
A year of illness, a near-miss with cancer, and major surgery prompted me to question what I believed about death, dying, and the after-life. I had noticed references to this book by Jennifer Worth, and I was already impressed with her compassion, faith, and sensible approach to suffering.
At this point, the book is out of print, but I was able to obtain a copy from a used book site.
Worth's lesser known book is not as evenly written as her nursing memoirs. Some passages soar and others drag. She clearly points out that reviving people with collapsing health again and again has a down side. She opposes euthanasia, but she makes a good case for letting nature take its course when a person is suffering and has no quality of life. For me, all of this was beside the point. I wanted to understand death.
The passages where she tells anecdotes about those she has been with through their death are very well written and engaging to a person who is facing her own mortality way up close. Worth helped lessen my fear and take a more realistic look at death.
This is a "portmanteau" book. Worth tries to accomplish two separate things with the book, enclosing two separate purposes within one container, and that is a weakness. On the one hand, she is arguing against mandatory resuscitation of life when a person is suffering in extremity. On the other, she is explaining what death is, the characteristics she could observe about death, and why it is not to be feared, particularly by those who have lived a full life, or those who have faith in God.
I consider the book to be an answer to prayer when I was deeply shaken. If you find yourself where I have been, I highly recommend it, but get ready to do some skimming to get to the sections you want to read. Jennifer Worth, in my opinion, was "the real thing" in a world of commercialized Christianity. She worked on behalf of others, loved her family, prayed for unpleasant people she encountered, and had that full life. She lived it well. In site of some weaknesses, the book was of great benefit to me.
At this point, the book is out of print, but I was able to obtain a copy from a used book site.
Worth's lesser known book is not as evenly written as her nursing memoirs. Some passages soar and others drag. She clearly points out that reviving people with collapsing health again and again has a down side. She opposes euthanasia, but she makes a good case for letting nature take its course when a person is suffering and has no quality of life. For me, all of this was beside the point. I wanted to understand death.
The passages where she tells anecdotes about those she has been with through their death are very well written and engaging to a person who is facing her own mortality way up close. Worth helped lessen my fear and take a more realistic look at death.
This is a "portmanteau" book. Worth tries to accomplish two separate things with the book, enclosing two separate purposes within one container, and that is a weakness. On the one hand, she is arguing against mandatory resuscitation of life when a person is suffering in extremity. On the other, she is explaining what death is, the characteristics she could observe about death, and why it is not to be feared, particularly by those who have lived a full life, or those who have faith in God.
I consider the book to be an answer to prayer when I was deeply shaken. If you find yourself where I have been, I highly recommend it, but get ready to do some skimming to get to the sections you want to read. Jennifer Worth, in my opinion, was "the real thing" in a world of commercialized Christianity. She worked on behalf of others, loved her family, prayed for unpleasant people she encountered, and had that full life. She lived it well. In site of some weaknesses, the book was of great benefit to me.
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