The Consolations of Mortality
Making Sense of Death
Published on 4. October 2016
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-0-300-21925-8 (ISBN)
Description
A penetrating and provocative exploration of human mortality, from Epicurus to Joan Didion
For those who don't believe in an afterlife, the wisdom of the ages offers four great consolations for mortality: that death is benign and good; that mortal life provides its own kind of immortality; that true immortality would be awful; and that we experience the kinds of losses in life that we will eventually face in death. Can any of these consolations honestly reconcile us to our inevitable demise?
In this timely book, Andrew Stark tests the psychological truth of these consolations and searches our collective literary, philosophical, and cultural traditions for answers to the question of how we, in the twenty-first century, might accept our mortal condition. Ranging from Epicurus and Heidegger to bucket lists, the flaming out of rock stars, and the retiring of sports jerseys, Stark's poignant and learned exploration shows how these consolations, taken together, reveal death as a blessing no matter how much we may love life.
For those who don't believe in an afterlife, the wisdom of the ages offers four great consolations for mortality: that death is benign and good; that mortal life provides its own kind of immortality; that true immortality would be awful; and that we experience the kinds of losses in life that we will eventually face in death. Can any of these consolations honestly reconcile us to our inevitable demise?
In this timely book, Andrew Stark tests the psychological truth of these consolations and searches our collective literary, philosophical, and cultural traditions for answers to the question of how we, in the twenty-first century, might accept our mortal condition. Ranging from Epicurus and Heidegger to bucket lists, the flaming out of rock stars, and the retiring of sports jerseys, Stark's poignant and learned exploration shows how these consolations, taken together, reveal death as a blessing no matter how much we may love life.
Reviews / Votes
"Charming . . . [Stark] considers four stories about why death might not be as bad as we tend to suppose."-Colin McGinn, Wall Street Journal"Exciting and accessible . . . each chapter is engaging."-William Simkulet, Library Journal
Won the 2017 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title
"A deeply absorbing book, laced with humor and wisdom, that confronts the ultimate question-if we must die, how should we think about living? Andrew Stark's answers will surprise you."-Mark Lilla, Columbia University
"Infallibly interesting, sensible, and mercifully accessible, The Consolations of Mortality guides us through the ways people across the centuries have thought about the end. Andrew Stark has an uncanny talent for finding perfect quotes and anecdotes and is a gifted story teller."-William Ian Miller, author of Losing It
"Consolations of Mortality is a deeply literary engagement with a subject that will ever bedevil us. It persuasively-and unsentimentally-points the way to peace and even gratitude for the inevitable."-Michael Greenberg, author of Hurry Down Sunshine
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 218 mm
Width: 146 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
456 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-21925-8 (9780300219258)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
08/2016
1st Edition
De Gruyter
€36.00
Available for download
Person
Andrew Stark is professor of management and political science at the University of Toronto. His books include The Limits of Medicine and Drawing the Line: Public and Private in America. His articles have appeared in American Political Science Review, Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, among others. He lives in Toronto, Canada.