Book · 2014 · dying
Being Mortal
- mentions
- 7
- people
- 6
- podcasts
- 4
- episodes
- 6
- recommendation
- 1
His other books are Complications, A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, and Better, A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, and the book for which he's best known, Being Mortal, which wrestles with decline and death.
Stephen Dubner · Freakonomics Radio · Apr 2018 What they say about it
- Author and title references“Being Mortal by Atul Gawande”5
The best things said about it
Being Mortal is a book by this gentleman named Atul Gowande. It's all about like end of life issues. It's about stuff, you know, that people my age are dealing with their parents.
There was being mortal by Atul Gand which was a major bestseller for a long time on the bestseller list.
But now recently beginning with Atul G's book being mortal there's just this wave.
Atul Gawande's Being Mortal has returned to the list after falling off for a few weeks.
Where and when it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
6 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande is a profound exploration of aging, serious illness, and the limitations of modern medicine in dealing with the end of life. Aziz Ansari recommended the book on This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von, explaining that it deeply influenced him and directly inspired a film script he wrote about aging parents and end-of-life care. Ansari also mentioned sending a copy to Bill Murray, who expressed interest in starring in a potential adaptation. Atul Gawande appeared on How I Write to discuss the book's enduring legacy twelve years after publication, noting that it emerged directly from his professional experiences as a cancer surgeon. On The Book Review, Judith Newman and Gilbert Cruz highlighted the book as a major bestseller that sparked a widespread cultural wave of literature addressing mortality and dying. Greg Cowles noted on the same podcast when the paperback returned to the non-fiction bestseller list. Furthermore, Stephen Dubner mentioned the book during an introduction on Freakonomics Radio, categorizing it alongside Gawande's earlier medical works while emphasizing its central theme of wrestling with human decline and death. Together, these discussions underscore the book's profound impact on modern conversations surrounding healthcare, palliative options, and human dignity.
Every mention
Aziz Ansari Being Mortal is a book by this gentleman named Atul Gowande. It's all about like end of life issues. It's a… 2
“Being Mortal is a book by this gentleman named Atul Gowande. It's all about like end of life issues. It's about stuff, you know, uh that people my age are dealing with their parents. You know, some maybe not all people my people older, but you know, they're getting sick. You got to put them in retirement homes and you”
“Can you send me the book? I sent him the book. He was really into the book as well.”
Atul Gawande Being Mortal is 12 years old now. And, uh, and it's been, uh, it's been amazing. 1
“Being Mortal is 12 years old now. And, uh, and it's been, uh, it's been amazing.”
Gilbert Cruz but now recently beginning with Atul G's book being mortal there's just this wave 1
“but now recently beginning with Atul G's book being mortal there's just this wave”
Greg Cowles but I did want to quickly point out that um Atul gandes being mortal has returned to the list after falling… 1
“but I did want to quickly point out that um Atul gandes being mortal has returned to the list after falling off for a few weeks”
Judith Newman there was being mortal by Atul Gand which was a major bestseller for a long time on the bestseller list 1
“there was being mortal by Atul Gand which was a major bestseller for a long time on the bestseller list”
Stephen Dubner His other books are Complications, A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, and Better, A Surgeon's Notes… 1
“His other books are Complications, A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, and Better, A Surgeon's Notes on Performance, and the book for which he's best known, Being Mortal, which wrestles with decline and death.”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (6: passing, ad reads, own books)
“And I went and visited him and and it it was like that movie Being Mortal, you know, it was like I knew he was passing away. I knew this was probably our last conversation”
“being mortal from Atul Gand still on there for 67 weeks”
“and being mortal is still on the list at number six”
“no the only um book that's been on the non-fiction side for more than 30 weeks uh is Atul goand being mortal which is at number five”
“there have been a number of doctors um in recent years who have published books about their practice um Atul goand of course with being mortal last year and previous books uh Jerome grman”
“number one dead weake by Eric Larson number two being mortal by Atul goand at number five killing Patton by Bill O'Reilly”