Reviews
Richmond News – May 13, 2018
“Some might think it’s odd that I find a book about hospice work beautiful. Yet, there’s profound wisdom and wonder that exists not only in life experiences, but also in those surrounding dying. Kerry Egan, author of On Living, is a hospice chaplain who shares her intimate stories of working with dying patients. Not only is Egan a subtle and empathetic writer, but she’s the kind of person whose love and patience is a true gift to the dying.” (Columnist Shelley Civkin)
Booklist – October 1, 2016
As a hospice chaplain [Egan’s] job, listening to dying patients’ last wishes, last hopes, and tearful regrets, is a hard one. In these conversations, as Egan shares here, there is rarely any spiritual advice… Instead, patients focus their thoughts on their families, on the person they once were, and, of course, on dancing, and how they wish they’d done more of it. These shared moments provide powerful insights… Egan takes readers on an emotional journey through many unforgettable lives.”
Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review
“In her sophomore outing, masters the art of imparting critical life advice without coming off as preachy—a difficult feat…Egan’s empathetic tone is a comfort for both the healthy and the dying—whom, she opines, are not polar opposites…Egan also counselss that things are never as they appear, that there are layers to every decision, good and bad. As the title suggests, this is not just a book about dying. It’s one that will inspire readers to make the most of every day.”
Kirkus Reviews
“A longtime hospice chaplain, Egan (Fumbling: A Pilgrimage Tale of Love, Grief, and Spiritual Renewal on the Camino de Santiago, 2004) shares what she has learned through the stories of those nearing death. She notices that for every life, there are shared stories of heartbreak, pain, guilt, fear, and regret…The author is also straightforward in noting that through her experiences with the brokenness of other, and in trying to assist in that brokenness, she had found healing for herself… [Egan’s] anecdotes are often thought-provoking combinations of sublime humor and tragic pathos. She is not afraid to point out times where she made mistakes, even downright failures, in the course of her work. However, the nature of her work means “living in the gray,” where right and wrong answers are often hard to identify. A moving, heartfelt account of a hospice veteran.”
News Tribune
“It’s the rare book that touches heart and soul. For me, Kerry Egan’s remarkable memoir of her experiences as a hospice chaplain, On Living, is that rarity … I wanted to copy inspiring and poignant quotes from every other page…This is no preachy book of clichés, no prayers for the dying — just many reminders that time is short and that beauty, grace and loss exist in every life.”
Christian Century
“In Egan’s narrative, hope takes many shapes… It’s the kind of wisdom that might comfort someone experiencing a pain, suffering loss, or facing death. While belief systems may be filled with arguments and theories, Egan’s perspective is more forgiving, softer, and grayer…By showing how she sits with death, Egan helps reveal what we might be afraid to face.”
America Magazine
“This is one of the best books I have read all year: moving, inspiring, beautifully written…It is a book well worth exploring.”
