By Lionel Shriver – <\/b>Harper, 2021<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
In their 50s, Kay and Cyril both work in health care and have just watched the decade-long, agonizing demise of Kay\u2019s once-brilliant father to Alzheimer\u2019s. With firsthand professional and personal experience of the indignities of aging, they know the sacrifices families make as they stand by helplessly and watch a person die slowly. They make a pact to end their lives, together, at the age of 80. The next three decades pass and, lo, they\u2019re at their use-by date. What happens next is revealed in a dozen different possibilities, brilliantly thought out. In one alternate universe, they end up in residential care where they\u2019re neglected and forgotten; in another, at a posh facility where they\u2019re treated like royalty. In yet another scenario, they choose cryogenics with return when they would be free of disease. But this is not a morbid collection of \u201cwhat ifs.\u201d It\u2019s a thought-provoking, often humorous read on how we approach death and the choices we make. In other words, perfect for your book club.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In their 50s, Kay and Cyril both work in health care and have just watched the decade-long, agonizing demise of Kay\u2019s once-brilliant father to Alzheimer\u2019s. <\/span><\/p>\n