A meditation on the human tendency to end our own lives, by an author who brings his own experience of depression to bear on this rarely discussed subject.
Jesse Bering is an award-winning science writer specializing in
evolutionary psychology and human behavior. His 'Bering in Mind'
column at Scientific American was named a 2010 Webby Award Honoree
by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. His
previous books are, The Belief Instinct whichwas included in the
American Library Association's Top 25 Books of the Year.This was
followed by a collection of his previously published essays, Why Is
the Penis Shaped Like That? and Perv , a taboo-shattering work
igniting discussion and fierce debates, named as a New YorkTimes
Editor's Choice.
A developmental psychologist by training, Bering is a renowned
expert in the field ofcognitive science and religion, He began his
career at the University of Arkansas, as an Assistant Professor of
Psychology from 2002 to 2006. He then served as the Director of the
Institute of Cognition and Culture at the Queen's University,
Belfast until 2011. Presently, he is an Associate Professor of
Science Communication at the University of Otago, New Zealand.
Jesse Bering asks the questions no one else dares, he tells truths
that others shy away from, and he writes the books that I wish I
had written. To me, he is everything a great scientist and
communicator should be. Suicide may be an uncomfortable subject yet
the escalating numbers of people who take their lives each year
means we must make it’s unravelling our priority. I have no doubt
this book will have a profound impact on all who read it, and add
considerably to our understanding of that self-willed oblivion,
whether it lies palpably just beneath our own skin, or the skins of
those we love. But perhaps most importantly of all it will help
dispel the stigma and shame that so perniciously clings to all
suicides.
*Dr Christian Jessen*
A brave and important exploration of a subject we urgently need to
demystify. It will change every reader for the better.
*Derren Brown*
Bering's book touches upon some deep questions relevant to all of
us. Indeed, it is as much about what makes us uniquely human as it
is about suicide. A Very Human Ending transcends its own
objectives. It is a fascinating, thoughtful, unflinching meditation
on one of the most intriguing and curious aspects of the human
condition.
*Evening Standard*
I'm not surprised that a book on suicide would be very personal,
but I didn’t expect it to be so damn funny. It's also engaging,
thoughtful, and sensitive – although Bering is certainly
irreverent, there is a real appreciation of how painful and
difficult this topic can be. This is a book for scholars and for a
general audience, but it is also entirely suitable for people whose
lives have been touched by the suicide of someone they loved.
*Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology at Yale University and author
of Against Empathy*
I have yet to come away from reading [Bering’s] work and not feel
considerably better informed than I was just minutes before
*Forbes*
A coherent, relevant look at the psychological secrets of
suicide... a fascinating study featuring some startling real-time
facts and perspectives on a sadly enduring phenomenon. For such a
fiercely complex subject with varying nuances, viewpoints, and
interpretations, Bering imparts accessible information through an
affable, conversational tone. This important book arms readers with
contemporary insight to help "short-circuit the powerful impetus to
die when things look calamitous." Bering illuminates a murky,
misunderstood human quandary with compassion, confessional honesty,
and academic perception.
*Kirkus*
Compelling... This isn't just a mix of statistics, academic
arguments and moving case studies. Bering also writes from the
inside as one who, since his teenage years, has at times felt the
"call to oblivion". Bering's remit is broad and he builds towards
his conclusions on a solid basis of research that throws up some
arresting statistics. He labours not just to size up what remains
an epidemic shrouded in silence and shame, but also to suggest ways
forward.
*Guardian*
Sadly, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, our minds
forever pulling us into dark forests. But there are numerous stages
at which we can step off that path before it's too late. Drawing on
research evidence and the world around us, Bering signposts and, we
can hope, saves.
* editor of The Psychologist*
Suicide is one of the toughest subjects to write about, and
psychologist Jesse Bering does it with candor, scientific integrity
and genuine empathy. A Very Human Ending is a vital book -
informative, engaging and enlightening despite its dark subject
matter.
*Shelf Awareness*
Highly enlightening... Bering carefully balances his avid curiosity
with deep compassion in this look at how suicidal urges work.
Throughout, Bering treats his sources with unvarying respect, as
well as a spirit of affiliation. Readers who have experienced the
anguish of suicidal impulses will find his work both heartening and
deeply illuminating.
*Publishers Weekly*
Why do more than a million people a year kill themselves? To answer
this question we need a brilliant research scientist, an insightful
psychologist, and a sensitive but powerful writer who has seriously
contemplated taking their own life. Jesse Bering fits all three
criteria and this book is a deeply moving narrative that cuts to
the heart of the ultimate question any of us could ever ask: why
should I live? Given what’s at stake in the topic, A Very Human
Ending may very well be the most important book you will ever
read.
*Michael Shermer, monthly columnist for Scientific
American and author of The Believing Brain, The Moral
Arc and Heavens on Earth*
Jesse Bering explores one of the most essential questions we all
face: Why keep living? He doesn't claim to have found any easy
answers, but his exploration is surprising, funny, touching, and
deeply personal. A Very Human Ending feels like a gift, and reading
it reminded me that encounters with great books are reason enough,
for now, to keep going.
*Christopher Ryan, author of Tangentially Reading and
Sex at Dawn*
Jesse Bering is the best science writer at work today.
*Dan Savage*
A necessary contribution to the demystification of a subject still
under discussed, Bering’s book is wise, warm and sure to encourage
conversation
*Irish Times*
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