What Do I Say?: Talking and Praying with Someone Who Is Dying

I have a particular interest in this topic and have read a number of resources for those who minister to the dying and their loved ones. This one struck me as really quite remarkable, in that it covers the topic so thoroughly in such a brief volume. On the one hand, one might find entire books written on the topics of some of her chapters; there is certainly more to say on some of these topics. On the other hand, sometimes one is in need of quick "short course" because of personal circumstances; this slim volume would provide exactly that, perhaps providing fresh insights as well as helpful reminders of things previously learned and forgotten. After reading it, one could always pursue a further investigation into one or more of the topics. The author covers practical, emotional, and spiritual issues, all quite competently. I do wish she had been upfront about her own religious affiliation; one gets the impression she is Catholic, and perhaps she felt it was inappropriate to state that directly. I would disagree. I found it distracting to look for a place where she made that clear. I think it is possible to state such affiliation, clearly, while asserting that nearly everything in the book would be applicable for almost anyone who tries to be a supportive companion to a person who is dying. Perhaps it was thought that a reader would make that assumption after noting that the publisher was Franciscan Media. My impression is that many readers pay no attention to who publishes a book. That is a tiny detail, though, and overall I thought it was excellently done, quite useful and unusually concise.