A darkly comic foray into the world of men and women who fake their own deaths, the consultants who help them disappear, and the private investigators who’ll stop at nothing to bring them back to life. “A delightful read for anyone tantalized by the prospect of disappearing without a trace.” —Erik Larson, New York Times bestselling author of Dead Wake “Delivers all the lo-fi spy shenanigans and caught-red-handed schadenfreude you’re hoping for.” —NPR “A lively romp.” —The Boston Globe “Grim fun.” —The New York Times “Brilliant topic, absorbing book.” —The Seattle Times “The most literally escapist summer read you could hope for.” —The Paris Review Is it still possible to fake your own death in the twenty-first century? With six figures of student loan debt, Elizabeth Greenwood was tempted to find out. So off she sets on a darkly comic foray into the world of death fraud, where for $30,000 a consultant can make you disappear—but your suspicious insurance company might hire a private detective to dig up your coffin...only to find it filled with rocks. Greenwood tracks down a British man who staged a kayaking accident and then returned to live in his own house while all his neighbors thought he was dead. She takes a call from Michael Jackson (no, he’s not dead—or so her new acquaintances would have her believe), stalks message boards for people contemplating pseudocide, and gathers intel on black market morgues in the Philippines, where she may or may not obtain some fraudulent goodies of her own. Along the way, she learns that love is a much less common motive than money, and that making your death look like a drowning virtually guarantees that you’ll be caught. (Disappearing while hiking, however, is a way great to go.) Playing Dead is a charmingly bizarre investigation in the vein of Jon Ronson and Mary Roach into our all-too-human desire to escape from the lives we lead, and the men and women desperate enough to give up their lives—and their families—to start again.

In this short story a man relates his inner-most thoughts and reflections as he suffers a heart attack on the street and is then brought back to life after three and a half minutes. It is a compelling tale of something appalling and yet completely ordinary, of pain and fear and acceptance, whilst walking the thin dividing line between life and death.

For two centuries the question has persisted: Was Meriwether Lewis’s death a suicide, an accident, or a homicide? By His Own Hand? is the first book to carefully analyze the evidence and consider the murder-versus-suicide debate within its full historical context. The historian contributors to this volume follow the format of a postmortem court trial, dissecting the case from different perspectives. A documents section permits readers to examine the key written evidence for themselves and reach their own conclusions.

Revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide with translations in 29 languages. After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or previous experience in the field, she found herself working in palliative care. During the time she spent tending to those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog post, outlining the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed. The post gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than three million readers worldwide in its first year. At the request of many, Bronnie subsequently wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, to share her story. Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse life. By applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone, if we make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide, with translations in 29 languages, Bronnie expresses how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a courageous, life-changing book that will leave you feeling more compassionate and inspired to live the life you are truly here to live.

The journey of a dying man toward a spiritual understanding of life. A twisted, funny story, always insightful, ultimately uplifting.

A distinguished lifelong thanatologist--expert on death--reviews his life, a previous prize-winning book of thirty five years ago, and his own impending death in this extraordinary volume of life's most ubiquitous event.

Choose Your Own Adventure: Cup of Death Cup of Death... You are a private investigator. You are in Japan, in the famous city of Kyoto, to find a stolen cup, a priceless Japanese National Treasure. Your suspects include politicians, a master of the tea ceremony, and even the yakuza-the Japanese Mafia. The cup is worth more than money can buy...but is it worth your life? The Choose your Own Adventure series is unique new series consists of 30 titles adapted from the wildly popular Choose Your Own Adventure series, which has sold over 250 million copies worldwide, and spawned an entire genre called 'interactive fiction'. What makes Choose Your Own Adventure different is that you, the reader, are the main character. You make the choices that can lead to a happy conclusion-or perhaps to a terrible fate! Each title is made up of several branching storylines, with up to 30 different endings. As a result, most readers read each book again and again, experiencing a different story each time. Originally targeted at reluctant readers, Choose Your Own Adventure has helped to develop critical thinking, literacy skills, and an interest in reading for a whole generation of English native speakers. Now adapted for English language learners of any age, the Choose Your Own Adventure series is a fun addition to any extensive reading library. Indeed, the stories are so engaging we guarantee that even non-ESL learners will enjoy reading them!

'Most people spend their whole lives asleep and then wake up a few days before they're about to die.' – Olivia Bareham, Sacred Crossings Death has a 100 per cent success rate. We can't escape its inevitability nor can we deny its existence. So, when someone close to us dies or we are confronted by our own mortality, why are we utterly unprepared? In Do Death, social activist Amanda Blainey seeks to transform our lives through our relationship with death. By inviting us to accept death as a natural part of life, she encourages us to think about what really matters – and live more consciously. With uplifting wisdom from leaders and visionaries, Do Death will: • Help us rediscover the power of human connection • Inspire us to think and talk about death more openly • Offer sage advice on how to navigate grief, and talk to children • Empower us to be better prepared, both practically and emotionally Death can be our greatest teacher. This book is a manual for living, at any stage in life.

"Owen-Towle's text is a prayer to push away the fear we often associate with the end of life." -from the Foreword by Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd Plainly, I'm neither a scientific investigator nor a professional thanatologist. I'm a pastor, and my advice is straightforward: whatever the manner or date of our extinction might be, it behooves us to reflect deeply and prime diligently for our death, while we're still awake and kicking. May we refrain from taking a spiritual bypass and face our own end as boldly and creatively as possible. Doing so will deliver unspeakable gifts both to ourselves and to our loved ones. Making Peace with Our Own Death may become one of the most important things we will ever do. -from the opening chapter "Reflecting Upon Death Amidst a Pandemic" About the Author The Rev. Dr. Tom Owen-Towle is entering his 54th year of ordained ministry and is the author of two dozen books on personal relationships, social justice challenges, and spiritual growth. Tom and his life-partner, the Rev. Dr. Carolyn Sheets Owen-Towle, are the active parents of four children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Tom is a guitarist and parlor magician, who, currently (pre-pandemic), in "re-firement," sings with seniors, mentor's children and youth, and volunteers with San Diego's homeless. Owen-Towle also lectures and conducts workshops on the core themes of conscious aging and mindful dying.