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A Very Easy Death

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1964

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Book Brief

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Simone de Beauvoir

A Very Easy Death

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1964
Book Details
Pages

112

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Paris, France • 1960s

Publication Year

1964

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

In A Very Easy Death, Simone de Beauvoir recounts her experience of caring for her mother, Françoise, during the final six weeks of her life as she battles terminal cancer. Diagnosed following a fall, Françoise's true condition is kept from her, leading Beauvoir to grapple with ethical dilemmas and reflect on their strained relationship. Beauvoir provides a detailed, compassionate account of her mother’s death, interwoven with existential analysis and reevaluation. This book includes references to terminal illness, death, and bereavement.

Melancholic

Contemplative

Emotional

Heartwarming

Reviews & Readership

4.3

11,646 ratings

77%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Simone de Beauvoir's A Very Easy Death is lauded for its poignant and unflinchingly honest exploration of her mother's final days. Critics praise its emotional depth and introspective narrative. However, some find the prose occasionally overwrought. Overall, it is a powerful meditation on mortality and familial bonds, resonating deeply with readers.

Who should read this

Who Should Read A Very Easy Death?

Readers who appreciate poignant, introspective memoirs about familial relationships and end-of-life experiences will find Simone de Beauvoir's A Very Easy Death compelling. Comparable to Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, it offers profound reflections on grief, love, and mortality. Suitable for fans of deeply personal, existential literature.

4.3

11,646 ratings

77%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

112

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

Paris, France • 1960s

Publication Year

1964

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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