42 pages • 1 hour read
112
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Paris, France • 1960s
1964
Adult
18+ years
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
11,646 ratings
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Mixed feelings
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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.
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.
11,646 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
112
Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction
Paris, France • 1960s
1964
Adult
18+ years
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