Let Me Die Before I Wake: Hemlock's Book of Self-Deliverance for the Dying

This is a difficult book to read. Not because it is poorly written, on the contrary, but because of the stories contained within. In it the author describes the steps taken by several people in order to end their own lives (mostly through overdoses), in some cases through the direct help of close relatives, with one story covering the death of the author's first wife. These stories serve as the argument for the means of committing suicide being made available, and being accepted by society, and shows how terminally ill people may preserve their dignity by taking their lives into their own hands. In addition, two of the stories show the trouble that may result from the lack of assistance in such an endeavor, and the additional pain that may result when clumsy attempts fail and the people involved have to go further than should ever be necessary (shooting, asphyxiation). The book also contains advice on how to commit suicide, for those who are actually contemplating such a thing, and gives good advice as to how to approach the subject, stressing an open dialogue with the nearest and dearest. However, the advise is in my opinion limited, and I would not suggest that anybody uses this book as their only reference, should they be contemplating suicide. However, as this is the first book directly dealing with this subject that I've read, I can as of yet offer no advice on other material. Another reviewer pointed out the lack of a real discussion of when suicide is warranted, which I agree with. There is a short disclaimer in the beginning of the book against "irrational suicide", but a longer discussion of this would have been usable, preferably with resources for those who need it. However, given the origin of this book as a leaflet for members of the Hemlock Society, this lack is not surprising, and therefore I will not subtract from the rating that I've chosen. To conclude: Should you be interested in the subject, then this book is definitely worth reading.

What was vaguely addressed in this book was that suicide because of depression or mental problems is a very poor choice and should not be the first option but euthanasia for those suffering agonizing, debilitating illness should be a choice made when the mind of the victim is still lucid enough to make such a final decision. If you were in excruciating pain from which there was no relief, bedridden, and no hope for any quality of life ever, you might give this book 5 stars. In that situation, you would fully understand why ending life may be the very best thing to do for yourself. I deducted one star because the problem of suicide because of depression needed to be further discussed and discouraged more strongly.

This book preceeded the textbook on euthanasia, Final Exit, and is different in that it relates true stories of dying people and exactly how they took their lives to escape prolonged suffering.