title: "As vast as the world"--reflections on A Very Easy Death by Simone de Beauvoir.
abstract: In 1964, Simone de Beauvoir, arguably one of the greatest writers of 20th century Europe, published an account of the final 6 weeks of her mother's life. It is a beautifully written, raw, honest, and powerful evocation of that period from the viewpoint of a relative. Its themes are universal-love, ambivalence in family ties, loss, and bereavement. Given that the events preceded the modern palliative care movement, reflections are made on differences in medical practice since the book's publication.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brennan