Undiscovered Country: A Doctor’s Travel Guide to the End of Life

Transform the fear of death into a sense of wonder.

In Undiscovered Country, embark on a riveting exploration of the final frontier and unraveling the mysteries of our last hours. This insightful narrative delves into the complexities of death, dissecting the gradual disintegration of order and control, the skewed metabolic balance, and the profound transformations within our bodies.

Join physician and researcher David Casarett as he guides readers across this captivating journey that not only explores the extreme moments of life but also encourages a conscious and less daunting approach to life’s final passage. As the science of dying unveils the body’s tactical attempts at self-preservation and the remarkable manifestations of order even in chaos, Casarett explores longstanding mysteries surrounding the precise moment life ceases. Discover how the study of life’s culmination provides profound insights into normal functioning and empowers individuals to shape their own pathways toward death, maximizing comfort, alertness, and dignity.

Undiscovered Country bridges scientific inquiry and existential contemplation, empowering readers to confront and comprehend the inevitable and offering a less fearful approach to the end of life.

Dr. David Casarett is a physician, researcher, and tenured Professor at the Duke University School of Medicine, one of the country’s top medical schools. Casarett is the chief of Palliative Care for Duke, where he directs the Duke Center for Palliative Care. He is the author of more than 100 articles in journals including JAMA and The New England Journal of Medicine, and his writing has appeared in print and online in Salon, Esquire, Discover, and Wired. He is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor given by the US government to researchers in the early stages of their careers.

Dr. Casarett is also the author of three non-fiction books, Last Acts (Simon & Schuster), Shocked: Adventures in Bringing Back the Recently Dead, and Stoned: A Doctor’s Case for Medical Marijuana (both Penguin Random House). He’s also written two well-reviewed novels in the Ethical Chiang Mai Detective Agency series, Murder in the House of Rooster Happiness, and The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel (Hachette).