The Day I Die

“The Day I Die is an informative and accessible addition to the literature of death and dying. Hannig, as an anthropologist, explores the various roadblocks and challenges facing individuals who seek to die with dignity.” – New York Journal of Books“The Day I Die is the book we need on the next major social issue of our time–a revelation.” – Peter Richardson, Director, How to Die in Oregon“The Day I Die will make you reconsider how dying could and should be.” – BookPage STARRED Review“Anita Hannig bravely takes on a topic that many won’t touch with a ten-foot pole. Medical aid in dying might be controversial, but it is increasingly accepted worldwide and a topic we can no longer ignore.” – Jessica Zitter, MD, MPH, author of Extreme Measures: Finding a Better Path to the End of Life and founder of Do No Harm Media“Anita Hannig presents both the history of medical aid in dying in the United States and the current reality facing individuals who wish to end their suffering in compassionate and vivid prose. With all her training and hands-on experience, she brings us details of real people trying to end their lives when they realize that nothing but misery lies ahead. Copies of this book should be in every doctor’s office in the country, to educate patients and doctors themselves!” – Diane Rehm, interviewer and narrator of the PBS documentary When My Time Comes“By sharing the accounts of terminally ill individuals from all walks of life, Anita Hannig provides an honest look at the vital importance of medical aid in dying. From the perspective of patients, physicians, and family members alike, the one immutable truth that resonates is that the desire to experience a good death is simply the extension of having lived a good life. In The Day I Die, Hannig helps us recognize that, in our final chapter of life, we are likely to find our collective humanity as much as our inevitable mortality.” – Dan Diaz, Brittany Maynard’s husband and advocate for end-of-life options“Haunting and deeply informative.” – Booklist STARRED Review“Of all events in a lifetime, death is the most solitary, and yet most people have no control over it. In The Day I Die, Anita Hannig investigates assisted dying. Her portrayal of people who want to have a choice at the end of their lives is calm, balanced, and devastating.” – Sallie Tisdale, author of Advice for Future Corpses

Dr. Anita Hannig is an anthropologist who studies the cultural dimensions of medicine, particularly birth and death. She spent over five years investigating how access to a medically assisted death is transforming the ways Americans die. She graduated from Reed College and holds a PhD from the University of Chicago.