This book draws together a range of both classic and newly commissioned pieces on the multidisciplinary study of death and dying. Organized into five parts, the book begins with a general exploration of the meaning of death, before moving on to consider caring at the end-of-life. Further readings explore the moral and ethical dilemmas in the context of death and dying. The fourth part of the book examines the issue of grief and ritual after death, while the final part considers some of the issues that arise when researching in the field of death and dying. By drawing together information, reflection and experience this authoritative text will broaden your understanding of the subject area. The book will be a core text for students in nursing, medicine, social work, counselling and health and social care. It will also be essential reading for all professionals and carers who come into contact with death and bereavement. Death and Dying: A Reader is the Set Book for the Open University course Death and Dying (K260).

This anthology offers a unique collection of personal accounts of death, dying and bereavement. It examines representations of death, dying and bereavement in fiction, poetry, the media and the Internet, as well as exploring visual representations of death and dying. Included are: - visual representations of the changing meaning of death within societies - examples of the ways in which the Web is being used to give and receive support when people are dying or when they have been bereaved - the moral, ethical and emotional issues involved in caring for people at the end-of-life - lay and professional personal accounts of miscarriage and the death of family members including children, siblings and parents; suicide and assisted suicide, the role of humour after someone dies, intimacy at the end-of-life and the impact of autopsy - reflections from survivors and people who have been bereaved following traumatic and mass death and disaster. This highly distinctive book will be key reading for professionals, students and those involved in the care of dying and bereaved people.