Our love of life makes the inevitability of death very difficult to accept.

Death is a comprehensive examination of that inevitable and universal human experience. To better our understanding of death--and so perhaps fear it less--the book explains the biological processes and the different causes of death, and examines the human perceptions of death throughout history and across cultures.

Death is abundantly illustrated with masterpieces of art, paintings and sculptures and their representations of death, as well as abundant diagrams that explain the science of death. It methodically explores the biological limits of life, the rituals of death and describes the events surrounding the loss of life, using the most current research and medical analyses.

Chapters cover diverse topics associated with death. They include:

Consciousness and the soul

How the body dies

Terminal illness and dying slowly

Methods of death

Poisons, deadly animals and plants

Flu pandemics, the new viruses

Unsanitary conditions and deadly diseases

Murder and execution

Euthanasia and ethics

Creatures from beyond the grave

Violent and dramatic deaths

Cheating death

Death is sprinkled generously with humor and the wisdom of the great thinkers. Reflecting on our philosophical, scientific and spiritual understanding of death, it speaks to our visceral fears and allows us to better appreciate life.