The In-Between

What can people at the end of their lives teach us about living well today? In this heart-warming memoir of wisdom, redemption and even joy, Hadley Vlahos beautifully shares life lessons and stories from being a palliative care nurse, and how end-of-life patients informed her sense of purpose.

With warmth and compassion, she tells the stories of patients who have changed her life. From the woman who never once questioned her faith until she was close to death, to the older man seeing visions of his late daughter and the young patient who laments that she spent too much of her short life worrying about what others thought of her, each story raises vital questions about living, dying and the afterlife, offering comfort to those navigating loss and inspiring us to live our lives to the fullest.

Here's what you need to know about Vlahos's memoir: It's heartfelt without being woo-woo, and it's not as sad as you'd expect it to be. Vlahos walks readers through her time caring for 11 patients (names, identifying details and medical information have been changed) and her mother-in-law, who died in 2018. Her tone is gentle, refreshingly forthright and befitting of a professional who tells us what to expect from an event that has launched a thousand euphemisms. ― The New York Times

Extraordinary ... helps dispel fear around death and dying - revealing it to be a natural part of our soul's evolution ― Laura Lynne Jackson, author of 'The Signs'

Tender and transformative . . . it makes dying feel like a peaceful, dynamic, and nourishing event ― Christie Tate, author of 'Group'

Gentle encouragement for all those who live under life's running clock and for those who love them ― Kirkus Reviews

Vlahos's compassionate, beautifully written book contains profound wisdom ― Katy Butler, author of 'The Art of Dying Well'