Category Archives: Lending Insight

“The Big Exit” by Ian Sutton

The surprisingly urgent challenge of handling the remains of a billion boomers

In “The Big Exit,” author Ian Sutton explains why we are so unprepared to bury the bodies of billions of boomers projected to die over the next several decades, while urging us to examine eco-friendlier alternatives. According to Sutton, we … Continue reading

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“Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McInerney

A young man navigates addiction, ambition, divorce and grief in this seminal novel from the 1980s

Published in 1984, Jay McInerney’s novel, ‘Bright Lights, Big City‘, remains one of the sharpest, funniest portraits of life in Manhattan during the 1980s. McInerney’s hero is nameless, telling his story in the rare second person point of view. The … Continue reading

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“A Man Called Otto” by Marc Forster

This touching film captures how the power of community can heal wounds

“A Man Called Otto” features Tom Hanks in the role of a surly curmudgeon who’s actively trying to take his own life. In other words, this is not your typical Tom Hanks movie.

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“Stay True” by Hua Hsu

A memoir of loss in young adulthood

“Stay True” is a memoir by Hua Hsu, a well known writer for The New Yorker and The Atlantic on issues of race, multiculturalism,and the immigrant experience. Hsu’s latest book stays in line with these themes while also delving into … Continue reading

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The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Revisiting a classic reveals how the death of a sibling can impact someone

“The Catcher in the Rye” frequently appears on lists, such as “Top 10 Books You Were Forced to Read in School.” Many Americans have read, or pretended to read, the classic novel by J.D. Salinger. Holden Caulfield, the angst-ridden protagonist, … Continue reading

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“Tukdam: Between Worlds,” by Donagh Coleman

A documentary explores the unique death state of Tibetan Buddhist meditators

The 2022 feature documentary, “Tukdam: Between Worlds,” delves into the strange and unexplainable post-mortem state of “tukdam,” in which a person dies while meditating yet continues to seem very much alive. Tibetan Buddhist monks who die in this state often … Continue reading

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