A Very Easy Death

By: Simone de Beauvoir

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 3 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

When her mother was in the hospital with terminal cancer, Simone had time to reminisce about her mother's early life, as Simone and her sister, Poupette, prepared to face the decision of whether to prolong a life when it was full of suffering. Like most people they believed it would be better to die than to continue to suffer, but their mother had a very different view of the matter. Françoise de Beauvoir had finally found happiness in her life, and she truly believed she could find happiness in her own suffering.

Considered by many to be the master work by Simone de Beauvoir, A Very Easy Death focuses on death and the other limitations in one's life and with what attitude one approaches them. Through her mother's beauty, her smile, and her pride in her life and in herself, Simone learned that to be human and to have individual choice are the most important aspects of existence.

©1965 Editions Gallimard. Translation copyright © 1965 by Andre Deutsch, Ltd., George Weidenfeld and Nicolson, Ltd., and G. P. Putnam’s Sons (P)2005 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Too Brainy for me.

Okay. I have now Read de Beauvoir -- I don't have to read anything else. Just too cerebral for me. There is a line in Amadeus wherein one of the characters states that (more or less) Mozart's music is good, but that it has too many notes. Ha ha. That's what I would say about this little memoir. Too many words. There were times I felt that the narrator was literally droning on. And the voice she gave the poor Mamam!!! Oh my Goodness. Sounded just like a frog. Actually, it may be worth the listen just to hear that awful voice! But that's about all I can say about this writing -- unless you are a die hard fan of the author.

Elegantly written and read

I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It’s not too long or too short. The writing was compelling. The ideas were poignant. The literary imagery delighted.

Muy real!

Coincidió que lo escuché mientras mi familia vivía el proceso de un cáncer terminal de una tía. Y de algún modo me ayudó a procesar mucho de lo que estábamos pasando: decisiones, opiniones...

The right story at the right time

Would you listen to A Very Easy Death again? Why?

yes. I love the author and the reader does a good job.

What did you like best about this story?

read by a woman.

What about Hillary Huber’s performance did you like?

clarity

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

yes both

Any additional comments?

please have women read women authors.

oof

heavy book. death is never an easy subject. but she makes some sense of it in her mother's final days

amazing book by simone

this book was incredible and the narrator made it an easy and enjoyable listen! also the book was such a quick read.

Heartbreaking and honest.

An account of the author's death of her mother by cancer. Harrowing, but, ultimately, reassuring because of its honesty and universality.
Excellent.

Simple and Powerful

A very worthwhile short read. Brings questions of death out of the dark. Questions like: what’s the point of prolonging the suffering? Should we stop it in spite of their will to live? And what is living anyways?

poignant

An objective view of the repulsiveness of death as an experience and omen of what we must all confront.

A beautiful sharing

This writer’s touching account of supporting her mother though the end stages of her fight with cancer, would have been a book that I typically avoided. But there was something about the title that attracted me. And then the beautiful writing and narration, held my attention and allowed me to share and benefit from the writer’s relationship with her mother and her transition to eternity. A beautiful, intimate sharing.