The First Ten Focus Group Feedback for Dying Well: Our Journey of Love and Loss
Because Dying Well was Book of the Day, some of our most trusted members have carefully looked over the cover, the description, and other aspects of this book as a part of purchase-intent focus group. We then asked each participant in the focus group if they planned to buy and read the book, and why they planned to buy and read the book or not. Their answer to that question and reasons are displayed below. We call this awesome feature The First Ten Focus Group.
Keep in mind, the responses from the members are not reviews. This is purchase-intent focus group which means the participants are people who have NOT yet bought or read your book. A purchase-intent focus group is an important and extremely useful marketing tool for any product, not just books. For other products, you might walk on the street and show people an item in a package and poll them about whether they would buy if or $X or not. These kind of focus groups are one of the ways big marketing companies find the ideal price points for products and test the effectiveness of different packaging. The focus group can help you identify your market so you how to target ads of your book, and it can (but may not) provide you new useful info about your "packaging" (e.g. your book cover, your book synopsis on Amazon, etc.). The point of the focus group comments is to give you information from people who have not bought or read your book about why they plan to buy your book which will help you in marketing the book. These are not reviews or critiques of your book because they are not from people have read the book. This is a marketing tool, not reviews. The trick of book marketing and book advertising is that you have to convince people who have not read your book yet that your book is worth buying and reading. For marketing, it doesn't matter much if people love your book after reading it if you cannot convince potential buyers before they read it that they will love it.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable. This is because we only poll about 20 or so readers, and all readers have to say "no" to almost all books. Over a million books are published each year. Even a very active reader cannot come close to even reading 1% of books out there.
This is also why publishing books is such a tough industry.
Vickie Noel
The title and morose-looking cover wouldn't make me pick this book outside the program. Death is a heavy topic, and while I appreciate the author's transition being highlighted in a positive light, I wouldn't, on my own, set out to read a book on dying well. My opinion hasn't changed after sampling a few pages. The account is just too sad for me. I know death isn't something that can be avoided, as "the living are conscious that they will die..."- New World Translation. Doesn't mean I have to actively seek out reading about it. I once had my privacy violated while asleep when a burglar stole some of my valuable possessions by cutting through my window nets, so I understand the nightmarish feeling the author described when she said, "This was like the ones that start benignly and then spiral through less familiar and ever more frightening places, leading eventually to stark terror..." (it was how I felt when I realised what exactly had been stolen). Of course, losing material things and having life-threatening health challenges aren't even comparable, nonetheless, individual experiences can help us relate more with what other people go through in life. This book will be an encouraging aid for grieving persons, but it's not for me now. I'm very sorry for the author's loss and can only direct her attention to God's promise of a resurrection in his word, the Bible. I found no grammatical errors as I agree with the OBC reviewer who mentioned that the book was flawlessly edited. However, I also knew from the review that I won't be reading it further because of its heavy themes of death and grief.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 4:54 am by Vickie Noel.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Hiruni Bhagya 81
Though this book sounded like an amazing read, I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to read such a heartbreaking story. Even after reading the first ten pages of this book, I remained undecided. From the moment I started reading this book, it felt as if my heart was breaking for the author and her husband. What I liked most about this book was the way the author made me feel like a part of the story. It felt as if I'm there with the author. As it appeared to be professionally edited, the only thing I can suggest to improve this book is to include the six months from the moment she found out about the tumor in her heart to the party she had after she was perfectly cured. One moment she found out she has a tumor and the next moment it's after six months from that day and she is celebrating getting cured. So, it's better if she included that part of her journey as well. This is an emotional read through and through. But, I want to continue reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 4:46 am by Hiruni Bhagya 81.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Gravy
I enjoy memoirs, so I might have looked at this (largely depending on my mood; recently, I likely would've passed it by, so I probably would not have sampled it without this program). The sample did not convince me to read it, for a few reasons, so I guess it would have changed my mind (had I chosen to sample it), and also didn't (as my mood has recently been turning me toward other things).
I noticed no errors, and it is written well, with clarity and a pleasent style. My reasons for not reading this is in no way related to any shortcomings. Personally, I enjoy memoirs about normal, average people, and it quickly became apparent that the author and her husband were fairly well-off. I hold nothing against her for this! It's just not something I enjoy reading. I mean, it's just a little difficult for the average person to identify with someone who owns a meadow. And that sounds like a funny thing to say in regards to a memoir titled 'Dying Well,' but it's the direction the author chose to go, and is thus the content I have to go on. Again, nothing against the author it was her choice to include it, it has been her life and including evidence of her good fortune is authentic to her experience, it's just not for me.
My favorite thing about this (and this will probably sound silly) is the cover.
The writing, in my opinion, is above par, the actual experience being written about is easy to associate with (even if this particular execution wasn't for me), but the cover is genius. The boat (being a common symbol of death), the blaze of light at the top of the I (and at the very center), the muted colors...it's clever and perfect. I love it.
There was a review for this book, but my opinion is not affected by that fact. I won't be reading this due to my having a hard time identifying with the author, and personal preference.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 3:39 am by Gravy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
va2016
The cover and the title are indicative of the theme of the book. There are 19 Amazon customer reviews, which is good. The Amazon summary provides a good description of the book content. I would have skipped sampling the book if not for the First Ten program, as I am not interested in preparing for dying kind of stories. As I sampled through the book, I found the narration describing author Susan's discovery of a tumor in her heart. As I am not interested in getting ready for death kind of stories, I am not going to read this book in full. I didn't find the book professionally edited, as I found issues with formatting. For example, I found extra spaces between the words "hard" and "decisions" in the Preface section. I didn't find any grammatical or mechanical errors in the sample. I didn't specifically like anything about the book. I don't have suggestions for any improvement. Although I found one OBC review of the book, my decision to not to read the book in full is based on my own sampling.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 3:37 am by va2016.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Emy Katherine
Without The First Ten program, I would not have read the book as I am not fond of memoirs. Reading the first ten pages and the OBC review did not change my mind. In all honesty, I had a difficult time sampling the book as it was too emotional for me; I had tears in my eyes from the very beginning. I thoroughly admire the author for sharing this inspirational story; those who enjoy reading memoirs should give it a try. At the beginning of the book, the author tells us how she felt blessed twice after surviving a cardiac tumor and breast cancer. After that, the author shares how her husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and decided to live his last months to the fullest, surrounded by his beloved family and friends. I liked the author's clear and straightforward writing style; the conversational tone made the story even more captivating. Sadly, I am not sure the book was properly edited as I found several distracting punctuation errors such as missing and misplaced commas. For example, there should be a comma after "blood" in the following sentence: "Technicians took vials of blood and I was quickly wheeled off for an angiogram to see if other perils lurked within my broken heart." (page 4 of 280 • 3%)
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 3:35 am by Emy Katherine.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
ritah
Based on the genre and title, I wouldn't have sampled the book because I don't often read books in this genre. I read the official review and sampled Dying Well. I liked that despite his diagnosis and in the face of his own death, the author's husband, retained his sense of humour remained. I did not find any errors in the pages I read. However, I won't be reading the rest of the book because the overall content is not for me.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 3:07 am by ritah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Fu Zaila
The cover could have been better, but the blurb and reviews were really good. I loved reading the sample too, and the writing is clearly very engaging and edited professionally. I loved how easily the author arouses so many emotions within us with the first few pages. Based on the preface, I thought the story was about the author losing her husband, but I was surprised to see her being diagnosed of heart tumour instead. The very real feelings of terror when discovering her chances of surviving the operation were marred with inescapable risks are very well described. There wasn't anything I disliked and I would like to read further and see how the author survives.
First Ten review added on August 23, 2019, at 1:24 am by Fu Zaila.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Annelore Trujillo
I would not have sampled this book based on the genre, blurb, OBC review, cover and title. After reading the first ten pages, I will be finishing this book. I thought the author did a great job on the writing of it! She mentioned in the preface that she wasn't a writer, but she is a very talented one! This story could have been very boring. It could have been filled with medical jargon. It wasn't. It drew me in. I was hanging on every word of the author's story. I was especially drawn in when she talked about how they accidentally found out that Bruce had a tumor. She is right. No one should have to find out that way. The nurses shouldn't have been talking about it and assuming that he couldn't hear them. There wasn't anything I didn't like so far. It did seem to be professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 11:47 pm by Annelore Trujillo.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Nisha Ward
The cover and the title interested me immediately, but it was the author's reaction to the discovery of her myxoma that drew me in. She was quite honest about her fear and her wishes, leading me to want to know more as I read. The book is also edited well, so I'll finish this one too.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 8:39 pm by Nisha Ward.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Heidi M Simone
Without this program, I would not have sampled this book. Books based on death are too sad for me. Therefore, the title, cover, blurb, and genre would not have piqued my interest. The positive OBC and customer ratings do affect my opinion of the book. I didn't see any glaring errors while reading, which is always a positive sign in any book. It was so easy to picture and feel the author's fear as she learned about the benign tumor, myxoma, that had developed in her heart. Then, I actually felt really happy for the author for having to survive her surgery. Her Celebration of Life seemed like such a great to celebrate the author's survival. Being able to feel emotions about a stranger's experience says something about the author's writing ability. However, it is sad to learn then Bruce, the author's husband, became seriously sick as well. Due to not wanting to read about someone's death as I have lost my sister a few years ago, I do not plan on reading the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 8:22 pm by Heidi M Simone.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelsey Hatch
The title of this book, "Dying Well," immediately caught my attention as a book of grief, loss, and love of life. This is a sensitive topic for me, so I was a bit apprehensive. The first ten pages were powerful and emotional, but somehow the language felt a bit too slow for the magnitude of the books' events (e.g. learning about a heart tumor that is potentially and unexpectedly fatal). The part I liked most was the obvious love between the author, Sue, and her husband, Bruce. It was clear that they fit together perfectly as a couple and supported each other wholeheartedly. The part I disliked most was the language and the build-up, as the first chapter focused more on the details of the "celebration of life" party. This was endearing, but not as dramatic or fulfilling as I would have hoped. I noticed no spelling or grammar errors in the first ten pages. Because a book about grief and accepting loss is a bit too sensitive to me personally (though it could be more useful in the future), I will not be buying and reading this book.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 6:35 pm by Kelsey Hatch.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Sarah_Khan
At first glance, I would not have picked up this book because I am not a fan of sad stories. I do like the title and cover. The Amazon blurb was nice and short. I liked the preface of what inspired the author to write this story and the quote "A writer is simply someone with a story to tell". This book seems well-edited. The book begins with a heart-wrenching scene of the moment when you get the horrible, life-altering news. For me, this book deals with much too sad content. So, I will pass on reading the rest. I did not read any OBC review.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 5:40 pm by Sarah_Khan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Chelsy Scherba
I like that the author shares her experiences with the loss of her husband Bruce. She survived cancer and a dangerous surgery to remove a benign tumor in her heart only to now have her husband diagnosed with an incurable cancer of his own. He decided to forgo treatment and live out his life for as long as he was given. Not only did he enjoy his life to the end, it made his passing much more bearable for his wife, the author. By sharing her experiences, she strives to let others know they can avoid the heartbreak of separation from their loved ones who will likely die in a hospital after undergoing painful treatments that didn’t help and robbed them of their last moments. The book is exceptionally well-edited, no errors. The cover image is beautiful and fits the title. The review was also positive. I will read the rest.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 5:18 pm by Chelsy Scherba.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Delaney35
This isn't a book I would normally read. It is about accepting death and living life with the end in mind. It gives advice about coming to terms with dying. I wasn't interested by the summary or the official review. I also didn't change my mind by reading the first few pages. They started off with the author describing the moment she learned about the tumor in her heart that could be fatal. It was well-written and extremely emotional. I also didn't notice any grammatical mistakes; it appeared to be professionally edited. I will not be finishing this book because I am not that interested in the subject matter and wasn't intrigued by the first few pages.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 5:13 pm by Delaney35.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Jsovermyer
The cover photo is well-done and perfect for this type of story. To me, it portrays solitude and a journey into the unknown after death. The title, Dying Well, tells exactly what this book is about. It lets me know this is a very sad story.
Dying Well is a heartbreaking true story of a family facing the death of a loved one. How do we face death? This gives an inspirational viewpoint on the subject.
I like the idea of having a survival party after a near-death illness and inviting family, friends, and even the doctors that cared for you. The author's husband, Bruce, was hilarious, dressing up as a woman, dancing and lip-syncing for the party-goers. This sounds like it was a memorable party.
The official review gave this book high praise and said it is very well-edited. I didn't find any spelling or grammatical errors and believe it has been professionally edited.
I found this story very interesting and enjoyed the ten pages I read. However, I have recently read another story with a similar storyline. Because of this, I will not be finishing this book this year. I will keep it on my "Want to Read" list and read it sometime in the future.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 3:36 pm by Jsovermyer.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Ekta Kumari
This book is a great read for someone who may be going through some kind of terminal illness. Their loved ones can also read it along with them. I truly liked sampling a few pages of it. Every word tugs at your heartstrings. I really like the author's writing style in communicating the narrative; her description makes the scenes feel vivid. However, I wouldn't have read the book and will not read it because the subject of dying and a true account associated with it is too overwhelming for me to read right now. As for the editing, the book seems very well edited as I spotted no error in the portion I read. Those who are looking for an emotional read or are looking for solace can read this book and should check out its official review.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 2:22 pm by Ekta Kumari.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Yoli García
I would not have sampled this book without this program because I do not want to read about dying. The OBC review did not convince me to read it. The reviewer indicated the author’s husband celebrated his life, but there is a dark turn. I have no interest in dark turns. I think a professional edited the book. I am glad that Bruce died surrounded by his loved ones rather than in a hospital. I am also glad that Bruce’s compassion and life’s celebration eased the author’s pain. I will not read the book because I do not want to read about the subject of death.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 10:18 am by Yoli García.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
MarisaRose
After reading the book blurb for "Dying Well," I wasn't sure what to think about the book. Amazon lists a lot of accolades for the title, but the genre (memoir) and the blurb didn't really appeal to me. Although this sounds like an uplifting and positive memoir, reading about dying just isn't something that interested me. That being said, I wouldn't purchase this book blindly. An OBC review wouldn't sway my opinion in this case simply because the genre and overall topic of living when you know you are dying did not interest me, so no amount of praise would change my mind. After reading the first ten pages of this book, my initial opinion didn't change. I did enjoy the writing; I felt the preface immediately showed me an intimate picture of who the author was. However, I did notice some formatting issues in the sample, like unnecessary line breaks in the middle of a sentence - but the sample was grammatically sound otherwise. I did enjoy that the author writes almost like a novel. After the preface, the first "chapter" describes a doctor's appointment, where the narrator expects a clean bill of health, but gets unexpected news - especially unexpected in light of her recent chemotherapy treatment. I thought it was easy to get into the narrative and I could empathize with the author's experience because of how well she wrote. But despite all of the positives of the sample, I still couldn't get past the topic of the book. I just don't want to read about cancer, dying and bereavement - maybe it just hits too close to home. All that being said, I don't plan to read any more of this book, but I do hope the target audience enjoys the author's story and prose.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 6:37 am by MarisaRose.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Mai Tran
A memoir about love and loss sounds like it would be too emotional for me. I wouldn’t have sampled this book if it wasn't for the program. The book seems professionally edited, though there is also a small error where “5 percent” should have been spelled out (p. 6). The transition from Sue celebrating her recovery to Bruce getting diagnosed with cancer seems abrupt as I had hoped for more details about her treatment process. I receive a free copy thanks to today giveaways, but I don’t think I’ll continue to read it due to a lack of interest.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 4:09 am by Mai Tran.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Verna Coy
Had I not sampled this book through the First Ten program, I would not have picked it up because of the very sad title. I don’t usually enjoy books that center on the subject of dying. I do plan to read the whole book because I received a free copy through the Online Book Club (thanks)! Reading the first ten pages confirmed my impressions of the cover and title. It is going to be an emotional read. It also seems to be edited exceptionally well. I saw no errors. What I liked most about what I read was the solid support the author had from her husband. I know that this book will greatly affect anyone who reads it because so many have experienced losing someone. As far as improvements, I could see no need for any in what I read. I did read the Official Online Book Club review and found it to be very informative.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 1:31 am by Verna Coy.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Lorraine De Vos
I would have chosen to sample this book based on the cover and title. The first ten pages were packed full of emotion and I truly enjoyed how graceful the author remained throughout her harrowing experience. I loved the idea of a celebration of life party and hope to incorporate this in my life if the opportunity ever presents itself. The book does appear to be professionally edited, as I did not notice any errors. The official OnlineBookClub review was excellent and confirmed that I will be adding this book to my reading list.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 1:01 am by Lorraine De Vos.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
unamilagra
Before sampling this book, I would not have picked it up because memoirs dealing with heavy topics aren't something I typically enjoy. Reading the preface helped me understand how this book is different than other books, and how it might be helpful for those going through the decline and death of a loved one. I found the memoir to be very well written and easy to read. That said, this still is not a topic I think I will enjoy reading about, and luckily this is not an issue that currently affects me personally. I don't plan to continue reading this book. As far as errors, there was a paragraph break in the middle of a sentence on the second page of the preface.
First Ten review added on August 22, 2019, at 12:13 am by unamilagra.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
AA1495
Had I not sampled the book, I would not have read it. I usually read pure romance books. However, the cover seemed elegant. I liked the contrast of the white text against the blue background. Having read the sample, I was a little disappointed by the lack of a proper introduction. While the book had a preface, I would have also liked a foreword and some reviews of the book. However, the author's efforts in writing this book were obvious. It was well written. In terms of language, it was simple to read and follow. I found no major grammatical errors in the book. However, I would have liked more spacing between paragraphs. While the book seems well written (which is also supported by the 4/4 OBC review), I do not read memoirs usually. I might not read the rest of this book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 10:36 pm by AA1495.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
LV2R
I liked the book cover and title. The cover reflected a peaceful journey. The Amazon Blurb described the book as a love story, celebrating life while facing death free of fear and regret. That sounded good to me. The sample began with a preface from the author. The author’s husband, Bruce chose the quality of life over quantity, so he chose to stop cancer treatment for the best life possible of the time he had left. I best liked that the time Bruce had left was spent on doing the things that he loved with the people he loved. This book is about how Bruce faced death without fear or regret and lived his life to the fullest. For this reason, I would like to read the book. I think this is the way we all should live even if we do not know when we will die. The book seems to be edited well, as I did not notice any errors. However, there are some extra spaces found on page one: “When the time had come for my husband, Bruce, to make hard … (There were at least 15 spaces and then the sentence continued on the next line.) …decisions, he chose ….” The OBC reviewer’s comments of the author being a good storyteller and that the book was well written and edited well made me for sure want to read the book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 10:04 pm by LV2R.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
evraealtana
I don't usually like "reality" stories like memoirs or collections of anecdotes, so this one is definitely not in my genre. However, I was oddly hooked in the first ten pages. I think it was the compelling, frank manner in which the author describes her own struggles as well as her husband's, and the perspective it gave them. I found that I lost track of the page count and read well past the first ten. I'm not sure that the rest of the book will keep me as enthralled as the introduction did, but I'm willing to give it a try. I found no errors.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 8:27 pm by evraealtana.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Brenda Creech
There are many reasons I would have chosen to read this book: the title for sure, the cover, and the reviews were all deciding factors for me. Death has touched my family many times with its pain and, often, regrets. This book shows the positive side of getting through a major illness and death of a loved one and what I have read so far has been very inspiring and encouraging. I definitely plan to read the rest of the book. The editing was pristine, and I detected no errors in what I have read so far. What I liked most is the courage it must have taken the author to share this story so openly to help and inspire others. I can't think of anything I saw or read that would need improvement!
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 7:20 pm by Brenda Creech.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Mbrooks2518
I don't like reading books that are focused on dying, so I will not be finishing this book. However, I did like the tone that the preface had. Hoben seemed to really be at peace with how she and her husband spent the last months of his life and the choices they made.
There was a formatting error on page 3 that had one line being only two words, then the sentence continued on the next line. There were also a couple of sentences that were missing commas. One of them was on page 9 and said, "With a few days off for holidays I was on target to finish treatments on January 13." There should be a comma after "holidays"
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 7:08 pm by Mbrooks2518.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kelyn
If I had not been a member of this program, it is highly unlikely that I would have been spurred by ANYTHING to look at/into this book. As I am very emotionally sensitive to the discussion of such topics, the title itself, as well as the genre would have actively steered me away from it. This would be regardless of the blurb or any customer reviews I might have read. I found the writer's skill and depth of emotion in the sample to be almost awe-inspiring. Unhappily, this also pointed toward the rest of the book as being likely to cause me emotional distress, precisely because of her skill in writing about an already sensitive topic. Due to these factors, I will, with some regret, not be reading the remainder of the book. The book appears to be professionally edited. I found no errors.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 6:13 pm by Kelyn.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
briellejee
Based on the cover and title, I think I would not have sampled the book. Non-fiction about death is not my usual reading because of the heaviness the topic brings. Both aspects though are appealing, especially the cover. It's simple yet speaks a thousand words. As for the first few pages, I think I get it now when the official OBC review said that the author showed her what the story is all about. The author's writing style is superb. The descriptions of her emotions throughout the ordeal of learning about the tumor in her heart and the risk in the operation are heartbreaking. I actually had to stop reading because the emotions are raw and it hits right in the guts. I could feel her helplessness and her fear. I usually don't read nonfiction, but this seems to be worthy of an exception. Thus, I will be reading the rest of the book. I found no noticeable errors and the review was moving as well.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 6:07 pm by briellejee.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Laura Ungureanu
The cover looked convincing enough for me to start this book. The review was interesting and detailed. The author tells the story of her and her husband Bruce when he is diagnosed with cancer. I appreciate that they made his last months the best possible for him. This is a touching book that wants to help you or the people you love pass away in peace. I like that the book seems to be structured in journal entries. The subject is a very heavy one for me. Since I'm very young, I don't want to read this book just yet. It doesn't seem like the right time. It's professionally edited.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 4:22 pm by Laura Ungureanu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Kajori Sheryl Paul
Dying Well is a book written by Susan Ducharme Hoben. The title, blurb, and cover did a good job at convincing me to give this book a try.
The first ten pages leads me to believe that it is a memoir. Susan decided to write this book when she lost her husband, Bruce, to a terminal disease and came to know that their story is different. Bruce had stopped treatment and lived life to its fullest during his last days. In the year 2000, Susan came to know that she had a tumour in her heart after surviving cancer. She recovered from the operation. She and Bruce threw a grand party. I like the writing style. I found some errors. For example, the sentence construction is faulty in “These last months were some of the most celebratory, peaceful, and intimate we had shared during our forty-six years together.” I do not think that it is professionally edited. I will give this book a try as I think that this memoir has great potential.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 3:53 pm by Kajori Sheryl Paul.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Erin Dydek
When I first saw this book, I thought it was an informative guide to help people through the end-of life journey. It was not a book I would have picked up on a whim, but I loved the beautiful cover and the sense of peace it provided. After reading the OBC review, I was pleased to discover that this book was actually a memoir written in the style of a novel. I was immediately interested to read the first pages to check it out for myself. I loved how Susan and her husband Bruce expressed their love for each other after receiving some shocking news. Bruce holds Susan gently in his arms and kisses her forehead as they make an important decision concerning Susan's health. I know this book will be an emotional read, but the review mentioned that this couple's story is unique because they chose to make the journey by looking for the silver-lining and living the best life in preparation for the end. The book seemed to be well-edited and I look forward to reading more of this couple's story.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 3:05 pm by Erin Dydek.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Catherine Hsu
If I had not read the sample, I would not have read the book as I do not read non-fiction. After reading the sample, I have changed my mind. The writing was very engaging and it read a little like a fiction novel with descriptive sentences like "fear and foreboding still lingered in his eyes." The sample was professionally edited. I did not read an official review but that did not affect my decision.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 2:02 pm by Catherine Hsu.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
desantismt_17
This book’s title made me curious. The description both caught my interest and pushed me away. I have, perhaps not a fear, but definite unease with the idea of suddenly knowing I won’t be around much longer. Maybe this book is what I need to overcome this. Before sampling, I was thinking about reading. After sampling, I think I will read this, but I can’t say when. The book appears professionally edited. I noticed no errors. I felt the emotions in this book so strongly, and they were relatable, even though I’d never been in this exact situation. I found the realization of percentages particularly relevant and a bit chilling. Five percent of rain is one thing. Five percent of having your life end, as the author says, is quite another. I really am drawn by the idea of “really living” final months, as opposed to dying in a hospital hooked up to machines or on all kinds of medications. Quality really should be more than quantity. I say that as a healthy person, but I wonder what I would say if my situation changed. This book certainly is thought-provoking. I have no improvements to suggest at this time. The OnlineBookClub.org review solidified my decision to read with the observation about this being a positive book about death. Like I said, I don’t know when, but I will read this.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 1:32 pm by desantismt_17.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Cristina Chifane
The title is quite unusual and sets the premise for an emotional end-of-life story. However, I wouldn't have sampled this book without the first ten program because I wasn't interested in reading a memoir. The book seems to have reached a wide audience, though; it has excellent editorial and customer reviews. In addition, it sends a wonderful message by teaching people how to deal with the imminent death of a loved one. Bruce's decision to spend the last moments of his life together with his family and friends could be seen as a wonderful example of love and peace. Despite the lack of editing errors, I don't think this is my kind of story. The pace is too slow for me to have the patience to keep on reading as I already know where the story is heading to. I'm sure others might get inspired by its positive message.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 1:11 pm by Cristina Chifane.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Aubrey Lewis
The overall appearance of the book is really neat and quite pleasing to the eyes. When I finished sampling the first ten pages, I came to the conclusion that I will not be reading the rest of this book. This is because, while the book seems professionally edited so far and I have no real complaints about the writing style, I'm not really fond of reading about memoirs, especially ones that seem like they will eventually be heartbreaking in the end. I've had a bad experience with a family member dying because of cancer, so I also fear that I might be reminded of that time again when reading the story of Sue and Bruce.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 1:06 pm by Aubrey Lewis.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Nuel Ukah
The cover page looks simple but catchy. The title is just perfect according to the few pages I read. What I like most is how Susan described her husband's death, "At the end of Bruce’s physical and spiritual journey, he was calm and peaceful, without fear or regrets." This is a good picture of how one should exit the Earth. I'd read this book to know how the author dealt with her husbands that and was at peace. Widowhood is not a pleasant experience. I lost my dad at age 6. Watched my mum cry when she encountered situations that wouldn't have occurred if her husband was alive. So I know that feeling of losing a dear one.
I noticed an error on page 2, a paragraph in between a sentence — "...to make hard
decisions..." (Between 'hard' and 'decisions'.) There is an Official OBC review for more details. This book is worth reading.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 1:03 pm by Nuel Ukah.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
Scerakor
From the cover, blurb, and review of this book, I wouldn’t have read it. I'm not dealing with loss nor do I usually read this kind of book/biography/memoir. After reading the first ten pages I didn’t change my mind and therefore will not be buying and reading the rest of this book. I appreciated and was fascinated by the descriptions Dr. Humphrey had of the process/surgery that needed to be done. I really couldn't imagine being in her position and having to be explained my ribs being cracked open. That being said, I don't really want to read about about death or loss. I didn’t see anything specific that I would have wanted to change within the sample that I read, but it did seem well written and edited. The official review did not affect my decision at all.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 12:35 pm by Scerakor.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gen_g
I have come across a very positive review of this book, which has piqued my interest. There are a couple of editing errors present. For example, at 2%, there is a line break inserted right in the middle of the sentence: "...come for my husband, Bruce, to make hard (line break) decisions...". I love how the author gave her own experience in the preface, where she describes how her husband's decision to choose quality of life over the length of life in the face of a terminal disease motivated her to write this book. It was also shocking when the book goes on to reveal that previously, the author had suffered from breast cancer, as well as a myxoma (a tumour in the heart), before she became a widow. This must not have been easy at all. I would suggest that the book undergoes a few more rounds of editing to get rid of the errors present. I will not be reading the rest of the book, as I am currently not in the market for non-fiction.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 12:31 pm by gen_g.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
HRichards
I wouldn't have picked this book up on my own as I am not interested in the topic. Having read the sample I won't be continuing on with the book since I do not like the topic. The sample deals with a woman who has been diagnosed with a tumor on her heart. She is informed of the dangers that removing the tumor from her heart will entail. The writing is pretty good and I didn't notice any grammar errors. Those who like serious books about life might like this book. I am not interested nor enjoy the topic. I have not read any other reviews of this book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 12:02 pm by HRichards.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
lavellan
I probably wouldn't have read Dying Well if it hadn't been a part of the First Ten program. While the Book of the Day review was positive, the subject matter sounds like it will make me sad. The book seemed like it was professionally edited, but I noticed some missing commas while reading. For example, a comma is needed before "but" in the following phrase: "My trance seemed to last for hours but I'm sure..." The author does an excellent job of describing the emotions she felt when she learned about the tumor in her heart and the possibility of dying. I didn't like how the beginning of the book seemed to have an anti-medicine stance. As a result of this, I will not read the rest of the book.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 11:23 am by lavellan.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
cpru68
The author recounts her diagnosis of a heart tumor that is life threatening even though it’s benign following treatment for cancer. Because her white blood cell count is so low, she cannot undergo the survey until after Christmas. Her husband Bruce is by her side through it all. However, in pages proceeding these, readers are informed the book is about her husband’s death and that dying can be a peaceful process and not a sterile one where the family member is in the hospital but at home. This book’s goal is to give readers a new perspective on death to see it more in a celebratory way.
I will be finishing this book. My mom just died in May. And while her hospice experience at home was so peaceful, I’m interested in knowing this author’s perspective on the subject. I enjoyed the sample pages, and I think the cover with the boat on calm waters is a beautiful representation of what dying can be.
I think this has been professionally edited as I didn’t find any errors in punctuation, spelling or grammar. I appreciate the opportunity to have read the sample pages of this, and without the online book club I probably wouldn’t have found this one on my own. I will send it out on my social media for others to look into.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 10:41 am by cpru68.
Do you plan to read the whole book? Yes!
sarahmarlowe randomeducator
The cover is beautiful, and the title design is clear and professional-looking. I probably would have picked it up. The sample was very well written, and I found only one error, a formatting issue on the first page, where there is an extra line break in "to make hard decisions." The author writes smoothly, and the dialogue is natural. Since the introduction is about her husband's death, and the first part of the book is about her illness, that sets up curiosity about what is to come. I haven't read an OBC review of this book, and I don't plan to read it. It is not something I am looking for.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 10:06 am by sarahmarlowe randomeducator.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
gali
I wouldn't have sampled the book on my own, as I don't read memoirs. I didn't change my mind after sampling the book. While a memoir about love, loss, and death sounds touching, it isn't a subject I care to read about. I have also lost a close family member, so it is too close for comfort. I like the optimistic approach of the author, her idea of celebrating life, and her unconventional approach to death. I admire the way the author handled her husband's impending death. After she recovered from cancer, she had to deal with her husband's impending death. Their decision to forego treatment was not an easy one, and I salute them for their brave choice. While the hospital scene was touching, it also brought back bad memories I prefer to forget. I didn't notice any glaring errors, always a plus. The book is not for me because of its subject matter. The official review didn't sway my decision either way.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 9:43 am by gali.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Theresa Moffitt
I love the cover of this book. The image is peaceful and immediately attracted my attention. I also like the title of the book. Although the title leads me to believe the book will be sad, it puts a positive spin on it. I haven’t read a review of this book yet. In the preface of the book, the author describes the death of her husband and how he chose quality over quantity when he decided not to have cancer treatments. He died at home with his family and that was how he wanted it. The author explains that her friends told her she shoulda write a book so she decided to write this one. The first chapter describes a couple at the doctors office when a tumor is found inside the wife’s heart during a cardio gram. She is checked into the hospital and told of the risks involved in surgically removing the tumor. The first ten pages are well-written and interesting. I didn’t see any errors in the first ten pages, so I believe the book was professionally edited based solely on the first ten pages. Although the book seems well-written, I will not finish reading this book. It sounds like it will be a sad book which doesn’t interest me. I will read a review of this book and may change my mind based on that review.
First Ten review added on August 21, 2019, at 9:43 am by Theresa Moffitt.
Do you plan to read the whole book? No
Total ~ 38%
Dying Well earned a score of 38%.
In other words, out of the top-level reviewers who read at least the first 10 pages of this book, 38% plan to read the whole book.
IMPORTANT: Any score over 10% is considered very good. And any score above 0% is acceptable.
Over a million books are published each year. Any given person could not even read .0001% of the books out there. This means readers have to be very selective. Even taking the time to look over reviews and blurbs, let alone read samples, is more time than most readers can afford for most books. The First Ten is a powerful focus group that addresses those issues. It creates a helpful tool for authors, publishers, and other readers.
Go to main Bookshelves page for Dying Well
