死ぬ気まんまん

by Yoko Sano, 佐野 洋子

ガンが転移し余命2年を宣告されながらも、煙草を吸い、ジャガーを購入し、ジュリーにときめく。そんな日常生活や、一風変わった友人たち、幼い頃の思い出などが、著者ならではの視点で語られる（表題エッセー「死ぬ気まんまん」）。併せて主治医との対談や、関川夏央氏による「『旅先』の人」などを収録。著者の思いがいっぱいに詰まった魅力的なエッセー集。 (光文社文庫)

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2013

Reviews

[kg · Rating 4 out of 5]

本の後半、医師との対談の後に出てくる話が面白かった。どこも悪くないのに副作用で？体のあちこちをひどい痛みに襲われて、我慢できずに闘病仲間から聞いた男前の医者のところへ行き即入院させてもらった（そこはホスピスだった）。そこで出会った末期の患者たちの様子。印象に残ったのは二人; 不仲の夫の悪口を会う人ごとに語り続ける女（うちの母そっくり）、宗教だとは思ってなかったのに、子供の頃祖母に連れられて通った読経の会のおかげで知らぬ間に悟り救われていた女性。…信じるものがある人は強い（前者は53年間結婚生活で辛抱を強いられた恨みに駆られて離婚せずに耐え続けるという強さ、後者は信仰のために解き放たれた強さ）。

[Polly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
When talking about Yoko Sano, many people might come up with her picture book The Cat That Lived a Million Times, but I have to say, her essays are equally compelling! I believe Sano’s essays can be quite polarizing: some readers will absolutely love her boldness, unapologetic nature, and her sharp, often cynical perspective on life, like me, while others might simply see her as a stubborn old woman.
In this book and another one 役にたたない日々, when she was diagnosed with cancer, she embraced her father's philosophy of "not being stingy with money or life." On the very day she received the diagnosis, she walked out of the hospital and immediately bought herself a Jaguar, even though she had previously refused to buy imported cars.
In both of the essay collections, you can clearly see Sano’s bold approach to life. She loves and hates passionately, lives loudly, and embraces both illness and death with a calm, unflinching attitude. In this book, she continues to reflect deeply on life, dignity in dying, and what it truly means to "live well." It’s a thoroughly enjoyable and thought-provoking read.