Between the Dying and the Dead: Dr. Jack Kevorkian’s Life and the Battle to Legalize Euthanasia

by Neal Nicol, Harry Wylie, Jack Kevorkian (Contributor)

    Dr. Jack Kevorkian—the enigmatic and intrepid physician dubbed "Dr. Death"—has for years declined public interviews about his life and the events that led him to be a vehement advocate of doctor-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. But here, finally, is his own life story, as told to Neal Nicol and Harry Wylie.
    Dr. Kevorkian gained international notoriety in the 1990s for his passionate advocacy of choice for terminal patients, who have increasingly won the right to decide the time, place, and method of their own death in several western countries. In 1998, he assisted Thomas Youk, a terminally ill patient suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, with a lethal injection that was broadcast on CBS's 60 Minutes. Immediately thereafter, Kevorkian was arrested, charged with second-degree murder, tried, and sentenced to 10-25 years in Michigan's maximum-security prison system.
    Today, Dr. Kevorkian is in his late seventies and in failing health himself. He shares an eight-by-twelve-foot cell with another inmate in the Thumb Correctional Facility at Lapeer, Michigan. The unique story Prisoner Number 284797 shares far exceeds the battle to legalize euthanasia and end human suffering for terminal patients. "Personal choice is really what it is all about. Quality of life, as opposed to maintaining existence" (Kevorkian to Vanity Fair, 1994)

Co-published with Vision, U.K.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Politics, Health

276 pages, Hardcover

First published April 27, 2006

Reviews

[InYourFaceNewYorker · Rating 5 out of 5]

It wasn't until the film "You Don't Know Jack" was released that the public got to see that Dr. Jack Kevorkian was more than just "Dr. Death." in "You Don't Know Jack" we saw that he was "human", with his strengths and weaknesses and passions. This book delves into greater detail in that regard. We learn about his childhood. Even as a boy he was far ahead of his time, wondering why his intelligent sisters shouldn't get the same educational opportunities as he. I doubt very many boys in the '30s/'40s thought about gender equality, but Kevorkian did. We feel a little sad as we learn about his somewhat lonely teenage years and also cheer him on because he was determined not to "fit in"; he continued to be a fiercely independent spirit. We learn about his research on retinas at the moment of death, his advocacy of optional organ donation by condemned criminals, and experiments involving transfusing cadaver blood to needy humans. Unfortunately, society had and still has visceral reactions of disgust to these things, deeming them disgusting and morbid. He ran into one brick wall after another in his research.

At last we read about his assisted suicide advocacy. We learn about this remarkably brilliant, multi-talented man who has social problems and and a childlike naivety (I wonder if he has Asperger's Syndrome?). Indeed, we see how, just like everyone else, he is complicated. He is not the one-dimensional cutout that the media (Fox News especially) has made him out to be. We see that he is a compassionate and intense person and one of the greatest minds of the past hundred years. And, of course, we want to put our fist through the wall at the travesty of justice that was his incarceration and how he nearly died in prison.

This is a wonderful book about Kevorkian's life and it also includes photographs. The only drawback is this book wasn't updated to reflect that he was released from prison; it was written when it looked like he was going to die, presumably by suicide before his Hepatitis C killed him.

[Tetchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave insight to the life and achievements of Dr. Kevorkian. He's known for his battles with the system regarding physician assisted suicide. There is little known about the fact he rallied for issues that would have provided the living with a better quality of life. Not to mention the fact that his efforts regarding death care is the reason why our medical centers have amped up their pallative and end of life care practices. It's unfortunate that such a brilliant mind had to come up against such opposition.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing book and I think Dr. Kevorkian was ahead of his time, but a genius nonetheless!

[Nick Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth the read if interested in the right-to-die movement, and physician assisted suicide. Dr. Kevorkian was ahead of his time, and gravely misunderstood— as most pioneers are. Autobiographic in nature, comprehensive in providing a holistic view of a man who has been boogey-man’d by most. His life goal was to end suffering for those in pain, no matter the consequences he’d endure. I’m deeply moved by those who are willing to put their bodies on the line for others out of love, without receiving anything in return.

[Karen Shilvock-Cinefro · Rating 3 out of 5]

A biography style book about Kevorkian through his life. Some of the events explain his obsession with wanting to end suffering and death. The events are conveyed in a factual manner but one can certainly see the build up of a man originally in a profession to save life yet his focus on the macabre.

[Shannon Yarbrough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose to read this book for research for one of my own writing projects. I watched Jack's story play out in the news and the headlines throughout the 90's, ultimately dimming his spotlight when he was jailed for the assisted death of Tom Youk. Jack had dodged jail time before then thanks to there being no laws in the U.S. against assisted-suicide. But when Youk couldn't push the button himself, due to his ALS, that would administer the drugs to kill him, Kevorkian did it for him and recorded it to challenge the courts. His trial was a mess, mainly because he chose to represent himself and because Youk didn't actually kill himself the suicide charge was thrown out, and it sent Jack to prison where he lived out his final days.

This book is a short bio exploring Jack's childhood, his time in med school, and his research. Jack was a very progressive thinker and actually picked up his nickname, "Dr. Death," in med school when he studied the eyes of cadavers to help properly determine the time of death. He went on to experiment with cadaver blood transfusion, which actually worked and he even tested it on himself. He also interviewed prisoners about donating their bodies for medical autopsies and sought to change the laws for organ donation. But of course, it was his work with assisted-suicides that he was ultimately known for and that is well covered in the book.

I enjoyed reading how much support Jack had for his research, and I learned a lot about him that I did not know. This is a great book for anyone interested in learning more about Kevorkian. It's very sad to think about how backwards our country really is when it comes to health and medicine. This book really opened my eyes to a lot of that which Jack hoped to change.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written. Recommend reading for true facts and interesting background.

[Jinny Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

The battle begun by Jack is far from over. Politics and religion are warped. Was a good read.