I've read Marsh's other books and find them interesting and frustrating in equal measure.
His no nonsense look at death was interesting but I find the persona he presents in his writing to be so unlikable and arrogant that it spoils the rest.
I am glad that my own neurologist isn't cut from the same cloth

I am a massive fan of Henry Marsh and have enjoyed his previous books.
In this one he become the patient, this is a fantastic insight into his journey starting before diagnosis and leading through to his treatment. I loved hearing about his grandchildren.

Well written, well put together and the addition of the grandchildren and his family - his mother made this extra special.

Highly recommended and I hope this is not the last from Henry Marsh

I’ve ready the first two books by Henry Marsh - “Admissions: A Life in Brain Surgery” and “Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery” - and thought they were exceptional so was thrilled to hear he’d written another. Whilst the first two were more about his profession as a neurologist and neurosurgeon, this bois predominately about is cancer journey and that change from Doctor to Patient. Whilst equally as informative, it doesn’t have the same tone to it and some bits are rather upsetting, especially if you’ve followed his story closely, it’s almost like it’s happening to a friend.

I don’t feel comely comfortable reviewing this as simply a book - it is so much more than ‘just’ a book. It documents his own advanced cancer diagnosis and is less about neurology and his profession. It might not be for everyone. If you have a similar story to me (I lost my dad in 2017 to oesophageal cancer and my uncle in 2020 to prostate cancer), it may not be a comfortable book to read as he doesn’t pull any punches and he doesn’t sugar coat things. I personally found it interesting to push through the discomfort and see cancer from a doctor-as-patient perspective.

Much like the other two, there is a lot of medical terminology as well as scientific topics and philosophical thoughts. I admit, some went over my head but it’s not surprising that a book like this would be full of technical speech.

I read his previous books when I was awaiting a decision as to whether I would need brain surgery or not. Luckily I didn’t, but my subsequent neurological diagnosis and years in and out of hospital has given me a deeper understanding and respect for neurologists and neurosurgeons. The idea that you’re using your brain to learn about and fix the brain is fascinating to me.

This book did feel a bit incoherent, more that he’s put his personal ramblings down on paper. It jumps from one topic to another and back, some not obviously relevant, and it didn’t really have the flow of his previous one, but I suppose this is a more personal offering so has more of that stream-of-consciousness feel.

It makes me sad to think this is likely to be his last book on the topic. They’ve been a real comfort and source of information in my difficult health times.

This is quite a different book from Marsh’s others. As he has a terminal diagnosis of prostate cancer, it is much more personal and about his own experience of being a patient.
This leads to Marsh exploring areas such as the nature of the conscious brain and assisted dying.
It also leads to him thinking about his own relationship with his patients and training other surgeons to be better communicators.
All this - given his work in Ukraine and his friendships still there - against the backdrop of the Russian invasion, as well as the onslaught of Covid.
This leads to a fascinating meditation, sometimes intensely personal and sometimes feeling just a little unstructured.
All in all, it is brilliant to hear about the journey forwards dying from the doctors perspective and to think about some of the larger debates in this area.
Recommended: an autobiography and a philosophical meditation, both sad and uplifting.

Henry Marsh is now a retired neurosurgeon. He has previously written books on being a brain surgeon and how doctors behave. I for one found "Do No Harm" an excellent read. Retired he is diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. This book is the story of his life just before the diagnosis and then through that and the treatment needed. He also looks rather more widely at his life, work and science and the world generally.

The book starts with the author's comments that he has advised patients and friends to avoid brain scans as you never know what may be found. He has said this in previous books. As part of a study he then has one himself as a "healthy person". He is not that pleased to find that he has the signs of an "ageing" brain. Given that he is 70 it's not that surprising however he states that "Diseases only happen to patients not doctors" as something he and others in the medical profession may consider true. He then looks at the brain and ageing which takes in quantum physics, neurology, the history of science, MRI scanners, consciousness among other things.

The core of this book I guess is about cancer and ageing, particularly his. Given his diagnoses and age this seems appropriate. I really did find much of the book very interesting. Given that I too am ageing though without any diagnoses of terminal illness as yet it made for a thought provoking read at times. However it is also fair to say that the book does stray from the core for periods. There is a biographical element to the writing and he has led a rich and interesting life so again much of this is very readable. Individual chapters can be very wide ranging and I found this made for a "bumpy" read for me sometimes.

This author is a man I have a great deal of respect for. I've read his books and heard him speak. I did find this an interesting read and one that made me think too. His approach in previous book and this one is exceptionally "human" for a doctor. It's interesting just how much he feels and sees his change from being a doctor to being a patient. I guess personally I would have been very interested in hearing about his experiences with prostate cancer in a more focussed way. It may not be the book I would suggest people new to Henry Marsh should start though.

And Finally by Henry Marsh is about his experience of being both doctor and patient and about life and death.

'As a neurosurgeon, I lived in a world filled with fear and suffering, death and cancer. But rarely, if ever, did I think about what it would be like if what I witnessed at work every day happened to me. This book is the story of how I became a patient myself.'

Henry Marsh writes a candid, reflective and human account of his life as a brain surgeon and his shock at becoming what he never envisaged being, a prostate cancer patient, after doing what doctors so often do, ignoring his symptoms for a considerable length of time. Having retired from his profession, although continuing to work in Ukraine and Nepal, at the age of 70, he had never considered that the state of his brain would be less than ideal, only to be confronted with the reality of a brain scan that revealed its true withered and aged state. What makes this memoir worth reading is that for me Marsh does not shy away from the flaws and imperfections of his time as a neurosurgeon, the mistakes made, the failure to face up to truths, the self deceptions, and the lack of empathy he had with his patients, which he suggests he perhaps needed as it might have hindered his ability to operate to the best of his ability.

Marsh reacts to his potential terminal cancer diagnosis as any ordinary human being might do, the fear and disbelief, he informs us of the classic theory stages, the oscillating between terror and denial, bargaining, anger, and with patients perhaps reaching the stage of acceptance. He accepts he has been fortunate, he has lived a good long life, he has been blessed with good friends, a loving family, supported by his wife Kate, and he loves reading to his grandchildren. As he goes to explore theories of consciousness, he notes their subjective nature, and being a man who does not believe in the afterlife, he concludes it is the present that is important and it is there to be lived to the last breath. His details of his experience of cancer treatment are a true revelation, the hormone treatment, chemical castration, radiotherapy and the side affects suffered.

Whilst parts of the memoir meander a little, I have no doubt many readers will find Marsh's thoughts, reflections and philosophical exploration both eye opening and helpful. He highlights that painful process of ageing and dying can be done well or badly, he acknowledges his cancer came at a time when he had lived a life, so many of his young patients did not have that to fall back on. He examines the debates for assisted dying and the national obstacles that prevent a dignified and peaceful death being available to its citizens. Poignantly, Marsh tells us that it is only in old age and close to death that he comes to understand more about himself and his past. A memoir that I recommend highly. Many thanks .to the publisher for an ARC.

Henry Marsh has written a couple of wonderful books- and this is just as good. A dignified, moving yet clear look at aging and death, it’s a fantastic combination of medical knowledge and writing skill that make Marsh so special

Rounding up to three stars.

I didnt find myself as drawn to this one, as his previous book.
It felt too rambling. Or maybe just not what I expected.
Unfortunately didn't grab my attention.