The Conversation

“A timely book, written with sensitivity, on a subject which pertains to every single human being and family in the world today.” —Richard Selzer, M.D., author of Mortal Lessons

“My encounter with Dr. Angelo Volandes changed the way I think about life's most precious weeks and hours, and gave me hope for a better future. Your encounter with this passionate humanitarian and the heartbreaking, inspiring stories he tells will affect you the same way.” —Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow, The Brookings Institution

“For too long, a conspiracy of silence has stood between Americans and the quality care they need, want, and deserve. The Conversation could change all that. Good quality care requires that the treatments are consistent with the values, preferences, and priorities of the people we serve. Now, through the stories in The Conversation, Dr. Volandes shows how skillful communication can make the best of even the hardest situations.” —Ira Byock, M.D., professor, Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine; Chief Medical Officer, The Institute for Human Caring; author of The Best Care Possible and Dying Well

“Through seven stories of seven patients, Angelo Volandes movingly and evocatively tells the tale of how American healthcare does death wrong, often with tragic consequences, and how we can do it right. This is a book about how to live life as well as possible right up until the end, and it should be required reading for anyone who is mortal.” —Shannon Brownlee, author of Overtreated

“Part memoir, part tales from the trenches, part guide, The Conversation shows how medicine fails patients with serious illness, then offers a different, better approach to improve not only how we die but—more importantly—how we live." —Louise Aronson, M.D., director, Northern California Geriatrics Education Center and UCSF Medical Humanities

“Volandes has done more than anyone to translate the incomprehensible and the unimaginable into clear visual terms for real human beings trying to decide how they want to be cared for in the future.” —Diane Meier, M.D., director of the Center to Advance Palliative Care; professor of Geriatrics & Palliative Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

National consumer advertising campaign at publication
National print and online review and feature coverage
National broadcast media coverage targeting NPR and radio phone interviews
Consumer outreach and review campaign
Blogger and medical community outreach
Op-ed campaign timed to publication
Social media campaign at publication featuring giveaways and excerpts on Bloomsbury accounts
East Coast author tour at publication