A Very Human Ending

A brave and important exploration of a subject we urgently need to demystify. It will change every reader for the better.

Derren Brown

Bering's book touches upon some deep questions relevant to all of us. Indeed, it is as much about what makes us uniquely human as it is about suicide. A Very Human Ending transcends its own objectives. It is a fascinating, thoughtful, unflinching meditation on one of the most intriguing and curious aspects of the human condition.

Dr Frank Tallis, clinical psychologist, Evening Standard

I'm not surprised that a book on suicide would be very personal, but I didn’t expect it to be so damn funny. It's also engaging, thoughtful, and sensitive – although Bering is certainly irreverent, there is a real appreciation of how painful and difficult this topic can be. This is a book for scholars and for a general audience, but it is also entirely suitable for people whose lives have been touched by the suicide of someone they loved.

Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology at Yale University and author of Against Empathy

I have yet to come away from reading [Bering’s] work and not feel considerably better informed than I was just minutes before

Forbes

A coherent, relevant look at the psychological secrets of suicide... a fascinating study featuring some startling real-time facts and perspectives on a sadly enduring phenomenon. For such a fiercely complex subject with varying nuances, viewpoints, and interpretations, Bering imparts accessible information through an affable, conversational tone. This important book arms readers with contemporary insight to help "short-circuit the powerful impetus to die when things look calamitous." Bering illuminates a murky, misunderstood human quandary with compassion, confessional honesty, and academic perception.

Kirkus

Compelling... This isn't just a mix of statistics, academic arguments and moving case studies. Bering also writes from the inside as one who, since his teenage years, has at times felt the "call to oblivion". Bering's remit is broad and he builds towards his conclusions on a solid basis of research that throws up some arresting statistics. He labours not just to size up what remains an epidemic shrouded in silence and shame, but also to suggest ways forward.

Guardian

Sadly, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, our minds forever pulling us into dark forests. But there are numerous stages at which we can step off that path before it's too late. Drawing on research evidence and the world around us, Bering signposts and, we can hope, saves.

Dr Jon Sutton, editor of The Psychologist

Suicide is one of the toughest subjects to write about, and psychologist Jesse Bering does it with candor, scientific integrity and genuine empathy. A Very Human Ending is a vital book - informative, engaging and enlightening despite its dark subject matter.

Scott Neuffer, Shelf Awareness

Highly enlightening... Bering carefully balances his avid curiosity with deep compassion in this look at how suicidal urges work. Throughout, Bering treats his sources with unvarying respect, as well as a spirit of affiliation. Readers who have experienced the anguish of suicidal impulses will find his work both heartening and deeply illuminating.

Publishers Weekly