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Thursday, Oct 24th–THE ART OF DYING WELL reading and discussion group at Putney Library

Thursday, October 24, at 7 p.m.

Last month, Michelle Blake (the Putney Library Writer in Residence) and Sandy Hartley (see bio below) offered a discussion group on death and dying—a time to share thoughts, explore hopes and fears, and hear others’ experiences. We used a few different readings, including THE ART OF DYING WELL, a new book by Katy Butler (author of KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR).

Participants found the book and the discussion so useful that we decided to offer an ongoing group, in which we read one chapter of Butler’s book each month and talk about it, and the issues it raises, together.

We will meet again at the Putney Library on Thursday, October 24, at 7 p.m. In that meeting, we will spend some time planning and setting dates for the group. Afterward, we will talk about the first chapter of the book and the questions it raises for us. We hope you can join us.

The library has a few copies of the book, and Antidote Books has copies for sale as well.

Putney Public Library’s Writer in Residence Programs are made possible by a generous bequest from Dorothy Morris Mudd.

Sandy Hartley has lived in Putney since 1986. For most of her professional career, she worked at the Brattleboro Retreat–initially as an Art Therapist and later as a Special Education Teacher. After watching her mother die from lung cancer in 2001, she started thinking more seriously about end of life choices. Last year, she joined the Vermont Patient Choices organization, which worked for over 10 years to support the passing of Act 39 (Death With Dignity Law) in 2013.