Staring at the Sun: Overcoming the Terror of Death

By Irvin D. Yalom

Written in Irv Yalom's inimitable story-telling style, Staring at the Sun is a profoundly encouraging approach to the universal issue of mortality. In this magisterial opus, capping a lifetime of work and personal experience, Dr. Yalom helps us recognize that the fear of death is at the heart of much of our anxiety. Such recognition is often catalyzed by an "awakening experience"—a dream, or loss (the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job or home), illness, trauma, or aging.

Once we confront our own mortality, Dr. Yalom writes, we are inspired to rearrange our priorities, communicate more deeply with those we love, appreciate more keenly the beauty of life, and increase our willingness to take the risks necessary for personal fulfillment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wiley
• Release date: Jan 7, 2008
• ISBN: 9780470198841

Irvin D. Yalom

Irvin D. Yalom is emeritus professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine. The author of two definitive psychotherapy textbooks, Dr Yalom has written several books for the general reader, including Love’s Executioner, Staring at the Sun, Creatures of a Day, and Becoming Myself; and the novels When Nietzsche Wept; The Schopenhauer Cure, and The Spinoza Problem. Dr Yalom lives in Palo Alto and San Francisco, California.

Reviews for Staring at the Sun

[arubabookwoman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Irvin D. Yalom is a psychiatrist who has written several books. Here he studies the question of mortality--why we are afraid of death, and why we should not be. He uses his personal experiences, the experiences of his patients, literature and philosophy to posit several solutions for us to alleviate our death anxiety.3 stars

[lieslmayerson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is beautifully written and flows like a conversation. It addresses the difficult (for many) topic of facing our own mortality and how to turn the knowledge of our mortality into a force for living better. While Yalom directly addresses fellow therapists in one part of the book, it is still an approachable and useful read for anyone. Coming from my perspective as a future existential therapist, this was a perfect read. Yalom addresses the different ways death anxiety can show up in our lives which I found quite enlightening. He also answered several questions that I have been asking of myself over and over regarding clients asking questions about my personal faith and belief system. He makes no apologies for not believing in a religion or god, but still manages to support clients in their own belief systems. This is a hard balance to reach, but through meeting his clients where they are and because of his own self-knowledge and confidence, he makes it easy and straightforward. This book also left me with an impressive reading list. Reading it was honestly was like having coffee with one of my English profs at Duke where I walk away excited with a list of books I must read. Really enjoyable. While I am painting this book as very cerebral, I think it would be a great comfort to anyone feeling a bit uncomfortable about their own death even if they are not looking for the philosophical discussions or literary references it provides. I highly recommend it.

[veganne_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Some books need to be read at the right time and this was the right time for me to read this book. Yalom claims that many problems are because of death anxiety - as a defence or a distraction from facing death. It sounds like it is a solemn book but it isn't. It is as much about how we live our lives as well as how we face our death. One to reread.

[athenastefania · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

“To become wise you must learn to listen to the wild dogs barking in your cellar”Yalom’s new book about overcoming the terror of death was a surprise to me. Although I have thought about death, I am not afraid of death itself. Even at this age – approaching 50 - my thoughts are mainly consumed with making plans about the future, and definitely not death. Nevertheless, I read this book with great interest. I was surprised to discover that Yalom refers to the knowledge and tranquillity he found in ancient wisdom, particularly that of ancient Greek philosophers and that of Epicurus especially. I am interested in how the Greek philosophers approached life and its meaning. I have studied – not extensively – Epicurus ideas, but I never, until now, connected them with my perception about life and death. Reading Yalom’s book made me realise how much the philosopher’s powerful ideas as well as other writers’ work – mainly Kazantzakis and Tolstoy – have influenced my thinking on how to face death and how to live. Despite the extensive references, Yalom should perhaps have explored in more detail Epicurus’ ideas. When I finished chapter four, I had the feeling that something important is missing, something may be untold. Moreover, Epicurus powerful message was somehow lost his importance between the many examples from films, literature and clinical case histories. I particularly liked Yalom’s way of thinking about paranormal and religious beliefs. As a person that I never believed in any God I hold with Yalom’s line of secular humanism. But, this may be a problem to some readers whose religious and spirituals beliefs are different, and may be add more anxiety and probably confusion to those who are unprepared or spiritually, not strong enough, to accept the idea of emptiness and nothingness after death. That is one more reason of why the philosophers ideas should be presented with a more precise and clear way that would intrigue the reader to go and explore further the philosophers’ writings.I found very satisfying Yalom’s approach to Freud’s lack of interest or failure to explore death fears. I had always my reservations on Freud’s belief that the origins of neurosis rested on the assumption of conflict between various unconscious, primitive and instinctual forces. Death or the fear of death for Freud could play no role in the genesis of neurosis because we have no personal experience of death and it is impossible to contemplate our nonbeing. Although it is impossible to contemplate our nonbeing we experience death from a very early age as we don’t fail to have glimpses of mortality everywhere in nature and our surroundings. The interpretation of Epicurus ideas and Yalom’s clinical cases show that humans unconsciously express with a distinguished way their concerns about death. According to Yalom, excessive religiosity, the consuming accumulation of wealth and consumerism, the blind gasping for power and fame are all signs of human’s continuous and wasted fight to mortality. It was a rather uncomfortable surprise to discover that modern psychiatrists and therapists need also help to deal with the fear of death and in some cases are unable to deal with everyday issues and situations. I am not an expert on psychotherapy and I have never being in counselling or on a therapist’s coach. I am very reluctant to believe that our dreams have some secret meaning or that they reflect our fears. Maybe that is because I rarely remember any of my dreams or maybe because my logic indicates that if you want to find a meaning or a message, you can find anywhere, anyway. I don’t forget that therapists are also humans with their own fears and problems to overcome, but these signs of impotence made me wonder about their effectiveness to make other people feel better. I can’t stop thinking that maybe a long lasting treatment or counselling is just another form of dependence that hampers humans’ free spirit.Nevertheless, I liked the book and I believe that it can offer a lot of help to many people to face their fears and the anxiety of death. Most importantly, it reminds us that “life is a passing parade”. We will die well when we fulfil our potential, and live a life with meaning, when we “Leave death nothing but a burned out castle.”