To the Best of Our Knowledge 

PROMO       2/24/2008         "A Good Death?"
*The celebrated writer Susan Sontag died a few years ago from a brutal
form of blood cancer.  She fought her illness to the end and didn't want
anyone - including her son - to tell her she was dying.  Now that son,
David Rieff, has written a memoir of his mother's death.  And he tackles
a difficult question   is there really such a thing as a "good death." 
In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll talk about life's
final chapter.

PROGRAM RUNDOWN:   "A Good Death?"

0:01 - 19:39        SEGMENT 1: ()
            David Rieff has written a sobering account of his
            mother's last days. It's called "Swimming in a Sea of
            Death," and tells how he tried to do the right thing by
            his mother - Susan Sontag - while also being true to
            himself.  One of America's most celebrated intellectuals,
            Sontag refused to believe she was dying.  Rieff talks
            with Steve Paulson. A print version of this interview is
            available on Salon magazine. For more info, go to
            ttbook.org.  Also, former TTBOOK producer and interviewer
            Judith Strasser was diagnosed with stomach cancer in
            2005. Last summer, a tumor in her lungs attacked the
            nerve which controls the larynx, making it difficult -
            but not impossible for her to speak.  She came in to our
            studios to record this commentary in response to the
            Rieff/Sontag story.  You can read more about her approach
            to life and death on her blog "In Lieu of Speech."
            There's a link at ttbook.org and also the script of
            Judy's commentary.
                    
            Segment One Outcue:  "...PRI - Public Radio
            International."

19:40 - 20:09  LOCAL OPTION with music bed (:29)

20:10 - 32:28       SEGMENT 2: ()
            David Shields is the author of "The Thing about Life is
            that One Day You'll Be Dead."  He talks with Anne
            Strainchamps about his book, which is a meditation on how
            our bodies decay and die, and his irrepressible father
            who is 97 and doesn't give death the time of day.  
                    
            Segment Two Outcue:  "...PRI - Public Radio
            International."

32:29 - 32:58       LOCAL OPTION with music bed (:29)

32:59 - 53:00       SEGMENT 3: ()
            Pauline Chen is a transplant surgeon and writer. Her book
            is called "Final Exam: A Surgeon's Reflections on
            Mortality."  She talks with Jim Fleming about her medical
            training and how ill prepared it left her for dealing
            with issues like grieving families. Also, Edward Wohl
            tells us about the death of his father in 1999. 
                    
            Segment Three Outcue: PRI Audio Logo


For a copy of this hour, call 1-800-747-7444, and ask for program number
2-24-B.