Contemporary Issues Companion - Euthanasia (paperback edition)

The Supreme Court has ruled that there is no "constitutional right to die," but the question of whether terminally or perhaps merely incurably ill people should be able to have physicians' help in hastening their deaths remains unsettled in the minds of many. This anthology presents varying points of view on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in relation to other end-of-life issues, physicians' role in hastening death, euthanasia and the law, euthanasia in practice, and the ethics of euthanasia.

"This thoughtful, lucidly written work presents an evenhanded discussion of five major issues. The best organized introduction for the student needing report or debate material. The abundantly footnoted text quotes many primary sources and draws upon scientific examples to illuminate the questions. Informative...black-and-white photographs accompany the text. The appended list of organizations and the generally current list of books for further reading are both annotated."
-- School Library Journal (December 2000) (School Library Journal 20001201)

"Many of the articles were written by professional journalists, but some are more personal. Titles should find a place and school libraries."
-- School Library Journal (June 2002) (School Library Journal 20020601)

"There are plenty of dynamic opinions from professionals with firsthand knowledge of the topic."
-- Booklist (May 2002) (Booklist 20020501)

"...There are plenty of dynamic opinions from professionals with firsthand knowledge of the topic, but some essayists lose credibility by having an agenda that is too pointed. Several excerpts from Christianity Today draft inflexible arguments with fervor but not much fact, and the author of Why Christians Reject Euthanasia unfairly suggests that his views speak for all Christians, a generalization even naive readers won't buy. Despite these occasional weaknesses, this resource does provide up-to-date statistics, diverse views, and impassioned arguments about choices and legal rights concerning death."
-- Booklist (May 2002) (Booklist 20020501)