"Irvin Yalom has written a brave, intelligent book on the last taboo subject - death. I admire his courage and rare insight."

(Erica Jong, author of "Fear of Flying", "Shylock's Daughter", "Inventing Memory" and "Sappho's Leap")

"The book "In the Garden of Epicurus" is a thoughtful reinforcement of stoicism that we all need in an era overwhelmed by chatter and denial."

(Christopher Hitchens)

"The book "In the Garden of Epicurus" confronts our deepest fear with an experiential and psychodynamic perspective and describes with unusual eloquence and deep humanity how we can achieve a form of serenity. It is a book that is simultaneously witty, gentle, and undaunted, a magnanimous reflection that can comfort both the dying and those left behind."

(Andrew Solomon, author of "The Noonday Demon", National Book Award winner)

"One of America's best psychotherapists guides us through one of our most difficult obligations in life, in this profoundly helpful book. It will benefit anyone who reads it."

(Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of "When Bad Things Happen to Good People")

"Yalom is the Scheherazade of the couch and his work is a wonderful exercise in storytelling."

(Laura Miller, New York Times)

"Irvin Yalom writes like an angel about the demons that haunt us."

(Rollo May, author of "Love and Will", "The Meaning of Anxiety" and "The Courage to Create")

From the author of "When Nietzsche Wept", "Lying on the Couch", "The Executioner’s Song", "Religion and Psychiatry", "The Gift of Therapy", "The Schopenhauer Cure", "Momma and the Meaning of Life", comes now a unique book that faces head-on the greatest difficulty we all encounter: how to overcome our paralyzing fear of death.

Written in Irvin Yalom's unique style, the book "In the Garden of Epicurus" condenses the work and personal experience of a lifetime into a profoundly encouraging approach to the universal issue of mortality. Yalom shows that at the core of our anxiety often lies the fear of death. This realization often leads to an "awakening experience" - a dream, an illness, a traumatic experience, or the fact that we are aging.

Among touching personal stories of people struggling to conquer the terror of death, there is a chapter of profound autobiographical confessions by Yalom. With this book, the great psychotherapist proposes various methods by which we can manage the terror and ultimately affirm life. Most importantly, Yalom encourages us to strive for a more direct connection with other people. Compassionate contact, combined with the wisdom of great thinkers who themselves grappled with the issue of mortality, helps us overcome our fear of death, live a happier and more meaningful life, and take the necessary risks to realize ourselves.

This is the latest book by Irvin Yalom; it was first published in America in January 2008.