The Death Class is the author’s account of Dr Norma Bowe and 3 of her students in her “Death in Perspective” course. Dr Bowe, a nurse, describes the course with an objective of developing “an understanding of the nature and experiences of the stages of dying, death, and bereavement” as a unique type of health class—a beginning of a bereavement group.
This book follows 3 students and Dr Bowe as they experience cemeteries, prisons, morgues, and hospitals. Dr Bowe shows the students how contemplating the end of life can transform their lives and allow them to overcome their history. As the theoretical foundation for Bowe’s work, the author presents learnings from Eriksson’s 12 stages of life. At the end of every chapter, the author includes a reflective exercise used in Bowe’s course with the purpose of actively engaging the reader in discovering how to celebrate life.