Honestly, I kind of thought this book was underwhelming. I almost couldn’t get through it all. It picked up though.

Henry Marsh has led a full and storied life. His legacies beyond his life will live on, far after he is gone from this Earth. In this, a memoir about him finding out he has cancer, and his treatment and how he was treated by doctors, really touches on so many things that are relevant to us all.

I found this book to be worth the read, but definitely not for everyone. This book borders on depressing, at times, as Henry talks about his former patients, many of them dead, and his own treatment for cancer. We are all so fragile, and this book reminds me of humanities fragility, as well as my own.

Overall, I found the book to be very scattered, with many random stories intertwined within the story. Although I enjoyed the stories that were told, often I wanted to hear more about a particular event, and other events that I was less interested in were elaborated on more than I would have preferred. Such is the issue that I have with most memoirs.

I would recommend this to people who have recovered from cancer, or possibly who have an interest in Henry Marsh's profession of neurosurgery.

2 random stars.
“Hope is one of the most precious drugs doctors have at their disposal.”

Even though my father had advanced prostate cancer, and I had breast cancer twice and regularly read ‘cancer stories’, Marsh’s narrative did not grab me. Here’s what I would have titled some of the chapters: Ch. 2 – Brain stuff (interesting, but not new to me as an educator.) Ch. 3 – Early covid shutdown. Ch. 4 – Random rambling and musings about former patients. Ch. 5 – Altitude, sleep, and sleep apnea. (At 20% through, I wish he’d move one.) Ch 6 – His home and junk. Ch. 7 – Ukraine, a sniper, a former patient. (My response good grief, the book is one third over, nothing happened and there is no focus.) Ch. 9 – Diagnosis, hospital environment, book picks up a tiny bit. Ch. 10 – Waiting. Ch. 11- Litany of aging symptoms and chemical castration. Ch. 12 – Evolution and sciency stuff. Ch. 13 – Consciousness and other things you might not want explained. Ch. 15 – Poop and pee (IMHO – TMI!). Ch. 16 – Assisted dying. Ch. 18 – A Derivative fairytale Marsh creates for his granddaughters (Me – really, why? The editor thought this was a good idea? You needed this much filler?)

A quote: “The storage space became completely filled with redundant possessions.” My response: I don’t care.

I give Marsh credit for sharing a very personal story and reading his own narrative. Sometimes there are dribbles of humor. “It had become increasingly difficult to deny that my body was past its Best Before date.”

Marsh speaks with an easy to understand, educated British accent. Due to his age, his voice has a bit of ‘older man raspiness.’

In the Acknowledgements Dr. Marsh thanks his editor for “sorting out the muddle with which I presented her.” “I am fascinated by how much of my past I have forgotten, as well as how boring is much of what I have written.” (Why would the editor keep this sentence in?!) And Finally is a book that rambles along the towpath he mentions several times. I wish the editor would have enlivened it or the publisher would have said “No thanks.” This book needed more hope and less dreariness.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this memoir would have been a bit more personal... More about him and less about his career as a surgeon, traveler and scholar. It has the potential to make folks paranoid about seeking medical treatment though. He was vulnerable in some scenes as it relates to his diagnosis but in the next sentence he was again off topic in my opinion. Perhaps this is the natural occurrence of for a person who is dying and who is also of an advanced age. It was an OK #audiobooking experience but not what I expected.
#MacmillanAudio #NetGallery #AndFinally

Dr. Henry Marsh is a retired neurosurgeon and a well respected author of the sensational Do No Harm. In his latest book, And Finally Dr. Marsh takes the reader on his journey through prostate cancer, treatment and the COVID pandemic. He shares interesting facts and information along the way and his unfiltered honesty about what happens when the doctor becomes the patient is something that will sit with me for a long time.

Thank you Macmillian audio for access to this ARC.

Rounded up from 2.5 stars. For me the book was filled with far too much science history that I was not able to follow. I did enjoy the personal journey with his patients and his views on assisted suicide. I received the audiobook from Netgalley and am interested in reading one of his previous books, "Do No Harm."

I am not sure this book was for me. I read it as a book challenge prompt to learn something I didnt know and it was a mistake on my end. The book was really well written and was very educational, however I am not interested in medical knowledge and was really forcing myself to read finish it. I would recommend if you are interested in medical things though.

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AUDIO ARC - Publication Jan 17

I am an unashamedly dedicated fan of Dr. Henry Marsh, who wrote the stellar book, Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery. Dr. Marsh writes in a way that I feel is insightful and thoughtful. I listening, on audio, to his upcoming book AND FINALLY, Matters Of Life and Death, (publish date: Jan. 17th), thanks to a gifted ARC from St. Martin’s Press, McMillan Audio, NetGalley, and Dr. Marsh. In this novel, Dr. Marsh has time to reflect on his life and the future of medical care. Long known as a supporter of end-of-life choices (I concur) and other transformations in medical care for those who are closing in on their last days; I found this book fascinating. Dr. Marsh states: “Patients want certainty, but doctors can only deal with uncertainty.” He also admonishes the health industry to treat patients with dignity and respect. His unvarnished truth shines through when he admits that he has not always behaved just so and regrets this. Henry Marsh, a retired acclaimed British neurosurgeon, does not want to die. But, if we are honest, we don’t want to die either. What I hope is that other physicians will read ALL of his books, but at least this one, and realize there is a better way to help those who are transitioning to end-of-life care. I am partially biased because I have always believed Dr. Marsh to be a physician/writer who has educated and encouraged doctors and patients during his life’s work. Expand your horizons and read Do No Harm and/or And Finally. Thank you, Dr. Marsh, for your wise words of comfort, you have enriched this reader’s life, and I am grateful.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, McMillan Audio, and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
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#henrymarsh @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio @netgalley #AndFinally #medicine #cancer #medicalcare #book #nonfiction #autobiography #books #bookstagram #memoir

I really enjoyed reading Henry Marsh’s new book And Finally. I looked him up right when I finished and was thrilled to see he has more books just waiting for me to read. I was moved, inspired, saddened, and even chuckled a few times. ( do people still say chuckle? We’ll I’m bringing it back) It was an honor to get a glimpse into the authors life and see him change from a doctor to a patient.
Henry is a retired brain surgeon who has put off finding out the truth about his own health. He knows what he has but can’t seem to come to grips with the truth. Henry has prostate cancer. All his years serving others and being the one in the lab coat had not prepared Henry for what it will feel to be on the other side. Henry reflects on the patients he treated and wonders if he said the right thing, made them feel a certain way, was he a good doctor to his patients. Did he give them terminal diagnosis with care and compassion and offer them hope?

Hope is one of the most precious drugs doctors have at their disposal

Henry gives a real and honest account of what he went through from finding out about his cancer, through treatment, and his current state of health. I cried and smiled and was most humbled by this brilliant man who wishes he could go back and do better by his patients. From the long waits in the waiting room to the rushed visit with the doctor Henry realizes how that makes a patient feel. I know myself that you don’t want to feel like just a number, you want a doctor that will fight right alongside you.
Thank you Henry for sharing your story and I hope you live your life to the fullest and get to continue reading stories every night to your three granddaughters.

I accepted the request to read/review this book simply because I love medical books that are also memoirs and this seemed very intriguing. I had no expectations and since I have not read any of the author's previous books, I didn't know if I would even like the writing. I am here to say I did. Whew! ;-)

This book is, for lack of a better word, cerebral and often-times disjointed. The author tends to flit from thought to thought, interspersed with his retirement and subsequent terminal cancer diagnosis, creating a jumble of memories and present time. For me, it worked. I didn't try to get anything out of this book except enjoyment and listening to a man who has lived a very full life [as he is very willing to tell you throughout the book] and I found it was like having a face-to-face conversation with someone who was just telling a story and how things they were talking about reminded them of something from the past and they add that into what they are currently telling you. Typically, I am not a fan of this, but for whatever reason, in this case, it worked for me and I really ended up enjoying this book immensely and I am so glad I was given the opportunity to read it.

The author narrates this and with his excellent diction and delicious [posh] English accent, it made this book even more of a joy to listen to. You can hear the emotion in his voice when he talks about difficult subjects and his pragmatism when he discusses his cancer diagnosis and it truly adds to the overall feeling of the book. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to listen to this book; for me, it made for a much better reading experience.

I was asked to read/review this book by St. Martin's Press and I thank them, NetGalley, Henry Marsh and Macmillan Audio for providing both the ARC and the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ARC and audioARC of this!

This was an interesting insight into the author's dealings with medical issues after having been on the other side of the interaction for most of his life, perfect for fans of When Breath Becomes Air. Dealing with it himself made him reflect on how he had delivered hard news to patients and their families and how he could've done things differently as a doctor, but also on the good he had done and the why behind it. At 70, he sounds more active and healthy than I am at 30, which is both inspiring and a little depressing. Overall, I found this very engaging and conversational, and easy to understand.

I love that this was narrated by the author, as I feel that adds a special depth to the story, since he knows exactly the emotion and meaning behind what he chose to write. However, I struggle with accents, and I had a slightly harder time understanding him that some other audiobooks. It didn't put me off listening, though I did slow the audio speed down a bit to make it easier for myself.

This audiobook was pretty good, but I think I would have preferred a written version. I thought the narration was pretty good, but being that some of the content was a bit complex (it is about neurosurgery after all) it felt a bit like listening to a university lecture so I think I might have preferred to read it instead. The content was good, but a bit boring at times. I wasn't constantly looking forward to picking it back up again which is something I need to feel for an audiobook to work for me. I'm glad I was able to give it a try but not quite what I was hoping for. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to try it out!

Exactly what you think a clear masterpiece. Henry Marsh brings this story alive. Tha k you for the advanced readers copy. This was a fantastic read

A beautiful, touching followup to Do No Harm. Brilliantly written and has a refreshing perspective on both life and science. I highly recommend this title for anyone in your life!

Usually, I prefer to read a book then to listen to it, but there are some exceptions, like memoirs or personal essays, especially when narrated by the author. “And Finally” is a perfect example of such a case. While I already fell in love with the original version, I have found the audio version even better. To hear this story in Professor Marsh's own voice, a little bit tired but he clearly is used to speaking in public and does it brilliantly, made it more intimate and poignant.

About the book itself: Facing the potentially terminal illness, Professor Marsh is reevaluating his long and eventful life and shares his sometimes bitter reflections. While I was fascinated by his two earlier memoirs, it is this latest one that I have found the most profound and personal. His openness and humbleness (not often seen in a neurosurgeon!) are very moving.

The main structure of this book is constructed around the diagnosis and therapy of his prostate cancer, and I think everyone who has dealt with this kind of illness will find his insights noteworthy. But no less interesting are his miscellaneous thoughts on subjects from neuroscience to exercises to euthanasia.

Switching places and becoming a patient himself, Professor Marsh for the first time truly realizes how it is to be, as he puts it, a member of ‘the under-class’ at the hospital. Therefore, I hope that this book will also be widely read by public health professionals and maybe will influence their attitudes and mindsets.

Thanks to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

AND FINALLY is the story of Henry Marsh, a retired neurosurgeon and the author of DO NO HARM. This is his story. Marsh shares his story of being a patient following a diagnosis of terminal prostate cancer. He shows a more understanding and sympathetic doctor, even though retired, once he is on the other side of the table. He writes of how doctors tell patients information (true and some simply hopeful), how they don't understand the anxiety of waiting to learn test results (until they are the person awaiting the results), and the process of treatment.

My father had prostate cancer. I did not fully understand the treatment he underwent until reading Marsh's story. I have a much better understanding of the diagnosis, treatment, and side effects as a result.

Marsh also tells of how the COVID-19 lockdown affected his life. How he was able to continue his communication and storytelling to his granddaughters, and how he spent his time.

The book does seem to ramble at times but has interesting information from the viewpoint of a doctor now in the role of the patient.