Shannon M Cawley

Talking about death and dying is considered taboo in polite company, and even in the medical field. Our ideas about dying are confusing at best: Will our memories flash before our eyes? Regrets consume our thoughts? Does a bright light appear at the end of a tunnel? For most people, it will be a slower process, one eased with preparedness, good humor, and a bit of faith. At the forefront of changing attitudes around palliative care is hospice nurse Hadley Vlahos, who shows that end-of-life care can teach us just as much about how to live as it does about how we die.

Everyone deserves that best friend who delivers blunt advice with impunity. Comedian, writer, and actor Iliza Shlesinger is that friend. She has built a cult-like following of listeners seeking her hilarious take on their problems. Every week, people submit their burning questions to the show, with topics ranging from bad coworkers, psychotic bridesmaids, and a mother-in-law who won't move out to faking an accent and diarrhea etiquette. Iliza's answers range from wise and heart-felt to rage-fueled and off-the-wall. She enjoys nothing more than giving incisive life advice to total strangers, ...