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Book club
The Last Act of Love
  1. Christopher Hutchcroft1,
  2. Matthew Jones1,
  3. Tim Lavin1,
  4. James Lilleker2,3,
  5. Jane Molloy1,
  6. David McKee1,
  7. Anna Richardson1,
  8. Rajiv Mohanraj1,4
  1. 1Department of Neurology, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre, Salford, UK
  2. 2Department of Neurology, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre, Salford, UK
  3. 3Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  4. 4Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Rajiv Mohanraj, Neurology, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre, Salford M6 8HD, UK; Rajiv.Mohanraj{at}srft.nhs.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2021-003018

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    The Last Act of Love, Cathy Rentzenbrink’s account of her brother Matty’s traumatic brain injury and consequent permanent vegetative state, was the first non-fiction book read by our neurology book club. This acclaimed memoir charts the family’s 8-year journey, starting with the initial shock of Matty’s accident and hopes for recovery, through a growing acceptance of his irreversible neurological impairment, and his eventual death following withdrawal of clinically assisted nutrition and hydration. Rentzenbrink’s prose vividly portrays her grief at the loss of her brother, and the lasting impact of his injury on her life. Through her eyes we also witness reactions of family, friends and society at large, both illuminating and poignant.

    The prominent theme of the first part of the book is the emotional challenge faced by the family in dealing with Matty’s vegetative state, a grey area between the …

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    Footnotes

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    • Contributors All authors contributed equally to the article.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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