Memento mori. The history of human achievements in the struggle against the inevitable

This book addresses an ambiguous topic — the risks that have accompanied human life throughout the centuries and how people learned to avoid them in their natural striving for longevity. Just 100 years ago, people primarily died from infectious diseases, while today, the main causes of death in industrially developed countries have become heart diseases, strokes, and cancer. By studying such statistics, we can understand how previous generations lived, learn from their mistakes, adopt the best practices, and create anew. From medieval hunger and now half-forgotten scurvy to modern obesity; from the discovery of vitamin C and basic rules of sanitation and hygiene to stem cell therapy, DNA editing, and genetic engineering — addressing the causes of human death across many generations and health care issues, Professor Andrew Doig from the University of Manchester enriches his narrative with fascinating facts from the fields of history, culture, politics, law, and economics. The theme of harmful habits and various addictions stands out significantly. An exciting story of the accumulation of knowledge in medicine, remarkable achievements, and hopes for the future.

«Our lifestyle has changed so radically that it has also affected how we die. The purpose of this book is to show how this has happened. In addition to studying how we live and die today, we will also look into the future and see what the next revolution in healthcare has in store for us, as many of today’s causes of death will be overcome through the use of new technologies such as stem cells, organ transplantation, and genetic engineering. Thus, the story of the causes of human death and how we have dealt with many of them is also the story of the development of medical knowledge and social organization, the history of achievements and prospects». (Andrew Doig)

The book was included in the list of recommended popular science publications of 2022 according to The Guardian, in the list of the best books of 2022 according to The Times. A book event of 2022 as recognized by Times and Observer.