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The Denial of Death

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The Denial of Death

By: Ernest Becker
Narrated by: Raymond Todd
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About this listen

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1974 and the culmination of a life's work, The Denial of Death is Ernest Becker's brilliant and impassioned answer to the "why" of human existence. In bold contrast to the predominant Freudian school of thought, Becker tackles the problem of the vital lie: man's refusal to acknowledge his own mortality. In doing so, he sheds new light on the nature of humanity and issues a call to life and its living that still resonates more than 30 years after its writing.

©1973 Free Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks
Social Sciences Sociology Inspiring Thought-Provoking Suspenseful
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Critic reviews

"A brave work of electrifying intelligence and passion, optimistic and revolutionary, destined to endure." (New York Times Book Review)

"Ranks among the truly important books of the year. Professor Becker writes with power and brilliant insight." (Publishers Weekly)

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What listeners say about The Denial of Death

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Long winded

I finished the book but it was a difficult listen for sure . Separately from the review I disagree completely with the authors evaluation of the homosexual . We are not perverts and do not seek “ ourselves” in our mates .

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Dated but interesting

It’s an older book and it shows. With that said it is an interesting read.

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Not a solution book. Nice thesis.

It lays out the issues well. But there is no solution. Maybe there is really no solution. Or if there is a solution in the book, it is not laid out in a 5 part plan or anything like that - you have to learn from contemplating on it.

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My favorite book

Challenging and speculative, but thoroughly enjoyable. I love the way the narrator reads too. Cant recommend highly enough!

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very eye opening of your willing to be open

I'm listening to this the second time after finishing it . I need to take notes

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Complicated for people other than psychology students.

Very complicated language. May be because it meant for psychology students.

Also, the author thinks the Christian way of life is better while calling it lie and mortality project. Why ? Did I misunderstood? It would be nice if someone can explain.

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Stimulating

Nice mesh between existentialism and psychoanalysis. Freud makes more sense if we switch the sex repression out for existential angst!

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Such an interesting book

This book goes into our perceptions of reality and what that means for us and everything we do.

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Good stuff

There is lots of good stuff in here. A in-depth look at life, available to the laymen. Not too heady but with enough aloofness for the scholarly type. As one my expect in 1960s/70s physiology literature there is some homophobia threading through some chapters. Not much but enough to take a star away. All in all I loved it.

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The most significant book I have ever read.

The battle in my mind between my heritage of faith and my deep allegiance to the scientific method found some peace in the main hypothesis of The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker. He hypothesizes that man is driven by a deep fear of dying to build constructs of what happens after death. He suggests that the primal fear of death cause people to convert to religion, leave moments to their lives, and to spend their life in an Epicurean scramble to balance the nothingness of death.

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26 people found this helpful