In 1969, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross opened a dialogue-debate on death and dying. She achieved this with her groundbreaking book “On Death and Dying.” In 1993, another doctor named Sherwin Nuland continued the dialogue with his popular book “How We Die – Reflections on Life's Final Chapter.” A comparison between the first chapter, On the Fear of Death, of Kübler-Ross's book, and chapter seven, Accidents, Suicide and Euthanasia, of Nuland's book, shows that both Kübler-Ross and Nuland argue in favor of control of the circumstances surrounding a patient's life. death. However, while Kübler-Ross advocates strong control of patients, Nuland emphasizes the need for control of doctors and society. The subtitle of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross' book describes her audience of doctors, nurses, clergy, and families of dying patients. Due to its target audience, the book is written on a more emotional level, citing examples of both positive and negative death experiences. There are no detailed descriptions of what happens to the body when it dies, just discussions of what the dying person might feel and how they might want to experience their final moments of life. Sherwin Nuland takes a much more scientific approach with his book “How We Die”. In chapter seven, Accidents, Suicide, and Euthanasia, Nuland describes in detail the pathophysiology of why a person dies from sepsis and lung infection. His book is aimed more at healthcare professionals who are familiar with lengthy discussions of the pathophysiology of a certain disease process. Each author's choice of target audience correlates with their discussions regarding who controls the death experience. Kübler-Ross argues for patient input and control and thus...... middle of paper ......ay's Society, but not without controversy. Especially discussions about a patient's right to hasten certain death which may be painful or difficult for the patient. Kübler-Ross advocates a balanced approach to patient care: attention is paid to the scientific aspect of health care as well as the emotional needs of the patient, and the patient is allowed to remain in control. Nuland advocates a more scientific approach to patient care: death is viewed on a more realistic and scientific level and, although the emotional needs of the patient are taken into account, the doctor retains the right to decide whether the patient is sufficiently mentally fit to make all final decisions. .Works Cited Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth. On death and dying. New York: Scribner, 1969. 15-23. Print. Nuland, Sherwin. How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter. New York: Vintage Books, 1993. 140-63. Print.