Hadley Vlahos “The In-Between” feels like is a freshman effort trying to tackle a senior-level dissertation. Vlahos attempts to make an argument for a third way between believing and non-believing by sharing remembrances of the final days of her hospice patients along with the tumultuous and miraculous times of her own life. It’s a journey I was eager to read but should have checked my own expectations at the door. Vlahos should first be commended for tackling such an emotional topic as hospice and end-of-life care. She does so with a decorum and straightforward prose that makes the topic accessible and less frightening than you might expect. The writing is at the same time so rudimentary that you’d wish it had just been delivered as a TED Talk or Podcast Series. The power in the message is dulled by Vlahos’ style but worth noting that topic deserves exploring all the same. The accolades for the book rests solely in how Vlahos manages to gracefully argue for the “In-Between” as a space between the realities of life and death in contrast to how belief. Both shape how we seek care and what we think comes after we’re gone. In that space, there is room for all walks of life to find acceptance, peace, and purpose even in the final moments. It’s also a moment where the otherwise spiritual phenomena walk side by side with physiological events. This exploration of a very metaphysical topic makes the book equal parts spiritual journey, self-help, and philosophical musing on what comes next. Especially in how Vlahos uses her own personal journey to highlight the lack of humanity in our healthcare system while also offering glimpses of deep compassion. It’s a quick and straightforward read that has promise but under delivers. Perhaps I was expecting something akin to Oliver Sacks and his book “An Anthropologist on Mars.”

A look into the world that is so hard to explain if you aren’t there. Beautifully written and insightful. This will stick with me forever.

10/10, the most respect for nurse Hadley!🤍🤍

I loved it, it just gives me more Faith that we have peace and Love with our families on the other side.

This is the first book I have read in many years. I loved it. I am in the medical profession and have lost 4 family members on Hospice in the last 5 years. This book hit home with me and was very heart warming.

I just could not stop reading it. I finished the book in just a few days. I totally recommend it.

I recently lost my mother and struggling with her death and the ups and downs of the grief process….i came across this book and was instantly hooked! Reading these stories was able to help me understand and process my grief better now knowing that I do not need to carry the guilt of signing my mother’s DNR papers. This book will make you laugh, cry and dig deep within yourself to realize the beauty of losing a loved one and appreciating life not only for myself but others too. So for that I want to say THANK YOU this book was absolutely meant for me to read!

This book showed up on my suggested reading and I almost didn’t buy it, but I just had a conversation with a client about end of life visitations (Im a therapist and my client is 12) and it was too much of a coincidence to pass up. I dont know what compelled me to start reading it as soon as I bought it, but I could not put it down. Thank you so much for writing this book Ms. Hadley. It was a great comfort to me and Im guessing whoever reads it.

This book for me urges us not to wait until the end of our lives, to learn lessons that we can learn now. Sets us on the path towards a greater sense of worldly understanding and perception.

Wonderfully written with anecdotes that relate back to the patients. This book has changed my view on life and death for the good!