Ditty

In reference to Graham Harley’s review of my book, Finding Home (“Sentimental Journey from Hell,” April 2008), it is plain to see that Mr. Harley had as much fun composing his review as I had in writing the book.

Eric Wright
Toronto, Ontario

What a task Sandra Martin has taken on in revealing some of the frustrations, distortions, and lies created by John Hofsess that played a part in the struggle for the right to die. She has created the perfect picture of a man who was a prisoner of his own ego, a man so lacking in accountability and responsibility that he created for himself a series of theatrical roles that he played out until he fell off his perch.

Sue Rodriguez and her embryonic struggle now seems so distant that I imagine Martin carried the seeds of this essay within her for a long time. Congratulations on a deeply satisfying piece.

The background on dying with dignity, the people involved in the Rodriguez case, the saga of Sandra Martin’s correspondence with John Hofsess — it all made for an interesting read. Together, these events paralleled the development of our current medical assistance in dying, or MAID, laws. To read about them now, having recently come across several other articles related to MAID, made this piece even more compelling.

What a tale: good to see it all laid out like this finally. Well done, Sandra!