India, Jan. 2 -- Jerry Pinto's books hit the market with such astonishing frequency that it is hard to keep up with his growing body of work. One marvels at his ability to bring profundity, humour and a loving gaze to whatever subject he touches, whether it is mental health, disability, caste, queer life, or cinema.

His latest book, A Good Life: The Power of Palliative Care, is a powerful work of non-fiction that uses stories of patients, doctors and caregivers to raise awareness about "an inclusive approach to medical care for any serious illness, at any age, right from the moment of diagnosis".

The thrust here is on care rather than cure because the latter is not possible for many individuals. In such cases, palliative care focuses on...