In the 1950s, about 50% of patients who died in a hospital in the U.S. received an autopsy. Today, that figure is in the single digits, which is a big loss according to two people who care a lot about this topic:

One is Dr. Alex Williamson, an forensic and pediatric pathologist who performs autopsies and talks to families of the deceased about what he learned in the process. The other is Sam Ashworth, a novelist who went looking for a storytelling device and found an obsession. This week, both men explain why autopsies are important and what they can teach us about living.

Sam Ashworth’s novel ⁠The Death and Life of August Sweeny⁠ is available now.

This episode was produced by Cameron Drews.

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If you’re new to the show, welcome. We’re so glad you’re here. Find us and follow us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and you can find Anna’s newsletter at annasale.substack.com. Our email address, where you can reach us with voice memos, pep talks, questions, critiques, is deathsexmoney@slate.com.

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盖世英雄-路明@后排的路明 （大学老师）-@马晓橙

盖世英雄-路明@后排的路明（大学老师）-@马晓橙