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Chasing Daylight

By Gene O'Kelly

(39)

| Hardcover | 9780071471725

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Book Description

“I was blessed.

I was told I had three months to live.”

On May 24, 2005, Eugene O'Kelly stepped into his doctor's office with a full calendar and a lifetime of plans on his mind. Six days later he would resign as CEO of KPMG. His lifetime of plans dwindled to 10Continue

9 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

it's a little hard to rate a book about someone writing about his own impending death - but this is definitely worth reading as i do think most of us don't ever prepare ourselves, even though this might be decades away. we all die anyway, so why not try to have a happier ending and at least work at ... (continue)

it's a little hard to rate a book about someone writing about his own impending death - but this is definitely worth reading as i do think most of us don't ever prepare ourselves, even though this might be decades away. we all die anyway, so why not try to have a happier ending and at least work at it?

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Michaelkchan said on Mar 21, 2009 | Add your feedback

1 person find this helpful

Unexpected yet inspiring.

touched my soul. got attracted by the introductary note at the back cover. i love reading successful biz/people stories - but this was about a successful CEO got diagnoised with Brain Cancer and left with 3 months' time unexpectedly. the part describing how he was saying goodbye for everyone he l ... (continue)

touched my soul. got attracted by the introductary note at the back cover. i love reading successful biz/people stories - but this was about a successful CEO got diagnoised with Brain Cancer and left with 3 months' time unexpectedly. the part describing how he was saying goodbye for everyone he loved (friends, family, co-worker, etc.) - i could feel the pain of letting go of something we treasured so much in our lives (love, friendship). we always say we will do this tomorrow, but at birth everyone is walking towards the passage of death, and nobody knows when the day is here. another theme he brought out was work-life balance which i truely believe will be the important driver for a company to keep its talent in the coming 5 years.

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Pangp said on Jul 7, 2007 | Add your feedback

Things don't go according to plan! Do you still want things in control?
This is a provocative and inspiring story of a dying man, who has a positive mindset to prepare his death. Instead of trying to control everything in his type-A healthy life, he readjusts his altitude to the map of reality (in ... (continue)

Things don't go according to plan! Do you still want things in control?
This is a provocative and inspiring story of a dying man, who has a positive mindset to prepare his death. Instead of trying to control everything in his type-A healthy life, he readjusts his altitude to the map of reality (in the language of the Road Less Travelled) and focus his inner energy (the thing he can master).
This story is vastly different from the "death" story of Mitch Albom. This one is more down to earth and yet still touching. I especially like the last chapter written by his wife after his death -
"While he may have left me on the golf course as we were chasing daylight, he sure teed it up for me nicely for the remainder of the round."
A pretty energetic story when I read it in the wake of level 9 earthquake in Japan.

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Waleswong said on Mar 17, 2011 | Add your feedback

I expected to be moved to tears but was not, Mr. O'Kelly was very matter-of-fact, clinical and logical in his approach to death. It's one way of dealing with death, and likely the only way for a professional accountant and CEO. At the end of the day, death and preparation for death are intensely p ... (continue)

I expected to be moved to tears but was not, Mr. O'Kelly was very matter-of-fact, clinical and logical in his approach to death. It's one way of dealing with death, and likely the only way for a professional accountant and CEO. At the end of the day, death and preparation for death are intensely personal and private matters, so readers will obviously react accordingly.

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Fay Ng said on Jul 23, 2010 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

This is another book that is amazing. I like the author when facing his inevitable death chose first acceptance, then closure (meaning seeing all his friends and family expressing his gratitude), then trying to strive for consciousness to the end. Meanwhile, he tried to be present at every moment ... (continue)

This is another book that is amazing. I like the author when facing his inevitable death chose first acceptance, then closure (meaning seeing all his friends and family expressing his gratitude), then trying to strive for consciousness to the end. Meanwhile, he tried to be present at every moment and to enjoy it. It makes me thinking of my own inevitable death, which may come any time (unlike the author who was told that he had only 100 days). And yet, can I ever stay conscious to the end while be present at all present moment! This is a deeply spiritual book that everyone should read because the end can be very near and yet we are not ready for the end.

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Oz said on Jun 22, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

It gets any of its reader into thinking deeply about own life - esp what are the more important things

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Judy Mama said on Nov 6, 2007 | Add your feedback