"As a practiced observer, Nádas in the book presents his experiences and thoughts on the progress of his own near-death experience caused by a heart attack. This experience does not reflect peace or the closeness of God, rather it is an objective description using the hardened tools of language and intellect," Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet said about the book.
The description of the writer's failing health, his rejection of pain and his attempt to use writing as a means to overcome the fear of death are some of the most interesting aspects of the book, according to the paper.
Own Death was translated into Swedish by Ervin Rosenberg.
The book was first serialised in Hungarian in the literary weekly Élet és Irodalom in 2001.
