Archive Record
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Metadata
Title |
Oral History of BJ Miller |
Collection |
Oral History |
Scope & Content |
In this oral history, palliative care physician and Mill Valley resident Bruce Miller, known as BJ, recounts the extraordinary and inspiring story of his life. At the age of 19, while a student at Princeton, BJ suffered a terrible accident that left him physically disabled. BJ describes his experience of coming to terms with his new life and body, including his determination to belong to a world not designed for people with disabilities. BJ explains how the accident launched him on an introspective journey, with sustained reflection on what it means to be a human being and the nature of suffering. This introspection served to deepen his sense of connection to others. BJ recounts how during his recovery process he discovered his vocation, and after graduating from college went on to study medicine at UCSF, developing a specialty in palliative care. BJ describes his subsequent work as Executive Director of the Zen Hospice Project and the TED talk he gave on end-of-life preparation. In 2007, BJ moved to Mill Valley after being seduced by the beauty of the town and falling in love with a house with a view of Mt. Tam. Throughout this oral history, BJ shares his wisdom about how to live and how to die, how to embrace mortality and thereby develop a deeper appreciation for life, and how a community can develop a culture of compassion. |
Audio and Transcript |
Click here to hear recording. Click here to read the transcript. |
Dates of Creation |
2017-11-14 |
Interviewee |
Miller, BJ |
Interviewer |
Schwartz, Debra |
Extent and Medium |
Transcript: 52pp Recording: 02:33:09 |
Search Terms |
Accidents Amputees Austin, Peter Baker, Jonathan Burke, Justin Hospice care Hospitalization Kilgore, Elizabeth Living with a disability Medical education Palliative care Physical disability UCSF Zen Hospice Project |
Object ID |
2017.154.001 |
Object Name |
Recording |
Copyrights |
Transcript and recording copyright Mill Valley Public Library, 2017. Materials are made available for research purposes only; all rights are reserved to the Mill Valley Public Library. Requests for permission to quote for publication or for any other usage must be obtained from the Library. |