Max Bidasha
Poet, Playwright
The
Pros
and
Cons
of
Dying
The Pros and Cons of Dying explores fears, beauty, intricacies, reflections, and absurdities of the inevitable. Max Bidasha weaves humor, whimsy, thoughtfulness, and love through what most would consider tragedy, loss, and sadness, constantly allowing the reader new opportunities to view death and dying through a refreshing, new lens. Part laugh out loud hilarious, part heartbreaking, The Pros and Cons of Dying will leave your heart and mind wide open, whether you are faced with your own life changing illness, have lost a loved one, or have ever questioned the meaning of life, contemplated where we go from here, or just wanted to have a closer relationship with the inevitable.
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Both heartbreaking and heart-encouraging. Such a delightful "ride" to read through this small volume of poetry!
"Stop Crying" (exactly what I think my late husband would say to me if he could!) made me laugh and cry at the same time. I sure hope there will be more from this poet in the future.
Nancy D
Praise & Reviews
This book had me laughing in one minute, and crying the next. Dying is inevitable, but as Max shows in his writing, there will be plenty of happiness and tears along the way. I wish I could say I have a favorite poem but there is no way to choose just one from this book as they’re all fantastic in their own way!
Jillian J
I love this book with my whole heart. It’s raw, heart wrenching, powerful, beautiful, funny, brave, humbling and so important. I treasure Max’s insights, his words and his heart. This book heals us.
Doreen K
About Max Bidasha
In 2018, I was diagnosed with stage IV cancer at the age of 35 and was told I had one year to live. Besides wanting to finish my bachelor's degree at Saint Mary's College of California, I knew I wanted to write, direct, produce, and act in a theater production. In January of 2020, my first play, STAGES, about my cancer journey debuted to sold-out audiences in Washington state. During the pandemic, I wrote another play, that was turned into a film called Missing Red Girls, about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The cast was comprised of Indigenous folks representing over ten nations.
Fast forward to 2024 and I have graduated cum laude, written several more plays including, The Kids Are NOT Alright, Mission: Totem Pole, Gramacita, along with a forthcoming novella based on my play, Gramacita. In June of 2024, my first book of poetry, The Pros and Cons of Dying, was released and debuted at #1 in the Amazon LGBTQ category. I am now an MFA student at Dominican University of California in San Rafael. My mission is to create work that celebrates the queer community, People of Color, and differently-abled bodied people through representation and collaboration. I am an Indigenous, Mexican, Punjabi, German, Two-Spirit, disabled, writer living in Napa, California, with my boyfriend Armando and puppy, Momo.