In Extremis is an existential novel and simultaneously one of the funniest books written about death and family. Thomas knows there is something he needs to tell his mother before she dies. But will he manage to do it in time? And will he have the courage to say what he couldn't say before? His phone buzzes, his mind is spinning, and he can't focus on what's happening and what really matters. Should he try to resolve the family conflict his friend is currently in? Should he reconsider his separation from his wife? Why is he so incredibly confused, even paralyzed? In this highly stimulating novel, Tim Parks explores how deeply our identity is rooted in our family history. Can we ever truly change that?.