Rationally, we all know death is coming, but how many truly believe it? Most people only accept the inevitability when forced to by accident or terminal illness. Ironically, such a diagnosis can lend a new lease on life, as it did for Rod Nordland, author of Waiting for the Monsoon. Rereading E.M. Forster's Howards End recently, I came across the line "Death destroys a man, but the idea of death saves him" – maybe the confirmation of mortality is the spur we need to live courageously and with abandon.

"Terminal" doesn't always mean death is imminent, after all. Australian author Clive James published 10 books of poetry and essays between a terminal leukemia diagnosis and his death, while poet Christian Wiman has produced six books in the nearly 20 years he's lived with incurable lymphoma. Below I feature four poignant memoirs written with the knowledge of death … sooner or later.

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved by Kate Bowler (2018) –...