To Be or Not to Be?

“Hanging is the most popular method of self-slaughter in the world and the second most popular in the United States, after firearms,” writes Brendan Kiley, in his look at the history, meaning, and practice of suicide. “The world’s most popular jump site is said to be Mount Mihara, a volcano on an island near Tokyo where a person can leap off the rim and directly into the lava. … For most people, the subject is so taboo it’s hard to deal with—even among people who deal with suicide for a living.”