\"The Denial of Death\" by Ernest Becker is a profound and Pulitzer Prize–winning work that explores the central role of death in shaping human existence, behavior, and culture. Becker argues that much of what humans do—our ambitions, beliefs, social structures, and even neuroses—are rooted in a fundamental terror of mortality. He builds on psychoanalytic theory, existential philosophy, and anthropology to suggest that human beings are unique in their awareness of inevitable death, and this awareness creates deep anxiety. To manage this, people construct what he calls immortality projects—systems of meaning such as religion, culture, achievement, or even heroism—that give them a sense of enduring significance beyond their biological lives. Becker integrates Freud’s ideas of repression with Otto Rank’s focus on the individual’s struggle with mortality, proposing that repression of death is the primary defense mechanism that underlies much of human psychology. He shows how denial of death manifests in both healthy and pathological ways: while creativity, love, and cultural contributions can channel this anxiety into positive expressions, neurosis, obsession, and destructive behaviors often arise from distorted attempts to deny mortality. The book also explores the tension between the individual’s desire for freedom and meaning and the limitations imposed by the body and society. Ultimately, Becker suggests that to live authentically, humans must confront their mortality, even though complete acceptance is impossible; the denial of death is both an illusion and a necessity for psychological survival. This paradox—acknowledging death while striving to transcend it—forms the essence of human existence. Rich, challenging, and unsettling, The Denial of Death forces readers to reexamine the foundations of their beliefs, ambitions, and anxieties, offering both a diagnosis of human conflict and a philosophical reflection on the search for meaning in the face of finitude.