Painfully. Slowly. And stripped of our dignity. This is how we die, writes Sherwin Nuland in the best-selling How We Die: Reflections of Life’s Final Chapter, an exquisitely detailed account of death by cancer, AIDS, heart disease, old age, and violence. Depending on your point of view, Nuland’s chronicle of dehumanization makes either a powerful argument against life-prolonging medical treatment, or a compelling case for immortality. Nuland discusses his book at 7 p.m. at Politics & Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. FREE. (202) 364-1919. (DP)