After the death of her parents, the journalist Louise Brown tries to extract something meaningful from the finitude of life. She becomes a funeral orator, and a witness to what remains of us when we die. This alters her perspective not only on death, but on life too. She gifts us with unforgettable images, reminding us of what makes us human. A reassuring and liberating book which encourages the reader to focus on the things that matter in life.

It feels like we’re living in expectation of imminent catastrophe. What can we do when all lightness gets lost? Louise Brown knows how fleeting happiness can be. Over a year, she decides to record the small wonders and ordinary joys she encounters in her daily life. She discovers that even the darkest days conceal moments of joy and wonder. This book is an invitation to celebrate the ordinary miracles in our busy daily lives.

The power of writing can help us move through our grief. With great empathy, drawing on thoughts from What Remains When We Die, compassionate questions and brief writing exercises, journalist and funeral speaker Louise Brown encourages grievers to write down their thoughts and feelings about their loss and their memories of the life they shared with the person who passed away. For she is convinced that grief tells an important story: if people are mourning, it is because they have had the opportunity to experience love and deep human connection.