COMPANION READS
The Last Word: The New York Times Book of Obituaries and Farewells: A Celebration of Unusual Lives, edited by Marvin Siegel
These are the obituaries of some famous and not-so-famous women and men in our society, whether they be in the field of fashion or aviation, of inventing gadgets or novel writing, of cartoon drawing or jingle writing. One way or another, each person written of has fulfilled some kind of potential and added an important—somehow / someway—element to the fabric of American life. Each died between fall 1990 and fall 1991. More than 140 stories of commoners, heroes, elitists, and others are included. It was an enjoyable read about people and their accomplishments (not about their faith, relationship with God, or other good works). They were enjoyable stories and developments revealed in obituaries, which were more similar to tributes than traditional obits.
In the Hollow of God’s Hand by Rev. Roy C. Nilsen, 2004, Zion Publishing
A moving collection of funeral sermons preached over 40 years of ordained ministry in the ELCA Lutheran Church. In each sermon he introduces you to a real, ordinary persons – saints & sinners rolled into one – who were all asked to walk through death’s door ~ some suddenly, some painfully, some much too soon. With this work Nilsen invites you to contemplate your own mortality and discover what those who have gone before already know.
Amazon link: https://a.co/d/eO7XXvo
The Gift of Years: Growing Older Gracefully by Sister Joan Chittister
It reflects on the many aspects of aging—the purposes and concerns, the struggles and surprises, the potential and joys of life, and becoming aware of life’s profound purpose.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande
Addresses the questions of the medical profession’s approach to the old and terminally ill and how to prepare people to die rather than simply to be kept alive as long as possible.
The Good Funeral: Death, Grief, and the Community of Care by Thomas G. Long and Thomas Lynch
Cowritten by a theologian and a funeral director, this book’s title was misleading and the content disappointing, but that’s just me. However, I found Thomas G. Long’s description of his call and ministry in the Presbyterian church to be fascinating and edifying (pp. 40–47). It was wonderful to hear him retell it and learn about the affinity he developed for funerals.
Non-Perishable Stories (by a Parish Pastor) by Pr. Duane Everson, retired. Duane grew up in Viroqua, Wisconsin. He served Lutheran parishes in Fairmont, Houston, Northfield, Rochester, and Waterville, Minnesota, over forty years of ordained ministry. He gives away his book to any who request it. He lives in Northfield, Minnesota.