Good Grief: Embracing life at a time of death

by Catherine Mayer, Anne Mayer Bird

Overview

Sandi ToksvigAnita Anand

‘Grief is more than the price of love. It is love. We must learn not just to live with it, but to make it welcome.’

Catherine Mayer and her mother Anne Mayer Bird were widowed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is their story of supporting each other through whirling grief, ‘sadmin’ and the darkest of times, as they learn to embrace life again.

Now updated with brand new chapters, Good Grief is an essential companion for loss and a testimony to enduring love. Spiked with wry humour, it is an uplifting, moving and unexpectedly joyous read.

‘Smart, upbeat and brimming with fortitude’ Observer

‘One of the saddest things I've ever read but also the most powerful. It's made me want to cling tight to the people I love while acknowledging their mortality and mine too.’ Marian Keyes

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780008436148
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	05/03/2022
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	126,498
Product dimensions:	5.08(w) x 7.80(h) x (d)

About the Author

Catherine Mayer is a bestselling author, award-winning journalist and co-founder of the Women’s Equality Party and Primadonna Festival.

Anne Mayer Bird is an arts publicist, who has worked across many art forms and at institutions including The Place, Opera North, The National Theatre, The Young Vic, The Philharmonia Orchestra and The Royal Court Theatre. She serves on the boards of two theatres.

Table of Contents

Foreword 11

Introduction 15

1 Loss 30

2 Denial 47

3 Death 60

Letter to John: 27 March 2020 73

4 Aftermath 81

Letter to John: 20 April 2020 96

5 Three funerals and a memorial 104

Anne's eulogy for John 114

Catherine's eulogy for Andy 120

Letter to John: 17 May 2020 126

Letter to John: 25 May 2020 132

6 Sadmin 137

Letter to John: 1 July 2020 157

7 Heaven has no rage 164

Letter to John: 6 July 2020 193

8 Covid 202

Letter to John: 22 December 2020 238

9 Comfort 243

Letter to John: 12 January 2021 266

10 Love 270

Letter to John: 16 June 2021 286

11 Rebuilding 290

Letter to John: 17 July 2021 314

Letter to John: 1 September 2021 316

12 In conclusion 319

The Dying Rays 343

Acknowledgements 344

Editorial Reviews

‘One of the saddest things I've ever read but also the most powerful. It's made me want to cling tight to the people I love while acknowledging their mortality and mine too.’ Marian Keyes

‘The most life-affirming book ever written about death.’ Sandi Toksvig

‘One of the most powerful and helpful books about grief that you will ever read.’ Anita Anand

‘A perfect book, specific and personal, but spot on about the universal nature of grief and how we grieve. Every page sings and, though often heart-breaking, it's genuinely an utter pleasure to read.’ Kate Mosse

‘Every life has a start, a middle and an end. Everyone prepares for the first two events, but are we doing what we can to prepare for the end? Catherine and Anne generously share their experience of widowhood knowing that they can help others prepare and cope with grief. An important book on a very important subject.’ June Sarpong

‘Fantastic book, full of beautiful honesty’ Rio Ferdinand

‘Smart, upbeat and brimming with fortitude’ Observer

‘Exceptionally insightful . . . would be very helpful to anyone who has lost someone dear – or who knows someone who has. Which is all of us.’ Maggie Alderson for the Lady

‘A powerful read’ Bella

‘A celebration of life’ i

From the Publisher