Do you remember the last time you saw a certain family member or special friend alive? It might not be an experience you want to relive, but it can tell you some important things about yourself and others. Author Renwick Jones does remember. He first encountered death when his paternal grandfather passed away. It then struck someone much closer to him-his brother, who died of sickle cell anemia. As the years passed, more loved ones died, and Jones also had to fight some serious health challenges of his own. In this powerful memoir, he explores a wide range of internal battles as well as outside factors that affect everyone, including the role that hospitals play when someone becomes ill, the duties of funeral directors when death strikes, the special perspectives of chaplains, and the functions that cemeteries serve when someone dies. Though death means absence, it gives you the ability to remember a loved one in any way that gives you the most comfort. Explore what death teaches us in The Last Time I Saw You Alive.

We have countless conversations throughout our life, yet the most critical one-discussing death-is the one we just aren't having. But what if talking about death wasn't the loaded, uncomfortable conversation we've come to dread? What if death wasn't a repressed topic, but one capable of bringing us closer to those we love? Michael Hebb, founder of Death Over Dinner, examines these questions and sparks a change in how we talk about death, one conversation at a time. Sharing prompts that have lead hundreds of thousands of discussions, Let's Talk About Death (Over Dinner) helps you broach everything from end-of-life care to the meaning of legacy, to how long we should grieve: What does a good death look like? If you could extend your life, how many years would you add? Twenty, fifty, one hundred, forever? If you were to design your own funeral or memorial, what would it look like? What do you want your legacy to be? Designed to help you talk about death's most difficult aspects, these thought-provoking prompts, and the powerful stories that support them, help transform the most difficult conversations into celebratory and meaningful opportunities -- ways that not only change the way we die, but the way we live.

In 1985, when a small freckle on Fanny Gutierrez's cheek grew to the size of a quarter and turned dark brown, the young mother sought medical advice. She soon learned she had malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer.

In "Until the End," her husband, author Jesus L. Gutierrez, shares her battle with cancer and how the diagnosis and treatment affected Fanny, Jesus, and their two young sons. It narrates the family's very real and vivid personal experiences to show how the psychological dynamics influenced them during the nine long and uncertain years of their cancer battle. This memoir provides insight into this particular form of cancer and shows how patients can serve the scientific community by being pioneers in the search for a cure.

"Until the End" pays tribute to Fanny and demonstrates the deep love she held for her husband and her children. It communicates the life-and-death decisions she made in regard to her health in order to extend her longevity. Most of all, it describes how she never lost her willingness to fight against the disease until the end. "?By writing about this distressing experience, Jesus has remarkably transformed the death of his wife Fanny from a private, tragic event to an instrument to end his suffering and sorrow. At the same time, he has used it as a testimony to help others to fight this terrible disease called cancer.?" ?Foreword from Dr. Enrique Zuniga del Campo, Psychoanalyst

When Rosemary Pavey-Snell's husband died of cancer, her world was shattered. Despite being a counsellor and psychotherapist herself, she had no way to prepare for something so terrible.

But she remembered what her husband, Allan, always used to say before going to bed: "It will be all right in the morning." Most of the time, he was right.

She remembered those words often, but she still experienced the same thoughts and feelings as anyone else who loses someone special. At times, she was in denial. She called upon her faith for strength. She found it difficult to ask others for help.

Regardless of whether you are suffering from a loss, counselling someone, or just trying to be a good friend, this personal journey through grief offers hope that mourning may eventually turn to joy.
"Rosemary Pavey-Snell gives us a poignant and, at times, heart-rending account of her own grieving after the unexpectedly early death of her beloved husband. From this experience she then provides an invaluable resource for counselors and pastoral workers who find themselves involved in the accompaniment of the bereaved. This is self-revelatory writing at its best and will be an invaluable aid to all those who have the privilege of walking alongside those in grief. It will also be a sure comfort for those who are themselves struggling with the absence of a much-loved companion." -Brian Thorne, emeritus professor of counselling,
"University of East Anglia," Lay Canon of Norwich Cathedral