A reader’s guide
Loss, Mortality and Care
Three linked academic books explore how we live after someone dies, how we live knowing that we will end, and how we respond to the suffering of others. Psychological research meets philosophical inquiry, with humor, beauty, play, and everyday pleasure woven through the questions.
Read each book independently, or follow the sequence from Bereavement to Living with Mortality and Turning Away from Suffering. See each book page for available editions and stores.
Bereavement
How do I live without you? An inquiry into bereavement, continuing bonds, and the possibility of pleasure while love and sorrow remain.
Explore the book Author’s forewordLiving with Mortality
How do I live with myself knowing I will end? A philosophical and psychological inquiry into death anxiety, afterlife beliefs, and the value of a finite life.
Explore the book Author’s forewordTurning Away from Suffering
Do we turn away from suffering because it awakens fears about our own lives? An inquiry into attention, avoidance, care, and shared responsibility.
Explore the book Author’s foreword
A few things to know
Do I need to read the books in order?
No. Each addresses a distinct question and can be read on its own. The suggested sequence moves from the loss of someone we love, through our own mortality, to care and responsibility beyond ourselves.
What connects the three books?
They examine vulnerability without reducing grief or ethical responsibility to fear of death. Each also considers the place of humor, beauty, play, and everyday pleasure.
What does academic edition mean here?
Each book includes references, a method note, and key terms. They are philosophical inquiries informed by selected psychological and documentary research, rather than systematic reviews or reports of original fieldwork.
Does the third book prove that mortality fears make us turn away?
No. It examines that possibility alongside emotional effort, identity, uncertainty, information avoidance, and doubts about whether help will work. Its Gaza and Myanmar chapters are dated documentary cases.
When can I buy the books?
See each book page for confirmed retailer links and available editions. Availability varies by store.