“Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer” by Heather Lende

For most people, obituaries are the end of their story, but for a journalist, obits are where you start learning to write. When my dad started Northwestern University’s Medill School in the fall of 1952, everyone in the class was given a still-living celebrity and only a few hours to write their well-crafted obituary. All of the students scurried off to library to do research. However, my dad got distracted, met a girl and took her to coffee instead. A few minutes before the assignment was due he wrote and turned in this: “It was rumored today that the comedian Danny Kaye died. The rumor, however, was false, and Mr. Kaye is very much alive.” The life lesson was that my dad was not cut out to be a journalist, but rather a comedy writer. “Find the Good” by Heather Lende is the story of how an Alaska-based obituary writer discovered a new-found positive outlook on life, while combing over late people’s lives. “The Los Angeles Times” called Lende, “part Annie Fillard, part Anne Lamott.” And I call her a writer with a big heart and deep soul. There are people who love to read obituaries and people who don’t. For years, I have found pearls of inspiration in nearly every obituary I have ever read. Lende’s book takes that philosophy to the next level and shows through the pages of her book, that mistakes and loss can be turned into victories and re-births. It might sound corny but it feels true and real, too. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.