In the tradition of C. S. Lewis’s A Grief Observed, Guy Newland offers this brave record of falling to pieces and then learning to make sense of his pain and grief within his spiritual tradition. Drawing inspiration from all corners of the Buddhist world—from Zen stories and the Dalai Lama, to Pema Chödrön and ancient Pali texts—this book reverberates with honesty, kindness, and deep humanity. Newland shows us the power of responding fully and authentically to the death of a loved one.

“After the death of his beloved partner from cancer, Guy Newland finds himself asking how effective his long years of Buddhist practice have been in helping him come to terms with overwhelming grief. Weaving together a wide range of Buddhist sources, this finely written book offers a lucid meditation on what it means to practice the Dharma when everything falls apart.”—Stephen Batchelor, author of Buddhism without Beliefs and After Buddhism