The Day Before I Died

The Day Before I Died is a memoir of an innocent Irish Catholic boy on his journey from the quiet New England coast and the apple orchards of Pennsylvania to Vietnam and, ultimately, to the brink of suicide. Traversing minefields both at home and abroad, the author shares these intensely personal stories of overcoming the scars of war, disfigurement, emotional abuse, sexual orientation, and bullying. It is an intimate look at the many triggers that led him to consider suicide and the path of resilience and strength that kept him alive. jfwhitaker.com Testimonials No one wakes up one day and says, "I think I'll commit suicide!" Rather, the pains and shames of life eventually take their toll to the point where suicide seems like a solution. The Day Before I Died chronicles the life of the author as he wrestled with the demons of self-hate, shame, and fear. He now shares his story in hopes of saving the lives of those who are shrouded in similar darkness. Reading the book to its completion is a metaphor for why suicide isn't a solution. —Toni Cole, MSW, LCSW, author of Negro Woman; Chocolate Love Letters: For Black Men from the Women and Children Who Love Them Joe Whitaker is a natural storyteller and his memoir, The Day Before I Died, is a compelling read, sometimes funny, sometimes somber. You'll laugh, you'll cry, but most importantly, you'll find hope. —Martin Roy Hill, author of the Linus Schag, NCIS, and the Peter Brandt mystery thrillers

An Unforgettable Story of Life After Death It was a beautiful winter's day, showing no signs of what was to come. Steve Sjogren, a successful pastor of a growing church, went into the hospital for routine surgery and died twice. What began as a tragic medical accident led to Steve's near-death experience, an encounter of unimaginable peace and s...

Revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide with translations in 29 languages. After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or previous experience in the field, she found herself working in palliative care. During the time she spent tending to those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog post, outlining the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed. The post gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than three million readers worldwide in its first year. At the request of many, Bronnie subsequently wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, to share her story. Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse life. By applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone, if we make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide, with translations in 29 languages, Bronnie expresses how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a courageous, life-changing book that will leave you feeling more compassionate and inspired to live the life you are truly here to live.

"Positively tailor-made for reading—or reading aloud—by flashlight," declares Kirkus Reviews in a starred review. The phenomenally versatile, award-winning author Candace Fleming gives teen and older tween readers ten ghost stories sure to send chills up their spines. Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860s to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters.

From the award-winning author of Little Pretty Things comes this gripping, unforgettable tale of a mother's desperate search for a lost boy. Anna Winger can know people better than they know themselves with only a glance—at their handwriting. Hired out by companies wanting to land trustworthy employees and by the lovelorn hoping to find happiness, Anna likes to keep the real-life mess of other people at arm’s length and on paper. But when she is called to use her expertise on a note left behind at a murder scene in the small town she and her son have recently moved to, the crime gets under Anna’s skin and rips open her narrow life for all to see. To save her son—and herself—once and for all, Anna will face her every fear, her every mistake, and the past she thought she'd rewritten.

Master storyteller Catriona McPherson weaves a multi award-winning ominous tale of domestic suspense that will keep you guessing until the very end. You love him. You trust him. You shouldn't. Jessica Constable seems fine. She's worked hard at that. She's a survivor, determined to get through each day, even though deep down she knows she can never, ever atone for what she's done. But when Jessie meets sculptor Gus King, on the day his wife goes missing, she feels an unaccustomed - frightening - desire rise up inside her. She likes Gus. She likes his children. And when Gus's wife turns up dead, the police suspecting suicide, he clings so hard she can't stomach letting go. Soon Jessie's sleeping at his house, babysitting his kids. Becoming their new mother. But her unexpected happiness is tainted by unsettling questions. Who does she keep seeing from the corner of her eye? Why is Gus so secretive about his work? And most importantly - what really happened to Gus's wife?

Coping With Loss The grieving process: Ty Alexander of Gorgeous in Grey is one of the top bloggers today. She has a tremendous personal connection with her readers. This is never more apparent than when she speaks about her mother. The pain of loss is universal. Yet, we all grieve differently. For Alexander, the grieving process is one that she lives with day-to-day. Learning from her pain, Alexander connects with her readers on a deeply emotional level in her debut book, Things I Wish I Knew before My Mom Died: Coping with Loss Every Day. From grief counseling to sharing insightful true stories, Alexander offers comfort, reassurance, and hope in the face of sorrow. Coping with loss: In her early 20’s reality smacked Ty in the face. She was ill equipped to deal with the emotional and intellectual rollercoaster of dealing with her mom’s illness. Through her own trial and error, she found a way to be a caregiver, patient advocate, researcher, and a grieving daughter. She wrote Things I Wish I Knew before My Mom Died: Coping with Loss Every Day to help others find the “best” way to cope and move on, however one personally decides what that means. Mourning and remembrance: In the chapters of this soul-touching book, mourners will find meaning and wisdom in grieving and the love that will always remain. Each chapter is a study and lesson in coping with loss: • Chapter 1: We’ve been duped, everyone dies! • Chapter 2: The truth about my moderately dysfunctional family • Chapter 3: The Art Of Losing • Chapter 4: The how of grieving • Chapter 5: How to be obsessively grateful • Chapter 6: Dear Mama

After losing someone she loved, artist Candy Chang painted the side of an abandoned house in her New Orleans neighborhood with chalkboard paint and stenciled the sentence, "Before I die I want to _____." Within a day of the wall's completion, it was covered in colorful chalk dreams as neighbors stopped and reflected on their lives. Since then, more than four hundred Before I Die walls have been created by people all over the world. This beautiful hardcover book is an inspiring celebration of these walls and the stories behind them. Filled with hope, fear, humor, and heartbreak, Before I Die presents an intimate portrait of the dreams within our communities and a chance to ponder life's ultimate question.