A Thousand Goodbyes: The Surprising Life Of A Funeral Celebrant

Written by Ruth Graham Unputdownable 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Published by     Independently published (29 Mar. 2021) Genre Memoir, Humour Pages 196 ASIN B091B8F68F ISBN-13 979-8720529482

I should first of all like to thank Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read this wonderful book as part of a Publication Day Push blog tour, and the author, Ruth Graham, for a free digital copy of A Thousand Goodbyes, to review.

The blurb:

A Thousand Goodbyes:
The Surprising Life Of A Funeral Celebrant

If you liked Adam Kay’s book, ‘This Is Going To Hurt’, you’ll love the joyously life-affirming memoir, ‘A Thousand Goodbyes’.

When Ruth Graham left the world of stand-up comedy to become a funeral celebrant, she’d imagined a less combative career.

Over a thousand services later … she knows better.

Probably her most demanding role to date, Ruth has needed every ounce of diplomacy, courage, humour and her wits about her to juggle the daily challenges. From grief-stricken families to amorous widowers through to plate-smashing, warring siblings and even a flock of stoned doves at a Rasta funeral.

As the story unfolds we witness her new career developing into a 24/7 commitment. Will it break her?

Or will it be the spur she needs to get her own life in order?

Jaw-dropping, informative, moving and hilarious in turn, ‘A Thousand Goodbyes’ is a reminder that nobody is guaranteed a tomorrow; whilst encouraging everyone to seize their day.

Memoir    Humour

My thoughts:

I am dipping my toe back in the water as far as blog tours goes, and being highly selective because it is all too easy to over-commit. And let's face it, life happens! Unavoidable things upset our cosy schedules, and then it becomes a trial to read a book rather than a pleasure. So, I was nosing through the books Rachel had on offer, and was suddenly stuck by the blurb for A Thousand Goodbyes. 

A few years ago, I had to arrange a funeral for my mother. I dutifully took the paperwork from the hospital to an undertaker my mother had used some twenty-five years earlier, only to discover that the independent firm was now a Co-op Funeralcare and I could have had a discount, had I been a member. I had visions of being handed reams of little blue stamps... I digress, and you need to be a certain age to understand that one. Mum never talked about death, hers or anyone else's because it was too upsetting for her. That left me with no idea for how she wanted her funeral conducted. 

The funeral arranger arranged for me to meet a celebrant. That turned out to be a very positive experience, and resulted in the most enjoyable funeral - if one can say that of a funeral - that I've ever attended. It was a celebration of life with happy memories rather than focusing on our sad loss.

The blurb for A Thousand Goodbyes immediately brought to mind mum's funeral, and I wondered what it was like from the other side - the celebrant's perspective (in case you were thinking I was hand-delivering my mother to the gates of Heaven!)

I sat down to read this and was hooked immediately. I read this in two days straight. It is unputdownable. I laughed, I cried, I chuckled, and I laughed again

As we are all different and have our own ideas about death and the last goodbye, the celebrant provides a service which is unique to the individual client. Sometimes very unique to the point of being quite odd. These insights are graciously recalled, in this look behind the scenes in a industry many of us do not want to think about until we have no choice in the matter. I particularly enjoyed the sections at the end of each chapter entitled "a celebrant shares" in which other celebrants briefly remember some of their special moments.

If you do nothing else this year, make time to read A Thousand Goodbyes. The writing style is warm and engaging, and made me feel like I was listening to an old friend. It is extremely witty, inciteful, entertaining, informative and poignant. And at the end of the book are some rather useful resources - who knew that you could have a D-I-Y funeral or direct cremation? 

A Thousand Goodbyes goes on my6Stars! book shelf.

Purchase from:

Amazon UK     Amazon US     Amazon CA     Amazon AU

Author Bio – Ruth Graham

Ruth Graham has written for many publications over the years on a variety of subjects. Initially working for Emap Elan on Period Living and Traditional Homes magazine, she then moved on to freelance for titles as varied as The Evening Standard and The Daily Mail. A move back to the Midlands in 2000 brought her first big break with her own weekly gossip/opinion column in The Sunday Mercury (Trinity Mirror), where she was billed as ‘Ruth Graham: More Balls Than Your Average Bloke’! She then went on to launch her own magazine ‘Midlands Homes & Interiors’. Two years later (2007), came her first series of short comedy books, ‘The Bible Series’ (Know The Score Publishing). One of these ‘The Break Up Bible’ was cunningly launched on Valentine’s day, gaining great publicity, and a spot on GMTV and Channel 5 news! Since then Ruth has written and performed her own one-woman show (Just Sayin’); become a celebrant; and subsequently collaborated with writer/performer Cat Weatherill on the British Arts Council funded show ‘Unforgettable’ – celebrating the lives of those we’ve loved and lost. And then came the book ‘A Thousand Goodbyes’ – all about Ruth’s work as a celebrant, the people she meets and the bizarre, touching and hilarious circumstances that constitute the average day, and life, of a celebrant.

Other Books I've read by Ruth Graham

Social Media Links –
X	@CelebrantRuthG
Celebrant Web site	www.westmidscelebrant.co.uk

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