Kerry Egan is a hospice chaplain ordained by Harvard Divinity School. A graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop and the author of a memoir, Fumbling: A Journey of Love, Adventure and Renewal on the Camino de Santiago, she has published in many national print and online publications, including Parents, American Baby, Reader's Digest, and CNN.com, where her essays have been read over a million times. She and her family live in Columbia, SC.
“Funny, honest, and self-deprecating…On Living adds to the
understanding of end-of-life issues in an important and accessible
way…If there is one thing death teaches us, it’s how to
live.” –New York Times Book Review
"Illuminating, unflinching and ultimately inspiring, [On Living]
presents “the spiritual work of dying” as a profound process with
undeniable elements of beauty. A book to treasure.” –People
Magazine
"This isn’t a self-help book, but in its own way it inspires and
instructs. Ms. Egan, a hospice chaplain, has a down-to-earth,
never-preachy style.” –The Wall Street Journal
"On Living... is about what makes us human." –Houston
Chronicle
"A poetic and philosophical and brave and uplifting meditation on
how important it is to make peace and meaning of our lives while we
still have them.” –Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat
Pray Love
“Egan... works as a hospice chaplain, supporting the spirits of
those who are dying. In this book, she compassionately describes
and distills what she has learned in their service.” —Boston
Globe
“Equal parts memoir and meditative text on the nature of life — and
the many faces of faith….this beautiful book will speak to parts of
your heart that you didn't even realize were hurting. What's more:
It might help heal them.” —Refinery29, Best New Books to Read
This Month
“A unique gem of a book... Wise without being preachy, warm
without being cloying, Kerry Egan offers a delightful, humorous,
and ultimately joyful perspective on what it means to be
alive.” —Chicago Review of Books
“Egan’s evocative and eloquent book reminds us that we are defined
by the stories we tell, and those stories often reveal how life can
be “beautiful and crushing” at the same time.” --BookPage
“Terrific…[Egan is] a great storyteller because she's a great
story-listener…The stories from patients in this book are
compelling. And it's through those stories that we get some helpful
insight into the difficult, misunderstood but necessary work of
chaplains in hospice settings. When it's time for me to have one, I
hope there are more Kerry Egans in the world.” –Faith Matters
“Lovely, perceptive, and absorbing…a gem and a blessing.”
–LifeZette
“Beautiful.” –Jewish Journal
“It's the rare book that touches heart and soul. For me, Kerry
Egan's remarkable memoir of her experiences as a hospice chaplain,
On Living, is that rarity … I wanted to copy inspiring and poignant
quotes from every other page…This is no preachy book of clichés, no
prayers for the dying — just many reminders that time is short and
that beauty, grace and loss exist in every life.” –News
Tribune
“In Egan’s narrative, hope takes many shapes… It’s the kind of
wisdom that might comfort someone experiencing a pain, suffering
loss, or facing death. While belief systems may be filled with
arguments and theories, Egan’s perspective is more forgiving,
softer, and grayer…By showing how she sits with death, Egan helps
reveal what we might be afraid to face.” –Christian Century
“Good dose of humor…beautiful... raw and vulnerable.” –Hannah
Creager, Williamsburg Hospice
“This is one of the best books I have read all year: moving,
inspiring, beautifully written…It is a book well worth exploring.”
–America Magazine
"In her sophomore outing, Egan masters the art of imparting
critical life advice without coming off as preachy—a difficult
feat…Egan’s empathetic tone is a comfort for both the healthy and
the dying—whom, she opines, are not polar opposites…As the title
suggests, this is not just a book about dying. It’s one that will
inspire readers to make the most of every day.” —Publishers
Weekly (starred)
"Powerful...in this quick read, Egan takes readers on an emotional
journey through many unforgettable lives." —Booklist
“[Egan’s] anecdotes are often thought-provoking combinations of
sublime humor and tragic pathos… A moving, heartfelt account of a
hospice veteran.” –Kirkus Reviews
“A unique gem of a book... On Living is anything but mournful. In
fact, it’s one of the most hopeful and insightful books I’ve read
in years. Wise without being preachy, warm without being cloying,
Kerry Egan offers a delightful, humorous, and ultimately joyful
perspective on what it means to be alive.” —Abby Geni, author of
The Lightkeepers
“I know from experience what a blessing hospice can be for patients
and their families. Kerry Egan’s insightful book is a blessing as
well. A born storyteller, she allows us a glimpse into a
little-known world, where ordinary people face death with wit,
humor, sadness, and regret. Egan reveals that the job of a chaplain
is mostly to listen to them as they work out how to set things
right with those they love, and find meaning in their lives.”
—Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk, Amazing Grace, and
Acedia and Me
“When I forget the importance of kindness, when I forget to listen,
when I no longer recognize the comfort of a quiet presence, when no
words will help, when I lose sight of what is most important, I
will want On Living within arm's reach, always. I love this book.”
—Abigail Thomas, author of A Three Dog Life and What Comes Next and
How to Like It
“It's a brave thing to walk into the rooms of the dying with no
props--to sit down, open your heart and your mind, and be present
to whatever comes up. But that's exactly what chaplain Kerry Egan
does, and in On Living, she reveals some of what she has learned.
What does come up? Anger, love, regret, secrets, stories, and
insights, well-told and well-felt." —Victoria Sweet, author of
God’s Hotel
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