A Beginner's Guide to Dying by Simon Boas

A Beginner's Guide to Dying by Simon Boas

‘Has anyone ever written a more inspirational paean to the joy of life?’ - Daily Mail

'A funny, touching meditation on death' - Rosamund Urwin, Sunday Times

'Extraordinary .. The late author’s reflections on his cancer diagnosis thrum with life and wit, and will make you laugh and cry' - Alex Preston, Observer

'Boas’s cheerful stoicism seems to have touched the nation’ - Daily Telegraph

‘As Simon Boas treads the pathway we shall all tread he is funny, compassionate and wise. A book not to be missed' - Sir Terry Waite

‘Simon Boas’ outlook on life is an inspiration to us all, and his wonderful book is full of both wisdom and humour’ - Julia Samuel, author of Grief Works

'I had the privilege to conduct Simon’s last broadcast interview - knowing his wise words on the page could live on afterwards. How lucky we all are to have someone as generous as him to share such important perspectives on life while dying' - Emma Barnett

'I hope this tiny treasure chest of a book will be read, shared, gifted, laughed with, cried over, thought about and reflected on far and wide' - Kathryn Mannix, author of With the End in Mind

‘Funny, moving, brave, sensible - and without self pity. Simon’s book celebrates human resilience and reminds us all to enjoy life while we have it' - Jeremy Bowen

‘Explodes with life … It is remarkable how much positivity and delight Boas squeezes on to each page’ - Stephen Cherry, Church Times

Simon Boas was born in 1977 and spent his childhood in London and Winchester. He got the bug for Overseas Aid after delivering his first aid convoy to Bosnia (at 16) in 1993, and went on to spend his career working for development charities and the UN. He worked in Africa for many years, and lived in Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Nepal, India, and the Palestinian Territories, including three years running a UN office in the Gaza Strip. He spent his last eight years living in Jersey, running the Island’s Overseas Aid agency, accompanied by his beloved wife Aurelie and his scruffy French sheepdog, Pippin.

At 46 he was diagnosed with advanced throat cancer and had a year of living dyingly, during which he found himself as happy as he’d ever been. He wrote about this for his local paper, which went viral, and this encouraged him to try to expand on why hopping the twig at 46 really isn’t so bad. A Beginner's Guide to Dying is the result.