Matter of Death & Life: Love, Loss and What Matters in the End

This book recounts the year-long journey of psychiatrist Irvin Yalom and his wife, Marilyn, after her fatal cancer diagnosis. They reflect on how to love and live without regret.

Irvin often counseled those with anxiety and grief, but never himself until his wife, esteemed feminist author Marilyn, was diagnosed with cancer. Marilyn and Irv share their struggles: Marilyn to die a good death, Irv to live on without her. In alternating accounts of their last months together and Irv’s first months alone, they offer a window into facing mortality and coping with loss. With wisdom and the warmth of their teenage sweethearts, they investigate universal questions of intimacy, love, and grief.

Informed by two lifetimes of experience, this book is an openhearted offering to anyone seeking support, solace, and a meaningful life through grief.