Dealing with Death: "Passages" Book

A new book was released on March 1, 2007, that contains a multi-cultural, inter-faith collection of poetic, philosophical, & inspirational writings on the "mystery of death" and its "meaning in life".

Passages: The Mystery of Death - Finding Meaning in Life is briefly described on the book's website:

Passages is a unique collection of poems, philosophy and inspirational writings exploring the meaning of death, and life.

Beautifully printed and linen bound, Passages is a thoughtful and sensitive gift for those who have lost a loved one.

For those exploring their own mortality or confronting death, Passages comforts us while it challenges us to think about death, and life, in new ways.

On that website here, a longer description of the book is provided:

Death is an inevitable stop along the timeless journey of life. Whether we are grieving the loss of a loved one, or confronting our own mortality, death will touch us all. This collection of poems, philosophy, and inspirational writings surveys man's exploration of the mystery of death and, in death's reflection, the meaning of life.

From across time and around the world, Passages brings together the work of great poets and philosophers, and common men and women. This collection includes works of the ancient Greeks, Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Buddhist monks and Sufi mystics intermingled with great American and European poets. Excerpts from the Bible, the Bhagavad Gita and the Koran are represented along with wise proverbs of the Crowfoot and Minquass Indians and the Ewe and Dinka people of Africa.

Winding its way through life's most emotional and solitary experience, Passages comforts us while it inspires and challenges us to think about death, and life, in new ways. Bringing new perspective, meaning and comfort at a time in our existence when we feel so alone, Passages reveals through poetry, philosophy and inspirational words that we are all one.

Excerpts from the compiled material in Passages are available online here.

In a press release entitled "Passages: The Mystery of Death - Finding Meaning in Life", dated May 11, 2007, one of the editors was quoted:

Death is an inevitable stop along the timeless journey of life. Whether grieving the loss of a loved one, or confronting our own mortality, death will touch us all. Tomas and Garth Fuller assembled a collection of poems, philosophy and inspirational writings surveying man's exploration of the mystery of death and, in death's reflection, the meaning of life. * * *

"Understanding the impact of death is a significant part of life for all of us and it transcends geographic and cultural boundaries," said Tomas Fuller, co-editor * * *.

"Passages addresses the inevitable human experience of death and dying in a very personal and individual way that can provide inspiration and comfort during the most challenging times of our lives," he added.

Editors Tomas Fuller and Garth Fuller share this collection of simplistically insightful and meaningful reflections on a not so simple topic. * * *

Those who have ever experienced the loss of a loved one or close friend have felt the impact and comfort Passages provides. * * *

One of the book's readers also was quoted:

"When my mother died suddenly, the days after her death were absolutely overwhelming for me. Never having gone through such a loss before, I needed something that could provide me with perspective, something that would keep me from feeling hopeless and withdrawing from friends and family.

Leafing through the pages of Passages gave me the strength to face the dark days after her death not as the end, but as a new beginning," said Karl Jakobsen, a 30-year-old California artist and video game designer.

One of the editors, Tomas Fuller, has an accounting & audit background. He presently serves as the chief financial officer of VCA Antech, Inc., a leading provider of pet health care services in the country with a nationwide clinical laboratory system and over 375 free-standing animal hospitals.

The collection appears to be "self-published" by GarTom Publishing, and promoted by a publicist, Agnes Huff Communications Group.

But the publication pedigree should not detract from the thought-provoking wisdom in the collection, since its sources are diverse, deep, & dependable.

Furthermore, as indicated on Amazon, the desire of the editors appears fundamentally non-commercial:

In addition to helping people deal with the experience of loss, Tomas wanted to create a special gift that can be shared with those in grief.

Through Passages, Tomas provides all people with a book that is both giving and resourceful.

The book can be obtained through the book's website direct-order process, in "select" bookstores, or on Amazon's website here. Further information can be obtained through an email request (info@passagesthebook.com) or to the book's publicist (ahuff@ahuffgroup.com).

The press release concludes with a statement that reinforces the apparent motivation of the editors: "A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Passages are donated to charitable organizations supporting grief counseling, hospice and enlightened end-of-life care."

Update: 05/30/07:

Professor Gerry W. Beyer, author of the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog, noted my posting about the Passages book, by way of his entry, dated May 30, 2007, entitled "Passages: The Mystery of Death - Finding Meaning in Life".