One of the few certainties in life is that at some point, everyone must leave it. Yet the pragmatic decisions that can bring comfort, aid, and reassurance both to those facing death and those left behind are often sidelined due to fear and denial.

In Happier Endings: A Meditation on Life and Death, the leading religious scholar praised by New York Times columnist David Brooks for combining “extreme empathy with extreme tough-mindedness,” leads readers on an emotional journey toward preparation for and acceptance of death, drawing on the wisdom found in many faiths and spiritual traditions.

The crucial step is becoming comfortable discussing death—and not just in the abstract. This kind of honesty allows for important conversations, from financial wills to last words that reinforce to those you love most what matters most to you.

Happier Endings offers a greater understanding of what a good death can be and what a life well lived looks like.