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“We can do extraordinary things when we lead with love,” Barbara Becker reminds us in her debut memoir Heartwood.

When her earliest childhood friend is diagnosed with a terminal illness, Becker sets off on a quest to immerse herself in what it means to be mortal. Can we live our lives more fully knowing some day we will die?

With a keen eye towards that which makes life worth living, interfaith minister, mom and perpetual seeker Barbara Becker recounts stories where life and death intersect in unexpected ways. She volunteers on a hospice floor, becomes an eager student of the many ways people find meaning at the end of life, and accompanies her parents in their final days.

Becker inspires readers to live with the end in mind and proves that turning toward loss rather than away from it is the only true way to live life to its fullest.

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Praise for Heartwood

“In Heartwood, Barbara Becker inspires us to follow our curiosity into a world that is both universal and a source of our uniqueness. And what could be better than that?”

—GLORIA STEINEM, bestselling author and activist

Barbara Becker

2020-12-01T00:38:53+00:00

—GLORIA STEINEM, bestselling author and activist

“In Heartwood, Barbara Becker inspires us to follow our curiosity into a world that is both universal and a source of our uniqueness. And what could be better than that?”

http://barbarabecker.com/testimonials/gloria-steinem/

“Death fascinates and repels us. Barbara Becker has written a gorgeous book about it, and her writing will draw in everyone who is willing to approach the most serious topic we all must face. Becker gives the reader empathic access to some of life’s peak moments, along with insights into life’s biggest questions.”

—JONATHAN HAIDT, NYU—Stern School of Business, author of The Righteous Mind

Barbara Becker

2020-12-01T00:43:23+00:00

—JONATHAN HAIDT, NYU—Stern School of Business, author of The Righteous Mind

“Death fascinates and repels us. Barbara Becker has written a gorgeous book about it, and her writing will draw in everyone who is willing to approach the most serious topic we all must face. Becker gives the reader empathic access to some of life’s peak moments, along with insights into life’s biggest questions.”

http://barbarabecker.com/testimonials/jonathan-haidt/

“Heartwood is a luminous book.  I have rarely read a book that left me feeling so fundamentally blessed. Highly recommended.”

—MIRABAI STARR, author of Caravan of No Despair and Wild Mercy

Barbara Becker

2020-12-01T00:43:49+00:00

—MIRABAI STARR, author of Caravan of No Despair and Wild Mercy

“Heartwood is a luminous book.  I have rarely read a book that left me feeling so fundamentally blessed. Highly recommended.”

http://barbarabecker.com/testimonials/mirabai-starr/

“Written from the marrow of real experience and as well from the heart. This is a book that uplifts, instructs, inspires, and guides.”

—ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX, Buddhist teacher and author; Abbot, Upaya Zen Center

Barbara Becker

2020-12-01T00:44:06+00:00

—ROSHI JOAN HALIFAX, Buddhist teacher and author; Abbot, Upaya Zen Center

“Written from the marrow of real experience and as well from the heart. This is a book that uplifts, instructs, inspires, and guides.”

http://barbarabecker.com/testimonials/roshi-joan-halifax/

“The global human family is interconnected, and a loss in one place affects us all. Barbara Becker’s words beautifully and compassionately reflect this truth. Heartwood is a gem.”

—DR. DENIS MUKWEGE, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

Barbara Becker

2020-12-22T21:21:50+00:00

—DR. DENIS MUKWEGE, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

“The global human family is interconnected, and a loss in one place affects us all. Barbara Becker’s words beautifully and compassionately reflect this truth. Heartwood is a gem.”

http://barbarabecker.com/testimonials/dr-denis-mukwege/

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Barbara Becker

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