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A Heart That Works

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A Heart That Works

By: Rob Delaney
Narrated by: Rob Delaney
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About this listen

WINNER OF THE BRITISH RADIO ACADAMY ARIAS AWARD FOR BEST AUDIOBOOK

The comedian and star of Catastrophe's devastatingly moving memoir about his young son's death.

In this devastating, beautiful and deeply moving memoir of the loss of his son, Rob Delaney explores what life really means, and why it matters.

When you're a parent and your child gets hurt or sick, you not only try to help them get better but you also labour under the general belief that you can help them get better. That's not always the case though. Sometimes the nurses and the doctors can't fix what's wrong. Sometimes children die.

Rob's beautiful, bright, deeply alive son Henry died. This is the story of what happens when you lose a child, and everything you discover about life in the process. Why does he feel compelled to talk about it, to write about it, to disseminate information designed to make people feel something like what he felt? What his wife feels? What his other sons feel? Done properly or well, it will hurt them. Why does he want to hurt people?

Because, despite the death of his son, Rob still loves people. For that reason, he wants them to understand.

©2022 Rob Delaney (P)2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Entertainment & Celebrities Grief & Loss Indigenous Creators Mental Health Awareness Personal Development Relationships Celebrity Funny Heartfelt Inspiring Witty Thought-Provoking

Critic Reviews

This book is so rich with grief and love and pain and humor and an incandescent, purifying, flame-throwing wrath. Though Delaney can't bring Henry back, he can - and does - show enough of him to the world to make a reader see him a little bit, know him a little bit, and fully love him. What an unbelievable gift (Lauren Groff)
What a read. Its beauty and pain and humour and anger will help many people. This is a beautiful monument (Richard Osman)
The weaving of the joy and pain, the love and loss, the absurdity of grief, is done so beautifully. It feels like a message in a bottle, a despatch, a communication from the depths of suffering and despair that ultimately brings a message of great hope (Cathy Rentzenbrink)
All stars
Most relevant
This book is probably the best book I’ve ever read. I cried and laughed so hard and felt so so many emotional s. I’m so grateful for the few hours I got to spend with it.

Beautiful and heartbreaking

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Beautifully written and read story that is as life affirming as it is heartbreaking. Highly recommended

Beautiful and heartbreaking

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This book is a privilege to read/listen to.
Rob Delaney’s brutal honesty, sharp intelligence and ability to cope by employing dark humour, is a gift.
Our own family is no stranger to this experience or grief and I found his words and emotions incredibly real and honest.
Thank you so much for sharing and providing a funny, non-saccharine account of unfathomable loss and grief.

An incredibly moving and important book

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This was equal parts devastating and inspiring. Very moving. Thank you for sharing your story with us

Deeply sad and beautiful

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Scroll through the reviews, all those stars multiply them, this book is worth the galactic numbers.
Like many others I cried, then laughed and then pulled the car over to sob in a side street and went to work red eyed and wobbly. Also like so many others I was uplifted, educated and fell in love with this sweet sweet boy and his beautiful family.
Can’t not recommend highly enough but fair warning it’s a heart breaker!

Incredible storytelling

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