Death of an Ordinary Man

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2026
WINNER OF THE NERO BOOK AWARD FOR NON-FICTION 2025
LONGLISTED FOR THE GORDON BURN PRIZE 2026

‘Please read this book. It may very well change how you live’ Rachel Clarke
‘Profound…compelling…beautiful’ Nina Stibbe
‘Filled with love…I was spellbound’ Kathryn Mannix
‘Brilliant…so special’ Guardian

An inspiring true story about life, love and letting go

Sarah Perry’s father-in-law David died in the autumn of 2022, only nine days after a cancer diagnosis. He was in some ways a very ordinary man: he loved stamp collecting, fish and chips, comic novels and his local church. Yet as Sarah and her husband Robert nursed David through his final days, they realised how extraordinary he really was.

This loving, clear-eyed and unforgettable book shows how death may be met and understood as a part of life – a universal experience that is terrible and beautiful, intimate and real, sometimes all at once.

A Book of the Year for The Times, Guardian, Financial Times and Observer

'Beautiful and profound and completely gripping’ Mark Haddon
'A must-read’ The Times
'We cannot be but somewhat changed by this remarkable book’ Telegraph
'This book will be a lifeline for so many people’ Seán Hewitt
'Perry is in a league of her own’ Sara Collins

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.