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What to Do When I'm Gone
by Hopkins, Suzy
Suzy Hopkins and her daughter Hallie Bateman created this book as a way to process the impossible: a mother leaving behind a practical, illustrated guide for her daughter to navigate life after she is gone. It is part instruction manual, part love letter, and entirely heartbreaking. Because it uses drawings and gentle, conversational prompts, the heavy subject matter feels intimate rather than clinical. You are not just reading about loss; you are looking at how a parent tries to hand off their wisdom, humor, and comfort to a child who will eventually have to walk through the world alone. This is for the reader who wants to confront mortality with tenderness. It is best suited for those who appreciate quiet, reflective storytelling that prioritizes the small, everyday rituals of living over grand existential pronouncements.
10 Books similar to 'What to Do When I'm Gone'
If this book left you wanting more explorations of the messy, nonlinear reality of grief, these selections are for you. I chose these titles because they mirror that specific balance of vulnerability and practical wisdom found in the mother-daughter dynamic. Whether through the lens of cultural memory in Crying in H Mart or the philosophical clarity of When Breath Becomes Air, these authors focus on how we build resilience after our foundations shift. They share a commitment to being honest about the pain while still finding a way to keep moving forward.
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by Joan Didion
Like Hopkins' book, this memoir navigates the profound and disorienting landscape of grief with unflinching honesty. Readers who appreciated the mother-daughter connection and the attempt to find order in loss will find Didion’s exploration of mourning deeply resonant.
This book offers a similarly intimate and raw look at the experience of losing a parent. It captures the specific, lingering ache of grief that fans of Hopkins' work will recognize, while maintaining a deeply personal and reflective narrative voice.
This memoir blends the personal experience of grief with a unique, almost whimsical obsession—in this case, training a goshawk. It shares the same blend of practical life navigation and deep emotional processing found in Hopkins' illustrated guide.
This memoir is a powerful exploration of the mother-daughter bond and the cultural heritage that connects them. Fans of the tender, instructive, and loving tone in 'What to Do When I'm Gone' will appreciate how Zauner processes her mother's death through memory and food.
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by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
While more prescriptive than Hopkins' book, this work provides a similar roadmap for surviving the unimaginable. It offers comfort and practical wisdom for those trying to figure out how to live life after a significant, life-altering loss.
Strayed's journey is a physical manifestation of processing grief, much like the metaphorical journey laid out in Hopkins' book. Readers who enjoyed the 'how-to-live' aspect of the original will appreciate Strayed's raw, honest look at rebuilding oneself after tragedy.
by Nina Riggs
Riggs writes with a beautiful, clear-eyed perspective on her own terminal diagnosis, creating a dialogue about mortality that mirrors the intent of Hopkins' book. It is a poignant, life-affirming read that encourages the reader to cherish the present.
This collection of advice columns offers the same compassionate, wise, and sometimes quirky guidance found in Hopkins' book. It serves as a comforting companion for anyone navigating the complexities of life, love, and loss.
This memoir explores the aftermath of a family tragedy with a gentle, searching quality that readers of Hopkins' work will find familiar. It examines the enduring nature of familial love and the difficulty of moving forward while honoring the past.
A profound meditation on what makes life worth living in the face of death, this book shares the philosophical depth of 'What to Do When I'm Gone'. It is an essential read for anyone interested in the intersection of mortality and meaning.
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