Tag Archives: John Tottenham

Death of an Ordinary Man by Sarah Perry is an account of the final days of the author’s father-in-law, David, who died just nine days after receiving a cancer diagnosis in 2022. Perry and her husband Rob nursed David at home in his final days with the assistance of various healthcare professionals. Rather than the usual death memoir themes of grief, sadness and healing Perry describes the specific context of dying, including the bureaucracy and mundanities which continue around that. It is beautifully told, pitched perfectly between pragmatism and tenderness and highlights both the ordinary and extraordinary aspects of David’s life and death. Continue reading →