"In a society which denies death Marjorie Ryerson's book can help everyone awaken to the beauty and meaning of life. Death is the greatest teacher I know of, about life, and by sharing the stories within this book with us she will help us all to live fuller, more meaningful lives." -Bernie Siegel, M.D., author of Help Me to Heal and 365 Prescriptions for the Soul "Ryerson offers us the rare opportunity to free ourselves from fear and recognize in our own lives the power of love and the presence of mystery. A book for anyone who has ever wondered what it takes to face the unknown." -Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., author of Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings "Companions for the Passage provides a unique look at the ways people adapt to loss. These are powerful stories for anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one." ---J. Donald Schumacher, President and CEO, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Companions for the Passage, from the author of the acclaimed Water Music, is an unforgettable book on a rarely visited subject: the personal stories of those who have witnessed the death of a loved one. Similar to works of Studs Terkel, author Marjorie Ryerson's interviews capture the human condition through their wide variety of experiences and voices. Some of the interviewees are religious, some not; some encouraged their loved ones to accept death, others to fight it to the end. There are stories of heroic nurses and of indifferent hospital bureaucracies, of deaths that came too soon, and those that came at the end of a long, rich life. Possessing an affirmative quality that is anything but sentimental, ultimately these stories celebrate the experience of being present at the death of a loved one.

Companions for the Passage: Stories of the Intimate Privilege of Accompanying the Dying

Moore,Thomas

Ryerson, Marjorie

Parenting & Relationships

University of Michigan Press

A photography book with a social conscience, Water Music affirms the intimate connection of water to the rhythms of our lives-and how it is something to be celebrated, revered, and preserved for today and for future generations. Water Music is first a tribute to the inspiration and magic of water. For photographer Marjorie Ryerson, a fascination with water grew from the challenge of capturing on film the astonishing breadth of ways in which water presents itself-the way, for instance, that Lake Superior at sunset turns from deep blue to gold, copper, blazing red, dusty pink, pewter, and, finally, shimmering black. To accompany the dazzling photographs, Ryerson recruited some of the most important names in music. These world-class artists, from twenty-two countries on five continents, and from across the musical spectrum, have contributed memoirs, stories, poetry, music, and lyrics for Water Music, reinforcing the beauty of the images and the powerful message they convey. For rhythmist Mickey Hart, the feel and sound of rain resulted in a kind of epiphany for him that has influenced his music ever since. Flutist Mary Youngblood explains that her life as a musician has been inextricably linked with having been born under the water sign of Cancer. Violinist Pamela Frank explores the many similarities between water and music, finding both essential for survival. Together, Ryerson's photos and the words and music of these renowned musicians remind us why we must heed the message in Paul Winter's introduction-in spite of our reverence and awe, we have placed this most essential element in peril. And so, we too are called upon to remind ourselves of the preciousness of water, before the damage becomes too severe to be undone. Water Music has thus become a piece of a much larger picture: the Water Music Project. Ryerson began the larger project not only to celebrate the beauty of water and its connection to music and to our lives, but also to increase awareness about water issues through concerts, lectures, events, and educational outreach. She is donating her net royalties from sales of the book to the Water Music Fund, established at her request at the United Nations Foundation. The UNF will use the fund to aid water in the natural environment and to provide clean drinking water for families around the world. Marjorie Ryerson is a teacher, journalist, photographer, and poet whose photographs have appeared in such publications as The Boston Globe, Country Living, Vermont Life, Yankee and the photography books The Vermont Experience and Vermont for Every Season. She is professor of communication at Castleton State College, where she teaches journalism and photography. Ryerson lives in Randolph, Vermont.

Water Music

Arts & Photography

Winter, Paul

Photography & Video

The Views from Mount Hunger

Literature & Fiction

Poetry

Green Writers Press

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