The Lovely Choice: Stories about life, death, and aftermath

At 89, after a lifetime of faith, James Harlow Brown offers a deeply personal meditation on the moment we all must face: death, and the "lovely choice" it invites us to make. Drawing on Scripture, Catholic theology (Balthasar, Ratzinger, N.T. Wright, Boros), personal memory, and stories from his own family and a WWII general's heroism, Brown paints death not as an ending to fear but as an encounter with a God who embraces us like a mother her child. Along the way, he examines competing modern "myths" about death-atheistic humanism, Eastern spirituality, and Christian hope-before making a compelling, often moving case for his own vision of heaven, judgment, and eternal life. Written for seekers and anyone questioning what happens after we die, this book blends theology, memoir, and poetry into a warm, hopeful guide for facing mortality with trust rather than dread. A tender, honest, and theologically grounded reflection on life's final passage-ideal for readers of C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright, or anyone drawn to Christian eschatology and end-of-life wisdom