A Heart That Works: The Sunday Times bestselling, moving true story of love and loss - as heard on R4's Desert Island Discs

Name: A Heart That Works: The Sunday Times bestselling, moving true story of love and loss - as heard on R4's Desert Island Discs
Rating: 4.9268293380737305 (41 reviews)

Rob Delaney

Oct 2022 · Hachette UK

41 reviews

Ebook

192

Pages

Eligible

Switch to the audiobook

About this ebook

Acclaimed writer and comedian Rob Delaney's honest, inspiring and unforgettable exploration of the fragile miracle of life, the mysteries of death, and the question of purpose for those left behind.

'Just amazing. I found myself blasting through it in a weekend, reading a bit, having a good cry, reading a bit more. It was filled with honesty and tragedy and humour and lots of other stuff too.' 5* READER REVIEW

Rob's beautiful, bright, gloriously alive son Henry died. He was one when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour. An experience beyond comprehension, but an experience Rob must share. Despite Henry's death, Rob still loves people. For that reason, he wants them to understand.

A Heart That Works is an intimate, unflinching and fiercely funny exploration of loss - from the harrowing illness to the vivid, bodily impact of grief and the blind, furious rage that follows, through to the forceful, unstoppable love that remains.

------

Critical acclaim for A Heart That Works:

'A book that'll break a heart, and put it back together again . . . A life-changing read' STYLIST

'A beautiful monument' RICHARD OSMAN

'A viscerally extraordinary book' ELIZABETH DAY, HOW TO FAIL PODCAST

------

Readers love A Heart That Works:

'Loved how savage and raw and moving and joyous it was to read their journey as a family. To voice those brutal angry feelings that grief bring up is so brave and wondrous and normalising . . . A great and necessary and inspiring read.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I read this in one sitting. It is funny, poignant, heart-breaking, and sob inducingly brilliant. It shows the reader what real grief looks like whilst doing my favourite thing during hard times, laughing. It is filled with genuine love and emotion with the perfect amount of anger.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Acclaimed writer and comedian Rob Delaney's honest, inspiring and unforgettable exploration of the fragile miracle of life, the mysteries of death, and the question of purpose for those left behind. 'Just amazing. I found myself blasting through it in a weekend, reading a bit, having a good cry,...

Discover more

Ratings and reviews

41 reviews

Mike Hill

November 3, 2023

I'm not a crier, not through wanting to be a tough guy or anything like that, it just happens to be that way. I certainly never imagined myself ugly crying, yet that's exactly what I found myself doing on every single page. Serious ugly crying, snot bubbles, the lot. This book is absolutely heartbreaking, of course it is, but it's also hilarious, validating, reassuring, honest and filled with gratitude. Most of all though, I think this book is about love, it is absolutely brimming with love. Sitting alone on my coffee breaks in my van, reading this book and bawling my eyes out, I've never felt more human. Please buy this book. Buy it and read it now.

Scott Smith

December 9, 2024

outstanding read. often found myself tearing up but also found myself laughing at many of the quotes throughout the chapters. reading this really puts a perspective on life as a whole.

Ria K

December 26, 2022

I laughed, I cried, I laughed again, cried again. It's a brutal, wonderful, sad, lovely book. Read it on the weekend, not right before work. Just read it.

About the author

Rob Delaney is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is widely known as the BAFTA-winning co-creator and co-star of the critically acclaimed Channel 4 and Amazon Prime comedy Catastrophe, which broadcasts in over 130 countries.

Rob Delaney is an American comedian, actor and writer. He is widely known as the BAFTA-winning co-creator and co-star of the critically acclaimed Channel 4 and Amazon Prime comedy Catastrophe, which broadcasts in over 130 countries.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets

Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.

Laptops and computers

You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

eReaders and other devices

To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.

Flag as inappropriate