What do the following words or expressions have in common: "the last departure", "the final curtain", "the end", "the darkness,” “eternal sleep,” “sweet liberation,” “life after death,” and “passage”? All of them, whether dark or optimistic, are synonymous with death. Death is a shared human experience. Regardless of age, gender, race, religion, health, wealth or nationality, it is both an idea and an experience that every individual must finally coping in the loss of others and finally facing our own. Whether you're experiencing it for the first time through the loss of a pet, friend, family member, neighbor, pop culture icon, or a valued member of the community, it can leave you numb, empty and broken inside. But the world keeps turning and life goes on. The late Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation Studios, in his 2005 speech to the Stanford graduating class, recognized the great power of death, calling it "life's greatest invention" and of “a great agent of change in life”. How, in all its finality and the sadness that accompanies it, can death be good? As a destination, what does it have to teach us about travel? Arnold Spirit is fourteen years old and has already attended forty-two funerals. “And you know what’s the worst? The unfortunate part? About 90 percent of deaths are caused by alcohol. In the acclaimed novel and award-winning audiobook The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, author Sherman Alexie tells the realistic, yet fictionalized account of Arnold Spirit, better known as "Junior" on the Indian reservation from Spokane where he lives. Junior's family even expected him to "croak" at six months old when doctors cut open his skull to remove water from his brain. But he lives. ...... middle of paper ...... loss of loved ones like Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Andi in Revolution or face your own inevitable passing like Hazel Grace in The Fault in Our Stars, you are not alone. By facing and dealing with death, these characters learn that death is only a small part of life. It is a part of the human experience. To return to the wise words of the late Steve Jobs: “Almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things disappear in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important …There is no reason not to follow your heart. Living is adventure. By facing their fears and sadness, these characters learn to be courageous, to hope, to love and to live. Join them on their journeys by checking out one of the featured books at your local library..