What do the following words or phrases have in common: "the last departure", "the final curtain", "the end", "the darkness, “eternal sleep”, “sweet release”, “afterlife” and “passing away”? Are they all synonymous with death, regardless of age, gender or race , by religion, by health, by wealth, or by nationality, is both an idea and an experience that each individual must ultimately face in the loss of others and finally face their own reality Losing a pet, a friend, a family member, a neighbor, a pop culture icon, or a valued member of the community can leave you feeling numb, empty, and broken inside. But the world goes on to spin and life goes on. The late Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computers and Pixar Animation Studios, in his 2005 speech to the graduating class of Stanford, recognized the great power of death, calling it “life's best invention” and “the great change agent of life”. How, with all its finality and accompanying sadness, 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 the worst part is? The unhappy part? About 90% of deaths occurred due to alcohol.” In the acclaimed, award-winning novel and audiobook The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, author Sherman Alexie tells the realistic, yet fictional account of Arnold Spirit, better known as "Junior" on the Spokane Indian Reservation where lives. Junior's family even expected him to "croak" at age six months when doctors opened his skull to remove water in his brain. But he lives. ...... middle of paper ...... losing loved ones like Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Andi in Revolution or facing one's inevitable demise 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 an element of the human experience. To return to the wise words of the late Steve Jobs, “Almost everything – all the external expectations, all the pride, all the fear of embarrassment or failure – these things simply fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important … There's no reason not to follow your heart. Living is adventure. By facing their fears and sadness, these characters learn how to be courageous, how to hope, how to love and how to live. Join them on their journeys by checking out one of the featured books at your local library.