Our Last Best Act: Interview and Book Signing

Join Mallory McDuff, author of Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives, and Bishop Brian Cole for an interview and book signing. They will read select passages and reflect on McDuff’s motivation to write the book. McDuff will also be available to sign copies of the book, which will be available for sale by Union Ave. Books throughout the evening. Join us at 6:30 pm Eastern at Church of the Ascension, Knoxville (800 S Northshore Dr. Knoxville, TN 37919).

We do ask that attendees wear masks during the event.

The event will be livestreamed! You may watch the livestream below.

Check out Bishop Brian’s latest Reconciling Thought on Our Last Best Act in a brief chat with Dr. Mallory McDuff.

About the Book

Explore the Sustainable Practices Around Death and Dying with New Book

Environmentalist and educator Mallory McDuff opens the conversation on end-of-life planning

As we begin to contemplate death and to embark on practical planning for life’s end, many of us long to leave a legacy beyond a transfer of money and property–one that ensures a sustainable earth for our loved ones, our communities, and generations to come. But where do we even begin?

With the sudden deaths of both of her parents, Mallory McDuff found herself in a similar position. Utterly unprepared both emotionally and practically, she began to research sustainable practices around death and dying, determined to honor their commitment to caring for the earth. For McDuff, an educator and environmentalist, what started as a highly personal endeavor expanded into a yearlong exploration and assessment of green burials, aquamation, green cemeteries, home funerals, and human composting.

In Our Last Best Act, McDuff bridges the gap between environmental action and religious faith by demonstrating that when the two are combined, they become a powerful force for the greater good. Full of practical information and support, this book equips readers to make decisions for their own end-of-life planning. In a world experiencing a climate crisis and a culture that avoids discussions about death and dying, this book opens the conversation about the choices we make–and how it’s possible for our death to honor our values, create a sustainable legacy, and help to heal the earth. 

Our Last Best Act: Planning for the End of Our Lives to Protect the People and the Places We Love, By Mallory McDuff

US $18.99 | Paperback | 9781506464466
Publication date: December 11, 2021

About the Author

Mallory McDuff is a leader in the field of environmentalism and the author of several books, including Natural Saints: How People of Faith Are Working to Save God’s Earth. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more. She teaches environmental education at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina, where she lives on campus with her two daughters in a 900-square-foot house with an expansive view of the Appalachian Mountains in Western North Carolina.

Website: mallorymcduff.com
Instagram: @mallorymcduff1
Facebook: @mallory.mcduff