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The Living End
One Last Goodbye. One Last Adventure.
Pearly Laurel is devastated by the death of her beloved husband of thirty-five years. The two had always said they couldn’t live without one another, and Pearly has no desire to even try.
Then, in the midst of her grief, Pearly finds a tattered list in Joey’s pocket, entitled, “While I Live, I Want to….” His ultimate to-do list sends her off on a mission to accomplish Joey’s last unfulfilled goals–along with a few of her own–before arranging her own death. But the people she meets along the way have something else in mind. Can their unexpected gifts, secrets long hidden in Joey’s journal, and memories from the rich life they shared convince Pearly that, despite her pain and grief, life is still worth living?
Pearly Laurel is devastated by the death of her beloved husband of thirty-five years. The two had always said they couldn’t live without one another, and Pearly has no desire to even try.
Then, in the midst of her grief, Pearly finds a tattered list in Joey’s pocket, entitled, “While I Live, I Want to….” His ultimate to-do list sends her off on a mission to accomplish Joey’s last unfulfilled goals–along with a few of her own–before arranging her own death. But the people she meets along the way have something else in mind. Can their unexpected gifts, secrets long hidden in Joey’s journal, and memories from the rich life they shared convince Pearly that, despite her pain and grief, life is still worth living?
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2003
9 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Samson
63 books193 followersThe Christy-award winning author of nineteen books including the Women of Faith Novel of the Year Quaker Summer, Lisa Samson has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a talented novelist who isn't afraid to take risks." She lives in Kentucky with her husband and three kids.
Also, published under the name L.L. Samson
Also, published under the name L.L. Samson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 26, 2009
Devastated by her husband, Joey’s, unexpected stroke (and subsequent death) while lunching at Golden Corral, Pearly Laurel sinks into a severe depression. Immersed in her sadness, she decides to complete Joey’s to-do list of unfinished plans for his life. And, when completed, makes plans to finish her own life. In her quest to complete her husband’s list, Pearly (among other things) goes whale watching in Alaska, walks the Appalachian Trail, and takes guitar lessons, all while reflecting on her husband’s strong faith in God and her own refusal to acknowledge his strong faith and attend church with him. As she contemplates her life with Joey, Pearly discovers the key to fulfillment in her own life is building relationships we have with many people (not just the one person we allow our world to revolve around) and through these relationships, Pearly begins to find her own faith in God growing stronger. She discovers not just one reason to continue living, but a whole roomful of people to live for and a God who gives her life meaning.
This book was chosen for my book club by a dear friend who truly loved the novel. It had a terrific rating on goodreads so I dove in, fully expecting to be immersed by Pearly’s story, but I wasn’t. While I can appreciate it’s message, the book felt fragmented and removed, and more than a little preachy. I had a hard time identifying with Pearly, even sympathizing with her terrible loss. I didn’t understand her path to healing and was disappointed that Pearly was not a more sympathetic character. Many people may love this book, but it was not a favorite of mine.
This book was chosen for my book club by a dear friend who truly loved the novel. It had a terrific rating on goodreads so I dove in, fully expecting to be immersed by Pearly’s story, but I wasn’t. While I can appreciate it’s message, the book felt fragmented and removed, and more than a little preachy. I had a hard time identifying with Pearly, even sympathizing with her terrible loss. I didn’t understand her path to healing and was disappointed that Pearly was not a more sympathetic character. Many people may love this book, but it was not a favorite of mine.
October 23, 2016
Different than usual for Christian fiction...but still great.
July 24, 2025
Very compelling story of Pearly’s journey after Joey (her husband’s death). Trying to fulfill his “list” of things he wanted to do before he died. It made Pearly do things that she never dreamed of, and in doing so she found out what love and life were all about.
November 27, 2009
I'm fortunate that I've never experienced heart-rendering grief, the kind that the books say make you feel like you've been torn in two. I grieved when I lost my mother, and to a lesser extent when I lost my grandparents, but the reality is that we know it is likely we'll lose those people; I wasn't living with them or seeing them daily when they died, and the fact of the matter is, my life is little changed by their death. I'm sure that losing my husband will be a different story. The Living End is the story of a woman who lost her husband.
Pearly Laurel was a college student, who planned on being a photo-journalist, when she met Joey, a graduate student. It was the 1960's and he was a "Jesus Freak" participating in some outdoor activity, playing his guitar. She photographed him, he noticed her, and three months later they were married. She never became a photo-journalist, putting aside her dreams to work at a State Farm office to put him through graduate school. He got a doctorate and became headmaster of a school for poor children who needed a leg up. They were never able to have children, and never chose to adopt; rather they focused their life on the school. Then one day Joey had a stroke and, a few days later, was dead. Right before his stroke, Joey showed Pearly a list of things he wanted to do while he was still alive. She sets out to do them, with the idea that when she finishes, there will be no reason to continue living, so she will commit suicide.
We follow Pearly as she learns to play the guitar, watches whales, visits South America and more, but this isn't a travelogue; rather it is the story of a grief that is too strong, and, eventually the story of a conversion to God. You see, though Joey loved Jesus, and she loved Joey--so much that she gave up most of her own goals and activities to be part of his--she refused to accept his faith. After his death she reads his journals, which are very much reflections of his faith, and though them and through people who come into her life, she comes to know Christ and believe.
Through most of the book I'd say I loved it. I've told you before that I love Samson's writing style, and this book reinforced that. However, I found the ending unrealistic, almost forced. Samson might say that she was trying to show that the grace of God can save us, but I found the situation to be improbable and the resolution to be as well. Pearly makes a very bad decision and then is saved from the consequences of it because of an unexpected event.
The book is Christian fiction. While you don't have to share Samson's beliefs to enjoy the book, by the end of the book it has clearly become a conversion story rather than a story of grief. Joey's journal entries, which are read frequently throughout the book, are about his faith, his reflections on Scripture, as well as his love for her and dismay that she doesn't share his faith. Pearly's conversion isn't an "aha!" moment but a slow awakening to the love of God in her life.
I wish Samson had come up with a different ending, but in general I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
Pearly Laurel was a college student, who planned on being a photo-journalist, when she met Joey, a graduate student. It was the 1960's and he was a "Jesus Freak" participating in some outdoor activity, playing his guitar. She photographed him, he noticed her, and three months later they were married. She never became a photo-journalist, putting aside her dreams to work at a State Farm office to put him through graduate school. He got a doctorate and became headmaster of a school for poor children who needed a leg up. They were never able to have children, and never chose to adopt; rather they focused their life on the school. Then one day Joey had a stroke and, a few days later, was dead. Right before his stroke, Joey showed Pearly a list of things he wanted to do while he was still alive. She sets out to do them, with the idea that when she finishes, there will be no reason to continue living, so she will commit suicide.
We follow Pearly as she learns to play the guitar, watches whales, visits South America and more, but this isn't a travelogue; rather it is the story of a grief that is too strong, and, eventually the story of a conversion to God. You see, though Joey loved Jesus, and she loved Joey--so much that she gave up most of her own goals and activities to be part of his--she refused to accept his faith. After his death she reads his journals, which are very much reflections of his faith, and though them and through people who come into her life, she comes to know Christ and believe.
Through most of the book I'd say I loved it. I've told you before that I love Samson's writing style, and this book reinforced that. However, I found the ending unrealistic, almost forced. Samson might say that she was trying to show that the grace of God can save us, but I found the situation to be improbable and the resolution to be as well. Pearly makes a very bad decision and then is saved from the consequences of it because of an unexpected event.
The book is Christian fiction. While you don't have to share Samson's beliefs to enjoy the book, by the end of the book it has clearly become a conversion story rather than a story of grief. Joey's journal entries, which are read frequently throughout the book, are about his faith, his reflections on Scripture, as well as his love for her and dismay that she doesn't share his faith. Pearly's conversion isn't an "aha!" moment but a slow awakening to the love of God in her life.
I wish Samson had come up with a different ending, but in general I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
May 16, 2009
I really liked the story line of the book, but I didn't like the religion hidden all through it. If I wanted to read a book about God then, I would have picked up the bible. This book does have a good story, and the religion starts off really slow, so I didn't notice it too much. By the time you are annoyed with the religious context you have to finish the damn book just to see how it ends and you are stuck reading a bible. Maybe that was the purpose, but I wasn't a fan.
August 9, 2016
Good, but not her best It was a good read, but just not as captivating as her other books. I would read anything she wrote as she is a great writer. I never find her books preachy. I actually love the way she usually comes at the religious angle in her characters. If this is the first book you have read by her, please give her others books a try, you will not be disappointed.
May 24, 2010
had no idea what this book was about when I ordered it from the library - i just wanted to get my annual summer Lisa Samson read in. topic today at church was on grieving well - and not as those who have no hope.
August 2, 2008
I thought this was a very moving book. It really makes you think about life after the death of a loved one.
January 13, 2009
It would be hard to come away from this book without your outlook in life being forever changed. I couldn't put it down.
December 2, 2019
I finished The Living End four days ago. I'm more than half way through my next book, so it's time to sit down and get this review over and done with before I finish my next one.
I had no idea this book was Christian. Had I known, I wouldn't had picked it up in whatever second hand bookstore I bought it from. I'm not a fan of them. I'm not religious and whatever I have read in the past, I feel like they read as too preachy, and for some reason, not genuinely sincere (which sounds weird.)
We are introduced into the story of Joey being on life support. Once Pearly, his wife of 35 years finally decides it's best to take him off of it, she has decided she no longer has any purpose in life because she centered her life around him (ugh) (though he did not do the same) (ugh) and she's gonna kill herself in two years. Why two years? Pearly has found her husband's "7 Things To Do Before I Die" list that he never did, and she had no idea he had written or let alone, knew he wanted to do.
Pearly: "Yes, this is it. This is my purpose." So, once again, she's doing the same thing, revolving her life around him and not living for herself (another ugh).
Joey's 7 Things to Do Before I Die: "Go whale watching in Alaska, See the mysterious figures on the plains of Peru, Climb a pyramid in South or Central America, Walk the Appalachian Trail, Spend a winter on a mountain, Try every entree at Haussner's and Get a tattoo."
We find out that they have traveled over their years together, so it's not like they didn't live life. Why would he had not presented this to her then, and they both could had made up a "things I want to do before I die" list together?
She decides she wants to add her own list to it (Yeah!): Go to a rock concert (what?! Who hasn't been to a rock concert especially in the time period this book was written? It's 2003, Joey and Pearly were in their early 60's/late 50's. They would had been young in the 1960's/70's (drugs, sex and rock and roll era) how they missed that decades of rock concerts?!
Okay, back to her list: Learn to play the guitar, Read War and Peace in its entirely and Run a 10K race. Which here I go again with another complaint. She's a chain smoker, always has been, she's in her late 50's, and she's never exercised. She cuts down to two smokes a day and starts running slowly, building herself up. She's given herself the winter to train for the race that takes place in the spring (ugh). It's the day of the race, she's running. She's at 6K and is asking herself how she's gonna get through the last 4K? Nothing much else after about it, except it's months later, and we find out she completed it, and then we are into the next thing on the list she's preparing for.
Joey grew up in a Christian home, was a believer though he never pushed it onto his wife, who wasn't. Joey has journals upon journals that he started writing when he was a young man. He kept it up. She starts reading them, and learns she really didn't know him truly, which was sad. As she is slowly reading her husband's journals, she's is noticing that she is talking to God, and saying God related stuff....... I found myself skipping over these parts as it felt like it was preaching and ruining the story. And of course, every reader knows where this is all leading.
So things like this really annoyed me!
There are a few other characters in the novel, a good friend who lives across the street, her two cousins, one who needs a new kidney, and a 16 year old boy who gives her guitar lessons, and who ends up becoming friends with (this friendship was sweet).
So yeah, I didn't particularly care for this story. It's between a 1 and a 2 in "My rating".
I had no idea this book was Christian. Had I known, I wouldn't had picked it up in whatever second hand bookstore I bought it from. I'm not a fan of them. I'm not religious and whatever I have read in the past, I feel like they read as too preachy, and for some reason, not genuinely sincere (which sounds weird.)
We are introduced into the story of Joey being on life support. Once Pearly, his wife of 35 years finally decides it's best to take him off of it, she has decided she no longer has any purpose in life because she centered her life around him (ugh) (though he did not do the same) (ugh) and she's gonna kill herself in two years. Why two years? Pearly has found her husband's "7 Things To Do Before I Die" list that he never did, and she had no idea he had written or let alone, knew he wanted to do.
Pearly: "Yes, this is it. This is my purpose." So, once again, she's doing the same thing, revolving her life around him and not living for herself (another ugh).
Joey's 7 Things to Do Before I Die: "Go whale watching in Alaska, See the mysterious figures on the plains of Peru, Climb a pyramid in South or Central America, Walk the Appalachian Trail, Spend a winter on a mountain, Try every entree at Haussner's and Get a tattoo."
We find out that they have traveled over their years together, so it's not like they didn't live life. Why would he had not presented this to her then, and they both could had made up a "things I want to do before I die" list together?
She decides she wants to add her own list to it (Yeah!): Go to a rock concert (what?! Who hasn't been to a rock concert especially in the time period this book was written? It's 2003, Joey and Pearly were in their early 60's/late 50's. They would had been young in the 1960's/70's (drugs, sex and rock and roll era) how they missed that decades of rock concerts?!
Okay, back to her list: Learn to play the guitar, Read War and Peace in its entirely and Run a 10K race. Which here I go again with another complaint. She's a chain smoker, always has been, she's in her late 50's, and she's never exercised. She cuts down to two smokes a day and starts running slowly, building herself up. She's given herself the winter to train for the race that takes place in the spring (ugh). It's the day of the race, she's running. She's at 6K and is asking herself how she's gonna get through the last 4K? Nothing much else after about it, except it's months later, and we find out she completed it, and then we are into the next thing on the list she's preparing for.
Joey grew up in a Christian home, was a believer though he never pushed it onto his wife, who wasn't. Joey has journals upon journals that he started writing when he was a young man. He kept it up. She starts reading them, and learns she really didn't know him truly, which was sad. As she is slowly reading her husband's journals, she's is noticing that she is talking to God, and saying God related stuff....... I found myself skipping over these parts as it felt like it was preaching and ruining the story. And of course, every reader knows where this is all leading.
So things like this really annoyed me!
There are a few other characters in the novel, a good friend who lives across the street, her two cousins, one who needs a new kidney, and a 16 year old boy who gives her guitar lessons, and who ends up becoming friends with (this friendship was sweet).
So yeah, I didn't particularly care for this story. It's between a 1 and a 2 in "My rating".
March 12, 2019
I wish I really liked this book. I honestly wanted to, and I still think it had potential to be much better. However, the author tried too hard to create a Christian book that would embrace the mainstream audience, in hopes that it would do the same back. Pearly struggled. Pearly learned lessons. Pearly found faith. But her husband was a pious one-dimensional joke, and the rest of the supportive characters were a little flat too. And have I mentioned that Pearly as a storyteller wasn't all that interesting to begin with, ... Oh well, not the worst thing I've ever read, at least...
July 19, 2021
A quick read which I rated a 2.5 to 3 out of 5. Pearly Laurel unexpectedly loses her husband of 35 years, shortly after he hands her a list of things he wants to do while alive. Not knowing how to live without her much loved husband, Pearly decides to complete his list of goals before arranging her own death. We follow along with her as she checks each item off, reads daily from her husband's many journals and opens her heart to God. I felt the story wasn't very detailed, kind of flat. The idea is not a new one, but I felt it could have been a little more exciting.
October 31, 2025
The book starts out for the first 80-100 pages pretty slow. I almost gave up. However, if it had been written as interestingly as the balance of the book, I would have rated it higher. I am glad I read it if only to follow Pearly’s path to faith.
November 5, 2017
Not worth reading.
January 16, 2024
I couldn't help but love this story and it sure did bring my husband and my love for him to the forefront of my mind. Beautiful ending.
March 28, 2012
Oh this book was so delicious. What to do when the love of your life passes away? For Pearly, it means taking his to-do list and meeting each one, in a toast to her husband, Joe. It means feeling like she can't go on any longer, wondering about the world and her place in it. It also means that the list is what would help Pearly come across people who will form her new family and helping Pearly understand the gift of life. God uses such difficult situations for those that love him, to the greater good as realized in this book.
What a great way to get a message across about God without being preachy. Such a touching book, so glad I read it.
What a great way to get a message across about God without being preachy. Such a touching book, so glad I read it.
February 15, 2013
There is something very special about this book; I feel like this was a time in my life when I needed to read something like this. Pearly is a very interesting woman... she has put off living her entire life so that she could be a loving and supportive wife to her husband, and it's not until he dies that she realizes her life had meaning as well! She thought he was the brilliant one b/c he was so smart and so spiritual, and he was all of those things, but she is too in her own way. Her journey is heartbreaking and humorous, and I loved this book. Every page was a pleasure.
November 1, 2016
This is the story of a woman whose husband suddenly and unexpectedly dies. She determines that she no longer wants to live without him. Her husband has made a list of things that he wishes to do before he dies. She decides to fulfill the list and then die herself. Along the way she meets people that rekindle her desire to live. This is a Christian novel, although not like anyone I’ve ever read before. It isn’t as cleaned up and nice as most in this genre. It was a good read and very thought provoking for me.
November 6, 2010
This is the story of a woman who loses her husband prematurely and is determined to finish his bucket list before killing herself. In the process of working through the list, she meets some interesting people, learns about herself, and begans to understand the link to God that her husband had.
I liked it a lot, probably more in the days after I read it and thinking about the things that happen. Slow starting, but compelling on its race to a bizarre twist and conclusion.
I liked it a lot, probably more in the days after I read it and thinking about the things that happen. Slow starting, but compelling on its race to a bizarre twist and conclusion.
April 2, 2012
This story of a middle-aged women who loses her husband and sets out to finish his "bucket list" was refreshing, funny, poignant, and better written than most Christian literature. It got a little message-heavy at the end (a major downfall of Christian literature), but other than that the characters were warm, engaging, imperfect, and human. I have liked other books by Lisa Samson, and although this was not my favorite I think she is one of the better writers in this genre.
September 20, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. I loved Pearly and her self involvement, that she is unaware, of until it is to late...but redemption arrives in the odd assortment of "family" that she adopts during her journey through grief. I loved the portrayal of Joey, her deceased husband...I would like to have few more Joey's in my life. This is a very sweet and moving book.
February 20, 2008
quite sad but is a good book to read.
March 31, 2008
Great concept, very good book.
July 28, 2008
My favorite Lisa Samson book...I think, anyway...
June 21, 2012
I would give this book twice the amount of stars.
This book spoke to me in some very similar thoughts and wanted actions. It was therapeutic to read this book.
This book spoke to me in some very similar thoughts and wanted actions. It was therapeutic to read this book.
September 6, 2013
I find that I always enjoy Lisa Samson. This was another pleasurable read.
February 4, 2013
This author tried so hard to be quirky that she only came off as annoying. Bo!
September 11, 2016
could not finish
September 9, 2014
A little disappointing compared to her other books. Pearly's husband dies, she wants to finish his list of things to do and then commit suicide.
July 11, 2015
I wasn't too sure about this book. But the characters saved it. They were real, down to earth, dealing with doubt characters that you could relate to.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews