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Tell Me Good Things: On Love, Death, and Marriage
A profound examination of grief and a great celebration of love by internationally bestselling author James Runcie.
In early 2020, as the world sunk into the pandemic, James Runcie and his wife Marilyn Imrie were going through a different, far more personal tragedy. After 35 years of miraculously happy marriage, they learned that the painful, frustrating symptoms Marilyn had been experiencing for two years were a sign of Lou Gehrig's Disease. With this diagnosis, during the isolation and strangeness of the pandemic, James and Marilyn's lives were transformed.
Now, in his startling and intimate memoir, James tells the story of Marilyn's illness and death–-in all its moments of tragedy, rage, and strangeness-–while painting a vivid portrait of her life, in all its color, humor, and brightness. Tender, funny, and deeply true, Tell Me Good Things is an unforgettable story of life before death and love after grief.
In early 2020, as the world sunk into the pandemic, James Runcie and his wife Marilyn Imrie were going through a different, far more personal tragedy. After 35 years of miraculously happy marriage, they learned that the painful, frustrating symptoms Marilyn had been experiencing for two years were a sign of Lou Gehrig's Disease. With this diagnosis, during the isolation and strangeness of the pandemic, James and Marilyn's lives were transformed.
Now, in his startling and intimate memoir, James tells the story of Marilyn's illness and death–-in all its moments of tragedy, rage, and strangeness-–while painting a vivid portrait of her life, in all its color, humor, and brightness. Tender, funny, and deeply true, Tell Me Good Things is an unforgettable story of life before death and love after grief.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 24, 2022
32 people are currently reading
1822 people want to read
About the author
James Runcie
41 books590 followersJames Runcie is a British novelist, documentary film-maker, television producer, theatre director, and Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 26, 2023
This is an intense and somewhat unrestrained memoir about Marilyn Imrie, a deeply loved wife and apparently accomplished theatre and radio-drama director, who died at age 72, within five months of her ALS diagnosis. It strikes me as a book that would have far more meaning for those who actually knew Imrie in real life than a memoir for general readers who did not. Runcie, the author of
The Grantchester Mysteries,
writes that he hopes the book may provide comfort for those going through something similar, but I can’t quite see it doing that. There are regular allusions to plays, works of art, flowers, wine, fancy meals, fashion designers, shoe styles, soccer teams, operas, Scottish actors—I could go on—with which I, and I suspect many others, have little or no familiarity. To me,
Tell me Good Things
felt a great deal longer than it is, and I wonder if the writing of it ought to have been delayed. It’s evident that it was composed, at least in part, to come to terms with a great loss and certainly to memorialize.
The memoir consists of recollections of everyday sorts of things, externals, from James and Marilyn’s somewhat unusual marriage—Marilyn was 12 years older than her husband. Many of the details reported seemed superficial to me. I felt I had little real sense of Marilyn as a person. What made her tick? There were certainly insecurities, and a coworker mentions her “desperation” at one point, but we are offered no insight into those things. There’s also no information about her childhood and little about her actual work. We’re told she liked wearing dramatic, attention-grabbing clothing, but hated having her photo taken. Hmmm. Why? She wanted to appear saintly—again, why?—but apparently was not. I was more interested in her mental and emotional life than Runcie was prepared to offer, though he gave plenty of information about his, which generally did not engage me.
I am, of course, saddened to think of anyone suffering as Marilyn did—a matter that her husband, refrains from going into here because this is, of course, about “telling the good things.” Marilyn did not want friends to visit during her rapidly progressive illness because of the degree of her debilitation. She wasn’t at her best, she said—at least, when she was still able to speak. (ALS stole her voice.) Runcie was distressed by and complains about some of the things people said when they phoned or emailed to check in with him, and while it is true that few individuals really are willing to offer practical assistance to the family of a dying person, others are simply ignorant about what it is like to be caring almost singlehandedly for a loved one in Marilyn’s state. If friends were not informed or did not see what ALS (motor neurone disease) was doing to Marilyn Imrie, it’s quite possible they did not actually grasp what was going on. Some people, of course, are terrified by suffering and death. They don’t want to grasp those realities, and they steer entirely clear out of fear, no matter what.
If you’re acquainted with the Scottish theatre scene or Runcie’s other books, you may appreciate this more than I did. I’m an outlier; many others were moved by the memoir. I am very sorry to report that I was not.
The memoir consists of recollections of everyday sorts of things, externals, from James and Marilyn’s somewhat unusual marriage—Marilyn was 12 years older than her husband. Many of the details reported seemed superficial to me. I felt I had little real sense of Marilyn as a person. What made her tick? There were certainly insecurities, and a coworker mentions her “desperation” at one point, but we are offered no insight into those things. There’s also no information about her childhood and little about her actual work. We’re told she liked wearing dramatic, attention-grabbing clothing, but hated having her photo taken. Hmmm. Why? She wanted to appear saintly—again, why?—but apparently was not. I was more interested in her mental and emotional life than Runcie was prepared to offer, though he gave plenty of information about his, which generally did not engage me.
I am, of course, saddened to think of anyone suffering as Marilyn did—a matter that her husband, refrains from going into here because this is, of course, about “telling the good things.” Marilyn did not want friends to visit during her rapidly progressive illness because of the degree of her debilitation. She wasn’t at her best, she said—at least, when she was still able to speak. (ALS stole her voice.) Runcie was distressed by and complains about some of the things people said when they phoned or emailed to check in with him, and while it is true that few individuals really are willing to offer practical assistance to the family of a dying person, others are simply ignorant about what it is like to be caring almost singlehandedly for a loved one in Marilyn’s state. If friends were not informed or did not see what ALS (motor neurone disease) was doing to Marilyn Imrie, it’s quite possible they did not actually grasp what was going on. Some people, of course, are terrified by suffering and death. They don’t want to grasp those realities, and they steer entirely clear out of fear, no matter what.
If you’re acquainted with the Scottish theatre scene or Runcie’s other books, you may appreciate this more than I did. I’m an outlier; many others were moved by the memoir. I am very sorry to report that I was not.
February 21, 2023
I have long been a fan of James Runcie. The Grantchester books and the TV series are true favorites for me. The Road to Grantchester is a novel that I thought was excellent and ranks high on my list of all time favorites. So, when I saw that Runcie had a new book coming out, I very much wanted to read it and when I received an e galley approval, I was overjoyed.
This is a beautiful book about a relationship, an illness, a death, growing up, having life change without one’s consent and knowing that grief transforms a person for ever. Its title comes from one on Runcie’s wife Marilyn’s favorite phrases.
In these pages, Runcie shares how his life changed when Marilyn was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and subsequently died. Grief fills the pages but so does the couple’s earlier relationship as both Runcie and his wife become known to the reader in a generous sharing on the author’s part.
Some people write extremely movingly about grief. Think of Joan Didion or C.S. Lewis and then add Runcie to that list.
This book has received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 21 February 2023
This is a beautiful book about a relationship, an illness, a death, growing up, having life change without one’s consent and knowing that grief transforms a person for ever. Its title comes from one on Runcie’s wife Marilyn’s favorite phrases.
In these pages, Runcie shares how his life changed when Marilyn was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and subsequently died. Grief fills the pages but so does the couple’s earlier relationship as both Runcie and his wife become known to the reader in a generous sharing on the author’s part.
Some people write extremely movingly about grief. Think of Joan Didion or C.S. Lewis and then add Runcie to that list.
This book has received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury USA for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: 21 February 2023
March 1, 2023
Quite a read
"Broken but not separated."? He fiercely adored her. She lived a full, remarkable life. No regrets. No apologies. Taken away prematurely.
"Broken but not separated."? He fiercely adored her. She lived a full, remarkable life. No regrets. No apologies. Taken away prematurely.
July 31, 2023
This was amazing but death is so unfair :(
Read
October 8, 2025Heartbreaking, intensely personal. How do you give a star rating for an account of grief?
November 9, 2023
I was not in the best state of mind to read about a person's beloved spouse passing away, but I stuck with the book. Mrs. Runcie, Marilyn Imrie was a cool cat and a big deal in the radio/BBC world of London and Edinburgh. Mr. Runcie was a devoted and loving husband. He does justice to his fabulous and funny wife. He's written other stuff, might check it out next time I'm in the mood for English Detective stories, which is not often.
October 6, 2025
This is the strange paradox of grief. We think it is unique to us and yet it is common to all.
I am drawn to surviving-spouse memoirs. These include Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, C.S. Lewis's A Grief Observed, and this title; I'm beginning Geraldine Brooks's Memorial Days this week. As a teenager I secretly consoled myself that having survived "the worst" (my mom's sudden death), I was surely prepared for anything. Then I got married. :: buzzer sound ::
Last Christmas, I bought us James Runcie's The Great Passion, a novel about Bach. In the winter evenings of January, we listened to Pip Torrens's superlative narration while we read the words. And talked about each chapter. It remains my favorite book of 2025, perhaps of the 21st century. I looked for more books by Runcie and found his memoir of losing his wife, Marilyn Imrie, to ALS. I get it. When you are a writer, you have to process any major life event by writing about it.
The title comes from Marilyn's trademark greeting: "Hello, Gorgeousness! Tell me good things!" Theirs was a vibrant and verdant friendship. They were both immersed in the literary world of London and Edinburgh. Their gift-giving! So inspiring! They wrote riddles and wonderful notes to each other.
Although James is the son of Archbishop Robert Runcie, (<- the one who conducted Charles' and Diana's wedding ceremony), James is clear that his faith is not a fixed thing. However, he included a note of condolence from his drycleaners which is one of the best I've ever read:
I am drawn to surviving-spouse memoirs. These include Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, C.S. Lewis's A Grief Observed, and this title; I'm beginning Geraldine Brooks's Memorial Days this week. As a teenager I secretly consoled myself that having survived "the worst" (my mom's sudden death), I was surely prepared for anything. Then I got married. :: buzzer sound ::
Last Christmas, I bought us James Runcie's The Great Passion, a novel about Bach. In the winter evenings of January, we listened to Pip Torrens's superlative narration while we read the words. And talked about each chapter. It remains my favorite book of 2025, perhaps of the 21st century. I looked for more books by Runcie and found his memoir of losing his wife, Marilyn Imrie, to ALS. I get it. When you are a writer, you have to process any major life event by writing about it.
The title comes from Marilyn's trademark greeting: "Hello, Gorgeousness! Tell me good things!" Theirs was a vibrant and verdant friendship. They were both immersed in the literary world of London and Edinburgh. Their gift-giving! So inspiring! They wrote riddles and wonderful notes to each other.
Although James is the son of Archbishop Robert Runcie, (<- the one who conducted Charles' and Diana's wedding ceremony), James is clear that his faith is not a fixed thing. However, he included a note of condolence from his drycleaners which is one of the best I've ever read:
May God's grace enable you to see a future laced with hope, and may you be given the gift of faith to trust Him in all things. As one day gives way to another, so may darkness give way to light, sadness yield to joy, and despair surrender to hope in you.
July 29, 2025
Several reviewers have commented that the world in which James and Marilyn lived was too far removed from that of most people for the book to have questionable value to those who are also grieving.
I beg to differ. A mere 10 days after the unexpected death of my husband in tragic circumstances I read this book in one sitting. I had gone to the library to pick up a book I was supposed to read for book club, I didn't think I would find the ability to read a novel so resenting paying for something that would probably remain unread I ordered it from the library. Ours is a tiny library with limited stock so when I thought I would browse the "grief" section I wasn't hopeful. But this book was there and I took it.
Yes James' life is very different to mine but death is universal in its circle of influence and the fact that the pain and the questions we have are so similar despite our very different lifestyles is a comfort. We are not alone in the fears, anger and all the other emotions that sometimes seem "wrong".
It is perhaps because of the fact that he moves in circles so far removed from my own that his story of love and grief is so much of a comfort. I recognised all the emotions, I felt less alone to know that what I am experiencing is normal. It is quite one thing for somebody who has not experienced the death of a partner to tell you that your responses are normal and entirely another for somebody who has walked your path to tell you they fell over time and time again too but are still here.
I beg to differ. A mere 10 days after the unexpected death of my husband in tragic circumstances I read this book in one sitting. I had gone to the library to pick up a book I was supposed to read for book club, I didn't think I would find the ability to read a novel so resenting paying for something that would probably remain unread I ordered it from the library. Ours is a tiny library with limited stock so when I thought I would browse the "grief" section I wasn't hopeful. But this book was there and I took it.
Yes James' life is very different to mine but death is universal in its circle of influence and the fact that the pain and the questions we have are so similar despite our very different lifestyles is a comfort. We are not alone in the fears, anger and all the other emotions that sometimes seem "wrong".
It is perhaps because of the fact that he moves in circles so far removed from my own that his story of love and grief is so much of a comfort. I recognised all the emotions, I felt less alone to know that what I am experiencing is normal. It is quite one thing for somebody who has not experienced the death of a partner to tell you that your responses are normal and entirely another for somebody who has walked your path to tell you they fell over time and time again too but are still here.
March 17, 2023
This memoir about Runcie's marriage and loss of his wife will resonate with many people who have experienced similar things, and it's a meaningful look into the power of commitment until death does you part. I also appreciated the many reflections on Scripture passages and Christian beliefs, despite Runcie's uncertainty about his own faith.
However, a great deal of this book involves reflections on UK plays, poetry, and literature that I am not familiar with. These are essential touchstones to the author, based on his and his wife's careers, their interests, and their many friends in related industries. However, I was frequently quite lost. Runcie sometimes provides explanatory context for things he quotes from or mentions, but he often just references them, and those parts of the book felt more like journal entries than a public-facing memoir.
I would recommend this book to fans of the author, and to people who want a glimpse into someone else's grief processing and reflections on the horrors of losing someone deeply beloved to the ravages of a terrible disease. However, for this to serve a therapeutic role for someone who has recently lost a loved one, they would probably need similar high-brow interests to fully connect with this.
However, a great deal of this book involves reflections on UK plays, poetry, and literature that I am not familiar with. These are essential touchstones to the author, based on his and his wife's careers, their interests, and their many friends in related industries. However, I was frequently quite lost. Runcie sometimes provides explanatory context for things he quotes from or mentions, but he often just references them, and those parts of the book felt more like journal entries than a public-facing memoir.
I would recommend this book to fans of the author, and to people who want a glimpse into someone else's grief processing and reflections on the horrors of losing someone deeply beloved to the ravages of a terrible disease. However, for this to serve a therapeutic role for someone who has recently lost a loved one, they would probably need similar high-brow interests to fully connect with this.
June 19, 2025
I liked what this book set out to do and how James Runcie wrote his raw experience about grief in order for others to feel not alone. The moments where he described what people said and was ‘the right’ and ‘wrong’ thing to say I felt such honesty in the writing that it resonated and stayed with me. However, overall I’m not sure I saw Marilyn in way that made me feel his pain as if it was my own - though appreciate this wasn’t the point of the book. So overall whilst very poignant, not quite the book for me
October 17, 2023
A short book packed with feelings. Well written and shows his deep love for his late wife. It wasn’t sad as stories of their lives together alternates between chapters. What a wonderful woman Marilyn is.
The “after” makes me think of Delia Ephron’s Left on Tenth (story about cancelling her late husband’s Verizon mobile contract). Seems like many people go through the grief of losing a spouse but writers have better ways to describe it, sometimes in semi-comical way.
The “after” makes me think of Delia Ephron’s Left on Tenth (story about cancelling her late husband’s Verizon mobile contract). Seems like many people go through the grief of losing a spouse but writers have better ways to describe it, sometimes in semi-comical way.
December 31, 2024
This moving account differs from most books on grief and loss in that Runcie is not writing an account of a death or a manual on navigating grief so much as a love letter to his wife. Heartbreakingly beautiful and moving, the author paints a portrait of a vibrant, real and human woman with all the quirks and foibles that made her a distinctive individual . Through their unique story, Runcie illustrates for all of us what unconditional love that lasts in this world and beyond looks like.
April 15, 2024
I appreciate James Runcie exposing his soul as he captured many of my own feelings about loss. What was disappointing is the incessant references to movies, plays, novels and all their actors. I understand that this was he and his wife’s world, but it left me feeling like I was missing the point over and over.
December 28, 2024
Strange year to read this book. Two grief books back to back.
Beautiful writing style, references to so many literary and art elements that it makes me want to be more cultured. This is ultimately a love letter from a man to his wife with a beautiful ending. I wish it was organized slightly differently in more chronological sense. I liked how it had both the beautiful and the ugly.
Beautiful writing style, references to so many literary and art elements that it makes me want to be more cultured. This is ultimately a love letter from a man to his wife with a beautiful ending. I wish it was organized slightly differently in more chronological sense. I liked how it had both the beautiful and the ugly.
March 13, 2023
Runcie takes the reader deeply into his marriage with Marilyn Imrie and her MND disease and death. There really is nothing to say to someone who is grieving so profoundly and this book only emphasizes that.
March 21, 2023
A nice tribute to his late wife— and while sharply written with humor—I didn’t quite connect with it.
May 30, 2023
He clearly had a great love, and overall the memoir was engaging. It lacks a central point, however, unless the reader thinks the story of a great love is enough.
August 8, 2023
I understand that this was important for the author to write but it didn’t have any useful messages or teachings for me.
February 10, 2024
Full of small details as evidence of big love, wry humor, crushing sentiment.
March 25, 2024
Idk sweet but kinda plotless lowkey
August 18, 2024
A short and powerful story of one man’s grief. What not to do/say is included. Valuable
September 4, 2025
Oh to be blessed with a love like this 💕
December 27, 2025
It's nice to know that some couples do marriage so well.
Sad, funny, vulnerable.
Sad, funny, vulnerable.
February 16, 2023
A bittersweet love letter to the unexpected, fleeting and fragile wonders of this life; A deeply profound memoir that should not be missed.
December 5, 2022
A beautiful cover and an equally beautiful book, reflections on love, marriage and loss. James Runcie writes well and very movingly. Excellent read.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews