A Heart That Works

A Heart That Works

  • Downloads:3528
  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2022-11-05 18:16:40
  • Update Date:2025-09-23
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Rob Delaney
  • ISBN:1399710842
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

A visceral and deeply personal memoir by the star of the Amazon Prime series Catastrophe, about the loss of his young son。

In 2016, Rob Delaney’s one-year-old son, Henry, was diagnosed with a brain tumor。 The family had moved from Los Angeles to London with their two young boys when Rob’s wife was pregnant with Henry, their third。 The move was an adventure that would bind them even more tightly together as they navigated the novelty of London, the culture clashes, and the funhouse experience of Rob’s fame—thanks to his role as co-creator and co-star of the hit series Catastrophe。 Henry’s illness was a cataclysm that changed everything about their lives。 Amid the hospital routine, surgeries, and brutal treatments, they found a newfound community of nurses, aides, caregivers, and fellow parents contending with the unthinkable。 Two years later, Henry died, and his family watched their world fall away to reveal the things that matter most。

A Heart That Works is Delaney’s intimate, unflinching, and fiercely funny exploration of what happened – from the harrowing illness to the vivid, bodily impact of grief and the blind, furious rage that followed, through to the forceful, unstoppable love that remains。 In the madness of his grief, Delaney grapples with the fragile miracle of life, the mysteries of death, and the question of purpose for those left behind。

Delaney’s memoir—profound, painful, full of emotion, and bracingly honest—offers solace to those who have faced devastation and shows us how grace may appear even in the darkest times。

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Reviews

Simon Harrison

Heart-rending。

Tamara Cunningham

I loved this book。 Thank you

Andy Smith

What an amazing story。 Everyone should listen to this。 More so than reading it。 Have Rob enunciate his words to you in the way the were intended。 I laughed, I cried, I fucking felt something, and in this world that is magnificent。

Susan Weir

Superb。 Heartbreaking。

Books By Your Bedside

It goes without saying that this book - and my review - contains some very difficult subjects, not limited to the obvious one of child illness and death, as well as depression, suicide and alcoholism。 The raw honesty Rob writes with is equally heartbreaking and heartwarming。The way he talks about not wanting to kill himself, but if he happened to die another way, that would be okay, and whilst I haven’t lost a child (thank goodness), I have suffered - and do suffer - from depression due to a neu It goes without saying that this book - and my review - contains some very difficult subjects, not limited to the obvious one of child illness and death, as well as depression, suicide and alcoholism。 The raw honesty Rob writes with is equally heartbreaking and heartwarming。The way he talks about not wanting to kill himself, but if he happened to die another way, that would be okay, and whilst I haven’t lost a child (thank goodness), I have suffered - and do suffer - from depression due to a neurological condition。 And on more than a healthy number of occasions have I thought “I don’t want to die as such but I’d be happy not to wake up in the morning”。 And to see it written down like this is amazing and crushing and so, so sad。Grief has been no stranger to me, and I’ve experienced the day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute way of living, and yet, to have to move on with your life after your child has passed - it breaks my heart to even consider。It may sound bizarre to people who haven’t experienced grief, but Rob captures the humour in it perfectly。 There are genuine laughs and I found myself smiling throughout it。 Sometimes when you’re going through the hardest times, your options are to cry or to smile。 And sometimes you’ve done too much crying, so smiling is your only option。 As sad as it was, I didn’t find myself crying until the end。 And it wasn’t necessarily crying because Henry had died。 It was more crying at how the family dealt with it and their love for each other。 It’s so moving in so many ways that it will definitely cause a tear or two。I’ve not watched Rob in anything on telly, but I had heard of him and the difficulties he experienced via interviews and whatnot。 And so I didn’t necessarily know what to expect from him, but he has such a powerful touch that I’m eager to watch him do what he loves。 This must have been such a difficult book to write, but I thank Rob for allowing us to get to know Henry, if only for 200 pages。 I would gladly read about him for so much more if he ever felt like sharing more。 It’s a quick read, which given it’s difficult subject matter, is probably a good thing, but it means you can fully absorb yourself into it for one sitting。Rob has given us all such a gift with this book。 It’s a cruel, cruel world sometimes, but he proves it is possible to go through the worst of it whilst keep your head above water, and it’s possible to find the joy amongst the sorrow。 。。。more

Kelly Hine

Read cover to cover in a little over two hours… to put a bookmark in this and put it down felt somehow rude or uncaring。 I was absorbed by the sometimes fragile and often crashing vocabulary/ prose that Delaney pulled together to try to assimilate the worst tragedy that can befall a parent。 I can’t understand but I can empathise and I sobbed hard at how he described his wonderful Henry。

Harriet Richardson

Rob, this book is the fifth best thing you've bought into this world。 An incredible insight into something I hope to never know。 I didn't image I would relate so much to this book, but having a mum with Cancer evokes a lot of the same feelings I suppose。 Even so – this was an indescribably touching story and told with such honesty。 Thank you Rob。 Rob, this book is the fifth best thing you've bought into this world。 An incredible insight into something I hope to never know。 I didn't image I would relate so much to this book, but having a mum with Cancer evokes a lot of the same feelings I suppose。 Even so – this was an indescribably touching story and told with such honesty。 Thank you Rob。 。。。more

Lydia

Beautiful, funny, heartfelt and desperately sad。 What a wonderful book。 I highly recommend the audiobook as well, as hearing it read aloud by Delaney really adds to its impact。

Erin

Beautifully written book, heartbreakingly sad and funny all at the same time。 The world needs to know about little Henry and how much he was loved!

Valerie Kirby

My words could never do justice to this wonderful book。。 but as a mom who has walked in Rob & Leah's shoes, I nodded through tears, and some laughter, at every page, from start to finish。 My words could never do justice to this wonderful book。。 but as a mom who has walked in Rob & Leah's shoes, I nodded through tears, and some laughter, at every page, from start to finish。 。。。more

miss alice laing

I’m so grateful for the truth and brave witness this writing is, not least for anyone who has known grief。 Thank you Rob and Leah for sharing a little bit of your Henry。 Your love for Henry, each other and your family shouts loudly on each page。

Phil

This is a wonderful and deeply moving book。 I can’t really find the words to do it justice。 I read it in one sitting, cried for a long time, then re-evaluated my priorities in life。

Michael Humphrey

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it through Rob’s book。 I knew it would be hard, but in the end I realised that the writing of it would have been infinitely harder, so what the hell did I have to complain about。It is such a well written book, moving and painful, funny and insightful。 It was sad, of course, but not depressing。 I think for anyone dealing with grief or loss, it almost gives you permission to grieve in your own way。 Rob is so brutally honest, I think anyone reading it will feel les I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it through Rob’s book。 I knew it would be hard, but in the end I realised that the writing of it would have been infinitely harder, so what the hell did I have to complain about。It is such a well written book, moving and painful, funny and insightful。 It was sad, of course, but not depressing。 I think for anyone dealing with grief or loss, it almost gives you permission to grieve in your own way。 Rob is so brutally honest, I think anyone reading it will feel less alone, knowing they too have thought, said or done things that to the outside world might seem weird, but in their grief is the only thing they can do。I wish he’d never had to write this book, but I’m thankful that he did。 。。。more

Arrianne Gavaghan

Read this in one sitting and felt every emotion there is and now I don’t know what to do with myself。 There is just pure distilled love in the pages of this book。

Gary Willmott

A beautiful remembrance of a beautiful boy and his familyI loved this book。Absolutely loved it。For one thing it’s short enough to read in one sitting - and you will want to。Secondly, it’s the first book that I’ve read since pre-pandemic and I feel that it’s given me my reading mojo back。Most importantly though, it’s such an easy book to read。 And I mean that in the best way possible。Rob Delaney’s writing style is very conversational and whilst he’s dealing here with a defining moment of grief in A beautiful remembrance of a beautiful boy and his familyI loved this book。Absolutely loved it。For one thing it’s short enough to read in one sitting - and you will want to。Secondly, it’s the first book that I’ve read since pre-pandemic and I feel that it’s given me my reading mojo back。Most importantly though, it’s such an easy book to read。 And I mean that in the best way possible。Rob Delaney’s writing style is very conversational and whilst he’s dealing here with a defining moment of grief in his and his family’s life, he does so without mawkishness and with a love for Henry, his son, that is so powerful that it lights the sadness。It’s a beautiful, lovely and wondrous book, in spite of the grief, anger and heartache that emanates from every page。Do read it。 You’ll love it。 。。。more

Vix Standen

I would give this a million stars if I could, and equally, I wish it didn’t have to exist。 We are all so lucky that Rob has written this book。 For him to share a little bit of Henry with us feels like something beyond special that I really have no words for。 I wish I could write something more eloquent, about the parallels with my own journey of grief or my work as a caregiver, but it’s not about me。 It’s about Henry and it’s about Rob and the rest of his family, and the generosity he has shown I would give this a million stars if I could, and equally, I wish it didn’t have to exist。 We are all so lucky that Rob has written this book。 For him to share a little bit of Henry with us feels like something beyond special that I really have no words for。 I wish I could write something more eloquent, about the parallels with my own journey of grief or my work as a caregiver, but it’s not about me。 It’s about Henry and it’s about Rob and the rest of his family, and the generosity he has shown in laying his soul out there for us all to see; for other bereaved parents to cling onto in their times of need。 。。。more

Laura Mitchell

What a tragedy that this book needed to exist but a brave effort that will no doubt help countless others。

Nicholas Gates

Heartbreaking but also hilarious, I couldn’t put it down。 Such a human and honest thing to put out into the world。

Rachel Moore

Listened to this in one sitting, it’s the first book I’ve read since my little boy was born three months ago, it was so beautiful and made me cuddle him even tighter。

Grace

Magnificent, heart wrenching - and funnyWho could expect less from Delaney。 I listened to the audiobook and his delivery is so on-point that I would be getting teary and then splutter a laugh - ‘most people who say everything happens for a reason can fuck off to a frigid cave。’ A Heart That Works lays it all out there。 It’s beautiful and it’s brutal。 If I were on another planet and the aliens wanted to know what being a human is like I think this memoir would be my offering。 Here’s to Henry。

Mrs Emma Harris

Heartbreakingly honest and beautifulGrief is a horrible and wonderful thing all at once。 It comes in waves and can overwhelm you。 Knowing loss of a parent I feel stupid to express this。 Reading it as a parent of two healthy boys I feel selfish and deeply grateful。 Rob’s honesty and utter adoration for every single one of his family radiates from the page and his eloquence and heartbreak seep through every line。 An intimate insight into the unimaginable - it’s one I know I will read again and aga Heartbreakingly honest and beautifulGrief is a horrible and wonderful thing all at once。 It comes in waves and can overwhelm you。 Knowing loss of a parent I feel stupid to express this。 Reading it as a parent of two healthy boys I feel selfish and deeply grateful。 Rob’s honesty and utter adoration for every single one of his family radiates from the page and his eloquence and heartbreak seep through every line。 An intimate insight into the unimaginable - it’s one I know I will read again and again。 。。。more

Debra Law

A short and powerful book。 I listened to the audio book and think it made it even more emotional to hear the pain in Robs voice。 I really felt his grief and makes you think how lucky you are every day。 I hugged my kids very tight last night。

Jake Cordiner

christ this broke me

Ryan Dougans

No one loves their kids more than Rob Delaney。 You might think you do and you’re wrong。 You should absolutely aspire to love them as much as that however。 I haven’t quite been able to verbalize my thoughts about this book past that simple fact。 That’s all one really needs to take from it upon their initial finishing of this book。

Alline Beatrici

I never had anything or anyone validate my thoughts on grief as much as the words on this book。 It made me feel embraced and less inadequate for sometimes having thought the darkest thoughts that surrounded me after experiecing loss for the first time…I’m not sure what to say, I dont normally leave book reviews but the impact this book left on me is so immense + I can only hope more and more people will read it because it truly made me strive to be a better person。It made me want to love more, t I never had anything or anyone validate my thoughts on grief as much as the words on this book。 It made me feel embraced and less inadequate for sometimes having thought the darkest thoughts that surrounded me after experiecing loss for the first time…I’m not sure what to say, I dont normally leave book reviews but the impact this book left on me is so immense + I can only hope more and more people will read it because it truly made me strive to be a better person。It made me want to love more, to take care of my family more, to express my feelings more, help others more, to appreciate the NHS and social carers more, to do more。Thank you Rob, I felt every word of it in my heart and it felt warm。 Thank you, thank you, thank you for telling us about your wonderful Henry。 🤍 。。。more

Josie

Got through this profoundly harrowing book in one go and two litres of tears。 Brilliantly written, highly recommend。

Lydia Alldritt

This book is a love letter to Henry, the NHS and the amazing charities that helped make Henry’s life fuller。 Best read all in one sitting

Cara Serjent

I just finished this book, and I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to stop thinking of little Henry。

Sara

Beautifully written about love and loss。 Also very very funny。 A gem。

Vicki Mustard

Hands down my book of the year - I don’t think anyone will top this。 It’s a full box of tissues read - funny, heartbreaking, blisteringly angry, clever & also hopeful, a proper love story ❤️ I encourage everyone to read this - it’s just a devastatingly brilliant tale of his sons short life from birth, to cancer diagnosis, through treatment, life, his death & beyond。 Utterly, utterly brilliant - read it。 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️