Words for Lucy: A story of love, loss and the celebration of life

One morning, Lucy Halligan lay on her bed with her cat and went to sleep. Soon after, her heart stopped. But her mother, writer Marion Halligan, forced hers to keep beating.

More joy than sorrow, this profoundly moving memoir celebrates Lucy’s life, weaving together everyday details and treasured events.

Words for Lucy sees Marion at the peak of her writing powers, telling the story of a mother surviving the aftershocks of death and finding the space to live.

‘A sublime book about the small joys that make up a treasured life, from a writer of unfathomable grace and stoicism.’ - Alice Pung

‘This is a gentle, intense reconstruction of a rich and potent past, a bright gift of grace in sorrow.’ - Carmel Bird