Get Ahead of Being Dead: Your Handy Planner for the End of Life - Softcover

King, Evie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 180419378X ISBN 13: 9781804193785

Publisher: Short Books, 2026

Synopsis

'A surprisingly fascinating read. Who thought death could be so interesting?' - PRUE LEITH

'A vitally important book for anyone who thinks they might die at some point. Do not buy this book if you are already dead. It's too late. Repeat. Do not buy this if you're dead.' - RICHARD HERRING

Welcome mortal, to your little book of death homework. A practical, compassionate and laugh out loud guide to preparing for the end.

An informative, practical and yet highly entertaining read from former comedian and council funeral officer Evie King, who walks you through everything you need to sort your death out, so others don't have to.

Have you ever sat down and thought about what happens after you die? And have you told anyone what you want when you're gone? Probably not. Sort your death out, so you can get on and enjoy the rest of your life.

As well as recounting real-death stories, Evie takes you through a series of lessons and exercises spanning all things death preparation, including advice on how to:
· Think about what you really want to happen at your funeral
· Express your wishes to avoid post-death pandemonium
· Clear your clutter so that those you love don't have to
· Ensure the admin of your life can be packed down quickly and efficiently
· Plan your post-death online life.

Get Ahead of Being Dead is a gift to your future (dead) self. By taking control and preparing for death, you can prepare to live ... and do both better as a result.

About this title

About the Author

Evie King does not exist, but the person who plays her is a council worker and writer. A former stand-up comedian, she has always written short-form pieces in the margins of her various day jobs, contributing to New Humanist, Guardian Comment Is Free, BBC Comedy and Viz. After moving to the seaside and going part-time she had more time for writing and in 2023 completed her first book, Ashes to Admin, about her job arranging council funerals. It sold over 10,000 copies, was selected by Stewart Lee for the London Review of Books one hundred books for the next twenty years collection and won the 2025 ASDS (Association for the Study of Death & Society) Award for outstanding and original books in the field of death studies. And then this one, obviously. She also contributed to the book Words to Live and Die By, a series of death haikus compiled by the acute palliative care team at Warwick Hospital. She is an ambassador for missing persons and cold-case charity Locate International and heads the UK training programme for council funeral workers.

Edition details

• Publisher: Short Books
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 180419378X
• ISBN 13: 9781804193785
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208