Texts companions for the season before the Keys turn.
Every death worker needs a few trusted tools at hand, a Porch Almanac if you will. These books are yours for the waiting season. Some you’ll need to gather before the first Key turns. Others are simply companions, books to keep nearby if you want a little company, a little inspiration, while you wait.
Here’s a list of the top ethical, independent-friendly online bookstores I recommend. If the provided link for a certain text doesn’t work, please try sourcing from these alternatives before turning to Amazon:
Bookshop.org - the best resource for new books that support independent bookstores
Biblio - a treasure trove for used, rare, and out-of-print titles, rooted in sustainability
Better World Books - secondhand and affordable, each purchase helping to fund global literacy
🌿 Some rare books may only be found through Powell’s Books (an iconic indie bookshop in Portland) or Alibris (an ethical marketplace connecting independent sellers).
Required Reading
Please purchase these books before the course start date:
Die Wise by Stephen Jenkinson - You will be reading this book throughout Nine Keys. *Please wait to begin reading this book once we have started the program.
The Wild Edge of Sorrow by Frances Weller - Please read at your convenience. You can begin reading it before the start of Nine Keys or throughout Nine Keys. You will be using this book for assignments that are in your Seventh Key.
Exhuming Women’s Premarket Duties in the Care of the Dead by Georganne Rundblad - Please download this article before the course start date as you will need it by the 2nd Key! You may have to create a library member account to receive access to this article.
Lastly, please purchase a Five Wishes Form.
Like to read?
Here are some other really great books to purchase to further your studies— they are not required reading.
Passed On: African American Mourning Stories by Karla Holloway
To Serve the Living: Funeral Directors and the African American Way of Life by Suzanne E Smith
Lgbtq-Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care by Kimberly D Acquaviva
The Grieving Brain by Mary Francis O’Connor *highly recommended
Briefly Perfectly Human by Alua Arthur *one of Narinder’s favorite books
The Great Cosmic Mother by Monica Shoo and Barbara Mor *Narinder’s current read as of May 2025
Next up, please see The Key Keeper’s Guidebook or return to The Front Porch.