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Kate Gross
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Late Fragments: Everything I Want to Tell You (About This Magnificent Life) Kindle Edition

by Kate Gross (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,217 ratings

*THE NUMBER 1 BESTSELLER*

What are the things we live for? What matters most in life when your time is short? This brave, frank and heartbreaking book shows what it means to die before your time; how to take charge of your life and fill it with wonder, hope and joy even in the face of tragedy.

Ambitious and talented, Kate Gross worked at Number 10 Downing Street for two British Prime Ministers whilst only in her twenties. At thirty, she was CEO of a charity working with fragile democracies in Africa. She had married 'the best looking man I've ever kissed' – and given birth to twin boys in 2008. The future was bright.

But aged 34, Kate was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer. After a two-year battle with the disease, Kate died peacefully at home on Christmas morning, just ten minutes before her sons awoke to open their stockings.

She began to write as a gift to herself, a reminder that she could create even as her body began to self-destruct. Written for those she loves, her book is not a conventional cancer memoir; nor is it filled with medical jargon or misery. Instead, it is Kate's powerful attempt to make sense of the woman who emerged in the strange, lucid final chunk of her life. Her book aspires to give hope and purpose to the lives of her readers even as her own life drew to its close.

Kate should have been granted decades to say all that she says in these pages. Denied the chance to bore her children and grandchildren with stories when she became fat and old, she offers us all her thoughts on how to live; on the wonder to be found in the everyday; the importance of friendship and love; what it means to die before your time and how to fill your life with hope and joy even in the face of tragedy.

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  1. Print length
    257 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Collins
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    5 Jan. 2015
  6. File size
    5.1 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product description

Review

‘The most honest, beautiful, heart wrenching and eye opening book I’ve ever read. I will keep reminding myself of Kate Gross’s words and her story’ Fearne Cotton

‘Raw, honest, yet unexpectedly positive … A warm and oddly uplifting read. Gross is funny in the darkest moments of truth. Neither falsely upbeat nor purposefully dramatic or tear-jerking, the book brings Gross to life’ Independent

‘Shows you how to live life to the brim … boy, does [Kate’s] writing have pulse. Clear-sighted and cold-eyed, her sentences are light as leaves and she was as wise as a magi … When [her twins] wonder about their mother, here she will be, bold and brave, caught on the page in all her wonderful vitality’ Mail on Sunday, 5*

‘This book could make you rethink the way you live your whole life … there is a sense of wonder, a determination to live and love with her whole heart in the little time [Gross] has left … Funny and sharp and celebratory’ Sunday Express, 5*

‘A joyful act of love … witty, always serious, but rarely solemn. Her prose is grounded, unshowy and blessed with a casual poetry … To read this book is to learn what can be snatched back from death … it is vividly, beautifully alive’ Robert Webb, New Statesman

‘It is extremely difficult to write on this subject evocatively, but without sentimentality … [Kate] treats herself as a case study, a bystander with a story to tell. The effect is readable, engaging and enriching … To do that as your final act is amazing’ Daily Telegraph 5*

‘Gross writes with steadfast, exquisite skill and although this remarkable book is hard to get through without a box of hankies, it is also one of the most galvanising you are likely to read all year – READ IT AND LEAP’ Metro

‘With her lucid prose and piercing perception she is as much of a loss to the world of literature as she is to politics … Should be mandatory reading for every adult, urging them to fight the human impulse to take life in all its richness for granted’ Daily Express 5*

About the Author

Kate Gross was 36 years old when she died from colon cancer on Christmas day at her home in Cambridge. Before her cancer, Kate read English at Oxford University. She joined the civil service and worked in Number 10 Downing Street for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. On leaving, she set up the Africa Governance Initiative, a charity which works to rebuild structures of Government in post-conflict Africa. She was awarded an OBE in 2014 for her work. She blogged about her cancer at kateelizabethgross.wordpress.com and wrote there in more medical detail than she does in her book which is almost entirely free of any medical jargon or writing on the nature of cancer. It is a book instead about life. She is survived by her husband Billy and their five year old sons Isaac and Oscar.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00ME1OWGQ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Collins
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 5 Jan. 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.1 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008103460
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,217 ratings

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Kate Gross

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,217 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book an inspirational and thought-provoking read that rises above sadness and brings readers to tears. The writing is articulate and beautiful, with one customer noting how the author captures emotions perfectly. Customers praise the remarkable woman's bravery and strength, with one review highlighting how her character is tangible on every page. The book features literary and cerebral quotes that make readers both laugh and cry, while maintaining an honest, matter-of-fact approach throughout.

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130 customers mention ‘Uplifting’130 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspirational and thought-provoking, providing wonderful insights into life.

"...Kate's beautiful writing and her powerful and honest wisdom will blow you away...she lays out a guide to a happy and fulfilled life for anyone ready..." Read more

"...How wrong I was to be apprehensive, this is an inspirational book of huge magnitude...." Read more

"I have enjoyed the constant meandering between the joys of life and the horror of "the nuisance"...." Read more

"...What a fascinating, clever person! I especially enjoyed the bits about finding your passion and taking care of the landscape of your mind...." Read more

64 customers mention ‘Writing quality’59 positive5 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as wonderfully and very readable, with one customer noting the author's truthfulness and another highlighting its down-to-earth style.

"...Kate's beautiful writing and her powerful and honest wisdom will blow you away...she lays out a guide to a happy and fulfilled life for anyone ready..." Read more

"...Firstly it is beautifully written, Kate was a wordsmith of the English language, and I loved the way she weaved in pieces from books and poems that..." Read more

"...The language used is so poignant oscillating between crude anger to lyricism: what a beautiful human being!" Read more

"...and I must say that the quality of her writing is superb. What a fascinating, clever person!..." Read more

55 customers mention ‘Emotional content’45 positive10 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, describing it as heart-wrenching yet rising above sadness, poignant, and able to capture emotions perfectly.

"...being but also uplifted by her words that, page after page, speak to your innermost self and ask you to share and spread love, to be dignified in..." Read more

"...- the full gamut - but above all full of joy and full of love. This is a book I want to pass on to so many people I love too...." Read more

"A sad and interesting read. would love to know how the family is coping afterwards. Wish them well xx..." Read more

"...yes, it was written when Kate was dying, but there is no self-pity, no anger, some remorse for not getting her "dodgy bottom" checked out..." Read more

41 customers mention ‘Beauty’41 positive0 negative

Customers describe the book as a beautiful piece of writing, with one customer noting it's not mawkish.

"...poignant oscillating between crude anger to lyricism: what a beautiful human being!" Read more

"An absolutely beautiful book. I think that the world would be a better, happier place if everyone read this book and took heed of its contents...." Read more

"...wrong at all the way in which the book was written, it was a beautiful piece of writing, it just wasn't to my personal reading taste...." Read more

"...What a beautiful person Kate must have been: honest, funny, joyful, angry, ambitious (by her own admission) - the full gamut - but above all full of..." Read more

31 customers mention ‘Female strength’31 positive0 negative

Customers praise the author's strength and courage, describing her as a remarkable woman who is very brave.

"...self and ask you to share and spread love, to be dignified in the face of difficulty and to believe that, after all, we all have a purpose to find...." Read more

"I have just finished Kate's book. She wrote beautifully and seemed a amazing woman. I'm so sorry for the loss of her, for her family and the world...." Read more

"...She was clearly an extraordinary woman, and a very good writer. It is moving and rich, a very good read...." Read more

"...Kate sounds like a very special woman." Read more

30 customers mention ‘Pacing’27 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, finding it truly moving, with one customer noting its honest account of frailty and faults.

"...that, page after page, speak to your innermost self and ask you to share and spread love, to be dignified in the face of difficulty and to believe..." Read more

"What a powerful book and very moving...." Read more

"This is as astonishingly moving book. I am so glad that Kate Gross wrote it, for her sons, but those of us who have read it are enriched too...." Read more

"...I read it in one sitting. It is a beautifully written, moving and important book...." Read more

18 customers mention ‘Humour’18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, appreciating its literary and cerebral quotes, with one customer noting it makes them both laugh and cry.

"...What a beautiful person Kate must have been: honest, funny, joyful, angry, ambitious (by her own admission) - the full gamut - but above all full of..." Read more

"I have just finished Kate's book. She wrote beautifully and seemed a amazing woman. I'm so sorry for the loss of her, for her family and the world...." Read more

"...as she did every other challenge she faced in her life, with clarity and humour...." Read more

"...Yet Kate not only faced it, she did so with humour, practicality and unremitting grace." Read more

12 customers mention ‘Honesty’12 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's honesty, with one noting its refreshing matter-of-fact approach.

"...What a beautiful person Kate must have been: honest, funny, joyful, angry, ambitious (by her own admission) - the full gamut - but above all full of..." Read more

"This is a real life, honest diary of what it was like for Kate. Kate's literary competence made this a book I couldn't put down...." Read more

"...relate to everything she was writing and her frank honest matter of fact approach was refreshing...." Read more

"...Her honesty, her lack of sentimentality and her intelligence are evident on every page...." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Samira Nuhanovic
    5.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing reminder of things that truly matter in life
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 January 2015
    Verified Purchase
    What an amazing reminder of things that truly matter in life. Kate's beautiful writing and her powerful and honest wisdom will blow you away...she lays out a guide to a happy and fulfilled life for anyone ready to see beyond her words. Prepare to be shaken to the core of your being but also uplifted by her words that, page after page, speak to your innermost self and ask you to share and spread love, to be dignified in the face of difficulty and to believe that, after all, we all have a purpose to find. For so many of us, she was and will remain an inspiration. This book is beyond brilliant. I know I will go back to Late Fragments often and will make sure my kid reads it too. Thank you Kate...
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Emily G
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure Chest of Golden Nuggets and Pearls of Wisdom
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 January 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I wasn't sure whether or not this was a book I should read. I am also 36 with a son of nearly 6, and I lost my own mother at a young age to cancer, so I was worried that this may be too close to home for me. However I was so taken by the words of Kate's mother, which I came across accidentally on-line, explaining the passing of her daughter in a language that was so brave, that I bought the book. How wrong I was to be apprehensive, this is an inspirational book of huge magnitude. Firstly it is beautifully written, Kate was a wordsmith of the English language, and I loved the way she weaved in pieces from books and poems that had given her strength during her illness. Secondly, I really related to her, early television training, buying the wrong baby gadgets that prove to be useless including buggys as she did, making Optimus prime, building lego, having a strong social conscience that forces you off the fence, the desire for a career, "knowing your own happiness", and being a 'mean girl' sometimes. In Kate's short life, she has lived a hundred lives compared to mine of equal years, she makes me want to visit Africa, to swim in rivers, to stop and find my still moment in the day, to read books, to leave a legacy, to pay that little more attention to my children but to be content in being that blur in the background in their memory bank. Thank you Kate for being generous enough to share your insight, I am savouring all of your pearls of wisdom.
    29 people found this helpful
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  • Francoise G.
    4.0 out of 5 stars I have enjoyed the constant meandering between the joys of life and ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 January 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I have enjoyed the constant meandering between the joys of life and the horror of "the nuisance". The language used is so poignant oscillating between crude anger to lyricism: what a beautiful human being!
    Helpful
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  • JulieS
    5.0 out of 5 stars An absolutely beautiful book. I think that the world would be ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 January 2015
    Verified Purchase
    An absolutely beautiful book. I think that the world would be a better, happier place if everyone read this book and took heed of its contents. I initially feared it would leave me depressed and empty but instead, after reading it, I felt surprisingly buoyant and inspired. As another reviewer has already mentioned, I also realised I hold The Golden Ticket. I am so very blessed and privileged and I will no longer take my family, friends and life for granted. I read this on my Kindle but will buy a hard copy too as I would like to flick through it again, make notes and refer to it often.

    I am an avid, fussy reader and I love words (like Kate!) and I must say that the quality of her writing is superb. What a fascinating, clever person! I especially enjoyed the bits about finding your passion and taking care of the landscape of your mind. It is wise advice. I can't recommend this book highly enough - it's beyond brilliant.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Tracey
    3.0 out of 5 stars it was a beautiful piece of writing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 January 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Firstly I want to say there was nothing wrong at all the way in which the book was written, it was a beautiful piece of writing, it just wasn't to my personal reading taste. It's a very literature/poetry style of writing, which is made more clear by Kate's degree in English Lit.

    I will give the author credit that although I didn't enjoy the English Literature, Poetic references, the book still remained a hard hitting and thought provoking book. It was very sad and at the end, I felt a bit lost for words.

    Definitely worth a read, there was just a few things I would have preferred - but this is personal opinion/style preference and no criticisms of the writing itself.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Alex Rotas Bristol
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Extraordinary. I just finished reading it last night and it's one of those personal-paradigm-shifting books. It humbles you, uplifts you, makes you mourn someone you feel you know but never met, and yes, by reminding you to take time to cultivate your own hinterland, it changes you. What a beautiful person Kate must have been: honest, funny, joyful, angry, ambitious (by her own admission) - the full gamut - but above all full of joy and full of love. This is a book I want to pass on to so many people I love too. Menawhile my heart goes out to her husband, her boys, her mother (who must be my age), her sister and broader family, her friends. What a gift she has left all of us.
    One person found this helpful
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  • E K
    5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Kate
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 February 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I have just finished Kate's book. She wrote beautifully and seemed a amazing woman. I'm so sorry for the loss of her, for her family and the world. I found Late Fragments really comforting as I lost both of my parents to cancer. I was an orphan by 11 and I never truly got to say goodbye. Her words I could put into my parents mouths. No longer blame myself for there last moment. Kate has helped me come to terms with their deaths and also helped me to live in the present rather than agonising over the future and possible further loss. Thank you Kate for helping me when no one else could. You have touched my heart and made everyday easier. I know you were worried about how your family would cope and all I can say, is I am a better person for my suffering. I have been shaped and I have grown stronger. The darkest experiences create the most beautiful existence's. Thank you Kate.
    One person found this helpful
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  • leaping salmon
    4.0 out of 5 stars A sad and interesting read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 June 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A sad and interesting read. would love to know how the family is coping afterwards. Wish them well xx
    One thing I got from this book is to just do it now. Live now. Don't save things for later.
    Sounds like Kate had a great life even if taken too soon.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Nicole Maggs
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gift this book to yourself !
    Reviewed in Australia on 30 March 2019
    Verified Purchase
    One of the books I keep rereading! Beautifully written, this book is a gift from the late Kate Gross to the world. funny , fearless and heart-wrenching
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  • Amarillo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Mitreißende Bilanz eines erfolgreichen, tragisch endenden Lebens
    Reviewed in Germany on 2 February 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Sie hätte nicht an Darmkrebs sterben müssen, wenn ... ja, wenn Ärzte und das englische Gesundheitssystem sorgsamer und informativer mit ihr umgegangen wären. Eine junge Mutter von Zwillingen, erfolgreich und intelligent, fasst hier ihr Leben und unnötig vorzeitiges Sterben ohne Selbstmitleid und mit klarer Einsicht zusammen. Eine Lektüre, die mich sehr betroffen gemacht hat.
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  • jane stephenson
    5.0 out of 5 stars piercingly honest
    Reviewed in the United States on 4 March 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Kate faces death and loss with searing honesty. Everyone should read this account of her journey from diagnosis of The Nuisance to anger and acceptance, as she mourns the coming loss of her beloved family yet experiences the joy of living in a magnified world. What a woman!
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  • Roberta
    5.0 out of 5 stars Shipping fast and perfectly packaged
    Reviewed in Italy on 7 May 2015
    Verified Purchase
    It was a present for a friend, so I can't tell about the book
    but my friend and I were happy to have received it so
    quickly.
    Report
  • Jen W
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great legacy to leave her children and refreshingly honest about ...
    Reviewed in Australia on 2 February 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A great legacy to leave her children and refreshingly honest about herself. It is worth reading to remind oneself just how important your health is. Kate, put together her story beautifully.
    Report

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