From the Ashes comes at a time we are all mourning something from the continued loss of time from a pandemic to the loss of loved ones. This book is part memoir about the grief Jaffe felt after the death of her father, and part exploration on the ways we grieve in this current political/economic moment.

When someone close to you dies, it feels like the world ends. A personal apocalypse that has no place in society where, if we are lucky, we get a day off from work to attend the funeral, but right back to work. Grief is no use to capitalism, except perhaps over priced caskets and flower arrangements. Sarah Jaffe’s latest, From the Ashes, details her personal journey of grief after her father dies and numerous reasons why we are likely grieving: COVID-19, forced migration, climate change, Israel & Palestine, and the day-to-day grind. You will find solace for your personal grief and fuel for fighting the fire that has our world on fire.

Holy moly, I'd give this book ten stars if I could. I was a big fan of Jaffe's previous two books, especially "Work Won't Love You Back," and this is her third home run in a raw. The book is a mashup of memoir about the loss of her father and the ways we grieve in this current economic moment. Especially during Covid, we were all grieving for various losses, whether they were more superficial (loss of going out with friends) or far deeper (deaths of loved ones). The present moment is one of immense grief and loss for so many -- refugees, those who have lost everything in conflict zones, lost jobs and opportunities. The book is astonishingly well researched and sourced and a truly pleasurable read.