About this Event
Sidetrack Bookshop presents author Darnell Lamont Walker in honor of his new book Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula and the Art of a Peaceful End.
Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 6:30pm - 8pm. Doors open at 6pm.
Location: Sidetrack Bookshop, 325 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, MI 48067
Tickets:
- $28.50 - Includes one general admission seat to the event and signing line with one paperback copy of .
- $5 - Includes one general admission seat to the event and signing line.
Additional copies of will be available for purchase at the event (while supplies last).
Parking in the Center Street Parking Garage located just north of Sidetrack Bookshop with entrances on both Washington and Center Streets is free for the first two hours and costs only 75 cents per hour thereafter, Monday through Saturday.
Please read on for more information about author Darnell Lamont Walker and Never Can Say Goodbye.
About Never Can Say Goodbye
Across cultures and communities, death is frequently surrounded by silence and uncertainty. Many of us are taught to avoid conversations about loss, grief, and dying, even as we find ourselves quietly doing this work for loved ones, sitting at bedsides, holding hands, listening to final stories, and loving people through their last moments. Never Can Say Goodbye invites readers to recognize this shared human experience and to see themselves in the sacred act of holding space.
In his debut book Never Can Say Goodbye, death doula, Darnell Lamont Walker:
- Delves into the reasons behind the silence surrounding death, especially within the Black community.
- Narrates his personal experiences of holding space for individuals at the end of their lives.
- Guides and comforts those navigating grief, who silently mourn.
Walker shares personal stories from his role as a compassionate guide navigating the delicate space between life and death. These narratives unfold as intimate accounts of individuals, each seeking solace, closure, and the opportunity to share the stories that define them.
This book is for anyone wanting to:
- Witness the healing that unfolds when someone is afforded the chance to articulate their life's journey.
- Find closure in their own narrative.
- Face the inevitable with a newfound sense of peace.
Never Can Say Goodbye captures the essence of these profoundly human moments while exploring the connection between the grieving and their doula, revealing the transformative power of storytelling in the face of mortality. Walker helps you process feelings and emotions from past losses and instills wisdom on how you can hold space and provide your loved ones with the closure they deserve.
About Darnell Lamont Walker
Darnell Lamont Walker is a Death Doula, Emmy-Nominated Writer and Cultural anthropologist whose work lives at the intersection of creativity, care, and transition. Sometimes that looks like helping families hold love and memory at the end of life. Sometimes it means creating stories for kids—writing for shows like Karma’s World, Work It Out Wombats!, and Blue’s Clues & You—and helping young people make sense of big feelings in gentle, joyful ways. Sometimes it looks like gathering strangers into rooms where grief, joy, art, and conversation can coexist. Always, it’s about making room for people to feel seen and supported. He is the author of Never Can Say Goodbye (HarperOne), always asking: What would it look like to tend to one another well?
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Sidetrack Bookshop, 325 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, United States
USD 6.24 to USD 30.92
