To mark his seventieth birthday, Michael Harding sets out to walk part of the Camino de Santiago – seeking reflection, renewal and perhaps a sense of peace. But as the journey unfolds, he finds he is not travelling alone. Alongside him walks the enduring presence of his father: a distant, elusive figure whose death, decades earlier, left questions that were never fully answered.
In this deeply personal and beautifully written memoir, Harding revisits the landscapes of his past – from the Ireland of his childhood to the quiet places and familiar haunts where he searched for connection and understanding. With striking clarity and emotional honesty, he explores the complex relationship he had with a man he struggled to know in life, yet continued to carry with him long after his passing. Blending pilgrimage with memory, this reflective narrative becomes a powerful meditation on grief, identity and the lasting imprint of family. Harding’s writing is both lyrical and direct, capturing the rawness of unresolved emotion while offering moments of warmth, insight and gentle humour.
At its heart, I Loved Him From The Day He Died is a moving exploration of love discovered too late, the courage to confront the past and the possibility of forgiveness. Thoughtful, intimate and profoundly human, it invites the reader to consider how we make peace with those we have lost and how, in doing so, we might better understand ourselves.
TESTIMONIAL(S):
‘Hilarious and tender … beautifully written’ – Kevin Barry
‘A beautiful book of great tenderness, love of life and wisdom’ – Joseph O’Connor
‘Compelling’ – Sunday Times
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael Harding is a renowned Irish author, playwright, and columnist born in Cavan in 1953. His 2024 memoir, I Loved Him From The Day He Died, explores themes of grief, forgiveness, and his relationship with his father while walking the Camino de Santiago, following earlier successful memoirs like Staring at Lakes. More information on michaelharding.ie
