Andrew is a sympathetic (albeit immature and self-conscious) protagonist who is conscientious, good-hearted, and devoted to his work and his hobby-collecting and setting up model trains. Richard Roper skillfully incorporates a variety of elements: witty and sarcastic dialogue an insightful examination of family relationships the disagreements that drive people apart and the crippling nature of never-ending grief. This book-strangely enough, considering its subject matter-is frequently hilarious. As a kindness, Andrew attend the funerals he and the vicar are often the only ones to do so. He also brings garbage bags to collect rubbish, searches for cash to help pay for the funeral, and looks for documents that might reveal the existence of financial assets and/or the names of next-of-kin. Andrew enters each residence wearing a face mask (the smells are usually horrendous), rubber gloves, and protective clothing. Tragically, their bodies may remain undiscovered for days or weeks, until someone finally gets around to checking on them.

Considering his melancholy state of mind, he has an appropriately grim job-to inspect the properties of solitary men and women who died alone. As the book’s tagline says: It’s never too late to start living.Forty-two-year-old Londoner Andrew Smith is a lost soul who narrates Richard Roper's 'How Not to Die Alone.' Andrew suffered a crippling trauma two decades earlier that left him mired in misery and loneliness. This is essentially a romantic comedy that does take some dark turns but has a lot of heart. How will he be able to admit his lies? Will his job survive? Will his friendship with Peggy? When the boss decides it would be a great idea to have everyone on the team host dinner at their house in the next few months everyone is thrilled except Andrew.

He never corrected them that he lives alone with his train sets, online chat rooms and dingy apartment.

A horrible interview misunderstanding led to everyone thinking he has the perfect family and home. Everyone at the office thinks he goes home to his wife and two children. I know this doesn’t sound like a very uplifting book but stick with me a second, it really is. When Peggy joins the office and is assigned to shadow him Andrew is no longer alone at the job and he may finally be making a real friend. When he is unsuccessful he attends their funerals himself so they aren’t alone. Searching the homes of the departed trying to find a return address on an envelope, anything, that will lead to a relative or a person who cared. He searches for the next of kin for those who die alone.

How to not die alone richard roper