• Book cover image
1 1

HarperCollins

Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End by Alua Arthur

Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End by Alua Arthur

$28.99 USD
$28.99 USD
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

harperA deeply transformative memoir that reframes how we think about death and how it can help us lead better, more fulfilling and authentic lives, from America’s most visible death doula.

"A truly unique, inspiring perspective on the time we have, what we do with it, and how we let go of this world.... There is no one I'd trust more to guide me through an understanding of death, and how it informs life." — Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Mad Honey and The Book of Two Ways

"Briefly Perfectly Human is a beautiful, raw, light-bringing experience. Alua's voice is shimmering, singular, and pulses with humor, vulnerability, insight, and refreshing candor.... Be prepared for it to grab you, hold you tight, and raise the roof on the power of human connection." — Tembi Locke, author of From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home

For her clients and everyone who has been inspired by her humanity, Alua Arthur is a friend at the end of the world. As our country’s leading death doula, she’s spreading a transformative message: thinking about your death—whether imminent or not—will breathe wild, new potential into your life.

Warm, generous, and funny AF, Alua supports and helps manage end-of-life care on many levels. The business matters, medical directives, memorial planning; but also honoring the quiet moments, when monitors are beeping and loved ones have stepped out to get some air—or maybe not shown up at all—and her clients become deeply contemplative and want to talk. Aching, unfinished business often emerges. Alua has been present for thousands of these sacred moments—when regrets, fears, secret joys, hidden affairs, and dim realities are finally said aloud. When this happens, Alua focuses her attention at the pulsing center of her clients’ anguish and creates space for them, and sometimes their loved ones, to find peace.

This has had a profound effect on Alua, who was already no stranger to death’s periphery. Her family fled a murderous coup d’état in Ghana in the 1980s. She has suffered major, debilitating depressions. And her dear friend and brother-in-law died of lymphoma. Advocating for him in his final months is what led Alua to her life’s calling. She knows firsthand the power of bearing witness and telling the truth about life’s painful complexities, because they do not disappear when you look the other way. They wait for you.

Briefly Perfectly Human is a life-changing, soul-gathering debut, by a writer whose empathy, tenderness, and wisdom shimmers on the page. Alua Arthur combines intimate storytelling with a passionate appeal for loving, courageous end-of-life care—what she calls “death embrace.” Hers is a powerful testament to getting in touch with something deeper in our lives, by embracing the fact of our own mortality. “Hold that truth in your mind,” Alua says, “and wondrous things will begin to grow around it.”

View full details

Store Policies - Shipping and In Store Pick Up

PAYMENTS & ORDER CANCELLATIONS

  • All sales are final.
  • We do not allow order cancellations once an order has been placed. This includes all books, merchandise, and preorders.
  • Please review your cart carefully before checking out.
  • Discount codes cannot be applied retroactively.

 IN-STORE PICKUP POLICY

  • You will receive an email once your order is ready for pickup. Please wait for this email before coming in to check on your order.
  • Bring your receipt or order confirmation email that includes your order number when picking up. 
  • You have 14 days from the date your order is marked "ready for pickup" to collect it.

After 14 days, unclaimed orders will be restocked, and no refund will be issued unless you contact our customer service team within the 14-day window at erin@whiterosebooksandmore.com to let us know a date in which you will be picking up your order. 

 RETURNS & REFUNDS

Online Return / Exchange Policy

  • We do not accept returns.
  • We offer store credit or a partial refund on a case-by-case basis if your item arrives damaged or there is a fulfillment error on our end. 

To request assistance:

  • Email erin@whiterosebooksandmore.com within 30 days of the delivery date.
  • Include your order number and clear photos of the issue.
  • We do not offer full refunds under any circumstance.

In-Store Return / Exchange Policy

  • We do not offer returns, but are happy to offer exchanges for eligible items in certain circumstances. 
  • Exchanges must be made within 7 days of purchase
  • Items must be in new, unused condition with original packaging
  • Books must be unread and free of damage (no bent pages, cracked spines, or markings).
  • Sale items, special event items, blind dates, and final sale items are not eligible for exchange.
  • Exchanges made in-store require the original receipt for proof of purchase.
  • Exchanges must be made for an item of equal or lesser value, or customer pays the difference. We cannot exchange for store credit.

DAMAGED ITEMS POLICY

We consider an item damaged if:

  • There are deep scratches or gouges on the cover, spine, or dust jacket.
  • Pages are missing or misprinted.
  • There is significant water damage or binding issues.
  • Tears larger than 2 inches are visible.

    We do not consider the following as damage:
  • Minor corner dents or edge wear.
  • Light scuff marks or scratches.
  • Small cosmetic imperfections under 2 inches.

All claims are handled case by case. If approved, we may offer store credit, a replacement (if inventory allows). Damage exchanges only are applicable to items that are shipped and not on in store purchases.

SHIPPING POLICY

Fulfillment Timeline

  • Orders are processed within 3 weeks.
  • Pre-Order Campaign titles begin to be shipped ON THE RELEASE DATE, not before. You will NOT receive your shipped pre-order on the release date. You MAY receive a pre-order for in-store pick up on the release date depending on our receiving and processing schedule.
  • If your order contains a preorder item, your entire order will be held until all items are ready to ship.

Carriers & Tracking

  • Double check that you are selecting the shipping carrier and method that you would like at check out. Media Mail does not have insurance and we cannot provide a refund or reshipment of items shipped via Media Mail.
  • You will receive a tracking link once your order is dropped off with the carrier.
  • A shipping label being created does not mean your order has shipped yet. Tracking updates may take anywhere from 1-2 weeks.

Flat Rate Shipping

  • All orders are charged a flat shipping rate, shown at checkout via media mail, or by weight for other shipping methods.
  • We ship anywhere USPS, DHL, UPS or FedEx are legally allowed to ship to. Shipping internationally has its own risks and may result in tariffs or fees on the end of our customers. Please order internationally at your own risk.

Incorrect Addresses & Returned Packages

  • If a package is returned due to an incorrect or incomplete address, the customer is responsible for return shipping costs.
  • If the reship fee is not paid, the order will not be resent or refunded.

Replacements

If a replacement is approved:

  • The original item must be returned before a replacement is sent.
  • We will provide a return shipping label, and the cost of the label will be invoiced to the customer before the replacement is sent.
  • The label must be used or scanned within 5 business days (excluding holidays).
  • Once the return is marked as delivered to us, your replacement will be processed within 30 days (excluding holidays).

 LOST PACKAGES

  • If your tracking number shows a package as "delivered" but you have not received it:
    Wait 5 business days, as carriers sometimes scan early.
    If the package still hasn’t arrived, contact us at erin@whiterosebooksandmore.com within 14 days of the delivery date.
    We are unable to assist with lost packages after 14 days.

EVENT BOOK PICKUP POLICY

If your event ticket includes a book and you did not make it to our event:

  • You have 14 days to pick it up in-store.
    OR
  • You may request shipping within 14 days (shipping costs apply).

After 14 days, the book will be restocked and no refund or store credit will be issued.