Lessons from Loss: Life on the Other Side of Grief by Dominique Olivier, Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House · 2026

Lessons from Loss

Life on the Other Side of Grief

At twenty-nine, my life was torn apart in an instant. A car accident killed my husband and toddler daughter, leaving me widowed with a newborn baby. Lessons from Loss begins here, with the raw, unflinching story of grief at its most devastating — but it does not end there.

This is the book I wrote on the other side of the worst experience of my life. Unflinching, compassionate, and full of the hard-won clarity that only catastrophic loss can produce.

I like to think it isn’t so much a book about grief as it is a book about what it means to love.

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What people are saying

Reviews and responses

If you have suffered loss, read this book… and then read it again. The insights shared are valuable and applicable to most situations.

Katinka Steyn

Whether or not you are a member of what the author calls ‘The Losers Club’, the journey of Dominique Olivier will not leave you untouched.

Amanda CL

It is beautiful. Beautifully written, deeply reflective and so helpful for those of us who have been close to loss and those who are grieving.

Christie Roberts

Just read the intro — will require climbing into bed with a box of tissues to read and feel.

Tracey Parsons
Press and media

Coverage and interviews

YOU Magazine

Finding purpose after unimaginable loss: One grieving woman’s journey to hope

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Women's Health SA

Navigating The Silent Shame Of Maternal Numbness After Unthinkable Loss

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SARIE Magazine

Daar bestaan nie ‘n gids vir hoe jy rou moet hanteer nie

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Rapport

Hoe leef jy verder as jou man én jou kind skielik sterf?

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News24

Lessons from Loss: Falling ‘out of sync with the rest of reality’

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Die Burger

Niks kan jou voorberei op die dood van jou man en kind nie

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Hear me speak

Audio clips

Clips from recent talks and interviews. For speaking enquiries, scroll down.

Route326: Dominique Olivier oor ‘Lessons from Loss’
GROOTfm 90.5 · 10 March 2026
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Book on the Block: Lessons from Loss
Voice of the Cape 91.3FM
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Family Matters: Lessons from Loss — dealing with devastating grief
CapeTalk 567FM
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ChaiFM 101.9 — title to be added
Link coming soon
coming soon
On screen

TV interview — Kwêla

Video link coming soon
SABC · Kwêla
Interview with Hannes van Wyk

Dominique speaks to Hannes van Wyk on Kwêla about Lessons from Loss and life on the other side of grief.

On tour

Book festivals

Kingsmead Book Fair 2026
Johannesburg
May 2026
attended
Open Book Festival Cape Town
Cape Town
September 2026
booked
Toyota US Woordfees Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch
October 2026
booked
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Stay updated on the book

I post regular book updates, press coverage, speaking dates and behind-the-scenes moments on Instagram and Facebook. Come find me.

On stage

Speaking from experience

Dominique Olivier speaking at Kingsmead Book Fair 2026
Dominique Olivier in conversation at Standard Bank event
Speaking

Invite me to speak

I speak authentically about loss, love, resilience and the unexpected things we learn about life in the wake of grief. Available for keynote speeches, corporate wellness days, literary festivals, book club meetings and more.

Based in Cape Town · available to travel

Speaks in English and Afrikaans

Loss, love and what comes nextA keynote on meaning, resilience and the radical clarity that grief can bring.
Grief in the workplaceFor HR, leadership and organisational wellness teams.
Book club and reader eventsIn conversation about Lessons from Loss.
Literary festivals and author talksOn writing memoir, grief and the craft of difficult stories.
enquire about speaking

Ready for writing
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