Ben Reeves on “Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt,” Writing Death with Tenderness, and the Small Moments That Make a Life

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About this conversation

Brian sits down with Ben Reeves, author of the extraordinary debut novel “Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt,” a tender and deeply human story narrated by the personification of death. Ben shares how the idea for Travis, a lonely and benevolent version of death, first came to him while watching his children play at the zoo, and why he wanted the novel to focus not on the finality of dying, but on the beauty, pain, and specificity of being alive. They discuss the intimate stories woven throughout the book, Travis’s quietly nuanced sexuality, the compassionate portrayal of addiction and sobriety, and the symbolism of restored photographs and mayflies. Ben also reveals why Barnes & Noble prompted a last-minute cover change, how Kurt Vonnegut inspired the novel’s title, and why readers have begun sharing their own experiences of grief and loss with him. Finally, Ben reflects on his personal “Yes! Moment”: choosing to stop what he was doing and play with his children, a decision that reminded him that a life is not made only from weddings, publications, or other major milestones. It is made from the ordinary moments we choose to notice before they disappear.

On the table

• Writing about death
• Everyday life