Henning Mankell is a famous writer with Swedish origins. Many years he spent in Mozambique and other countries. He is a writer and also of man of the theatre. 

In this little book he tells about the scourge of Aids. He visits some people in Uganda who work with a small booklet to write down their memories as a reminder for those who will be left behind. He listens to their stories, he sits at their compound. He is silent with them.

Some of those who suffer from Aids do write in the booklet, others ask a relative to write, others make a drawing, others glue sand, leaves, feathers in the booklet. All of them collect their memories, that is, memories for those who will be left behind.

At the same time Mankell uses this booklet as a memory-book for his own memories. His memories of his first encounter with a Aids patient in Kabompo; friends of his who had contracted the disease, the first signs of a disaster.  

How do you want to be remembered?
What do you want to leave behind? 

At the end of this book we find an example of just that kind of Memorybook. And be sure, for all kinds of reasons you can write a Memory-book

Every parent can use this Memorybook.
Every brother.
Every sister.
Every uncle.
Every aunt.
Every grandparent.
To leave a lasting memory.
To help those who are left behind.
So  much is lost when a person dies. 

Henning Mankell – Jag dör, men nimmet lever – 2003