Memorial books
A book of their life, written by everyone who loved them.
You send one link. Family and friends each add a memory or a photo, in their own words and their own time. We gather every voice into a single hardcover book about the person you're missing.
One-time purchase. Everyone you invite contributes free.
She taught me to drive in the church parking lot. Third gear took a month.
her niece
He never once let me pay for lunch. Forty years.
his oldest friend
Grandma's kitchen always smelled like cinnamon and dish soap.
her granddaughter
Dad kept every drawing we ever made him. Every single one.
his daughter
What is a memorial book?
A memorial book is a hardcover collection of stories and photos about someone who has died, contributed by the family and friends who knew them. Each person adds their own memories in their own words, and everything is printed together as one book. Kindred Tales memorial books start at $129, and everyone you invite contributes free.
The book itself
Not a website. A book.
The kind of book that comes down from the shelf every time the family gathers.
- Matte hardcover
- Color photos throughout
- Premium 80# paper
- Casewrap binding
How it works
One link out, one book back.
Start the book
A few minutes and an email address. Tell us who the book remembers. There is no deadline and no schedule; the book moves at your family's pace.
Share one link
People who are grieving often want somewhere to put what they remember. This gives them one. Contributors open the link on any phone, write a story or add a photo, and press send. No account, no app, nothing to learn.
We make it a book
You choose what goes in and see every page before anything prints. A hardcover arrives at your door, one copy or one for every family member.
What it becomes
One page, one voice.
An example of how a single contributed story is typeset in the finished book.
From chapter three
The lake house
Every August she would call each of us, one by one, and say the same thing: bring a sweater, the nights turn cold. She said it to her grandchildren long after we were grown, long after we had children of our own to remind.
The last summer, she sat on the dock with her tea and watched the kids swim until the light went. I asked if she wanted to go in. She said, “Not yet. I’m still looking.”
Told by her middle daughter
The Signature keepsake
Some memories are meant to be heard.
Hear the people who loved them tell the stories themselves.
Contributors can record short videos, not just write. A QR code printed in the book plays each video, so their voices stay close to the stories they told. We host the videos securely for ten years, ready whenever someone opens the book and presses play.
One-time purchase. No subscription.
Two ways to make their book.
Both are the same hardcover, filled by the same voices. Signature adds those voices on video.
Essential
The hardcover book, told by everyone.
- Hardcover Celebration Book, color throughout
- One shared link for family and friends to add stories
- Contributors join free, no account or app needed
- Photos placed with the stories they belong to
- You review and arrange every page before it prints
- Matte hardcover, premium paper, made to be kept
Signature
Everything in Essential, plus their voices on video.
- Everything in Essential
- Contributors can record short videos, not just write
- QR codes printed in the book play each video
- Videos hosted for ten years
Rated Excellent (4.5) on Trustpilot.
Questions, answered
What organizers ask.
Is it too soon to ask people for stories?
Families tell us the opposite happens: people are holding memories with nowhere to put them, and being asked is a relief. Contributors add stories whenever they're ready. The link doesn't expire and nothing about the book is rushed.
Do contributors need an account?
No. They open the link you share, on any phone or computer, write a story or add a photo, and press send. No account, no app, no password.
What if someone isn't a writer?
A paragraph is a story. Some of the most treasured pages in these books are three sentences long. With the Signature book, people can record a short video instead of writing at all.
Who decides what goes in the book?
You do. You see every contribution as it arrives, arrange the pages, and approve everything before printing. Nothing is included without you.
When does it get printed?
Whenever you're ready. Some families print for a memorial service, others gather stories for months first. Printing and shipping take a couple of weeks, so start the printed copy ahead of any date that matters to you.
What's the difference between Essential and Signature?
Essential ($129) is the full hardcover book, with a shared link so family and friends can contribute stories and photos. Signature ($189) adds video: contributors can record short videos, QR codes printed in the book play them, and we host the videos for ten years.
Their stories are still here. Give them one place to live.
Everyone who loved them is carrying a piece of their story. A memorial book gathers those pieces into something your family can hold.
One-time purchase. Everyone you invite contributes free.