They Left Us Everything: A Memoir

When Plum Johnson’s parents pass away after a lifetime spent in their rambling lakeside home, she and her siblings face a task that’s at once practical and profoundly emotional: sorting through decades of belongings and memories. What begins as an estate clean‑out becomes a tender, funny, and deeply relatable journey through family history—war letters and wedding albums, keepsakes and clutter, the echoes of arguments and the warmth of long-held love.

With sharp wit and a generous heart, Johnson captures the chaos of siblings negotiating “who gets what,” the bittersweet discoveries tucked in drawers and boxes, and the unexpected moments of grace that come with letting go. They Left Us Everything is for anyone who has packed up a childhood house or stood in a doorway for one last look. It’s a moving celebration of imperfect families, the legacy parents leave behind, and the way objects can open doors to who we were—and who we’re becoming.

Perfect for readers of The Year of Magical Thinking, The Glass Castle, and H is for Hawk, this award-winning memoir blends humor with heartbreak, offering a luminous reminder that the hardest goodbyes often reveal the richest stories.

Book Condition: Good