When a loved one dies, words fail. Roland Barthes, one of the most stimulating thinkers of 20th century France, sought solace in language after the death of his mother. On about 250 index cards, the philosopher of signs recorded brief notes that revolve around the deceased, grief, and his solitude. The recordings cease in June 1978, and have now been edited from his estate. The result is an unusual and moving autobiographical testimony that powerfully explores the boundary between grief and language.