Kay Carmichael was an influential figure in Scottish politics as a social reformer, peace activist and policy advisor. As a result, It Takes a Lifetime to Become Yourself is a collection of her autobiographical writings. It includes her poems, speeches and articles. Some of these are from her column in New Society magazine in the 1980s. This collection reflects a courageous and unique view on a life, which keenly observes the downtrodden and effected many of the social reforms we now take for granted. Her dying was as controversial as her life. Moreover, her reflections on death are things we need to say and need to hear for ourselves and for our young. As she used to say, ‘we can only honour life through an awareness of death.’