A Memoir of Grief, Forgiveness and the Unexpected
In The Good Inside the Grief, Jon Imparato takes readers on a sixty-year journey where death is never far away—lurking, chasing, and shocking. Through stories that are outrageous, heartbreaking, and unexpectedly funny, Jon reveals how grief is more than mourning. It’s a wild dance partner, a mischievous teacher, and ultimately, a force that transforms.
From growing up Italian American to finding his voice as a proud gay man, theatre geek, activist, and storyteller, Jon shares how death shaped him in surprising ways—sometimes devastating, sometimes hilarious, but always illuminating. With unflinching honesty and sharp wit, he explores the ways grief weaves forgiveness, resilience, and love into the fabric of our lives.
The Good Inside the Grief is a powerful, tender, and unconventional memoir for anyone who has ever loved, lost, and dared to laugh through the tears.
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Book Tour
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Reviews
"Jon is a talented writer who takes you on a wild ride of his life. You'll get everything you want from his book and lots you'll never expect or even wish on anyone else. You'll want to go around again once you've finished his endearing and captivating story."
Lily Tomlin
Jon Imparato is an award-winning writer, producer, and activist whose career spans decades in LGBTQ+ advocacy and cultural storytelling. For twenty-five years, Jon has served as the Artistic Director of the Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center, the largest cultural arts program for the LGBTQ+ community in the world. Producing more than 350 events and collaborating with artists including Liza Minnelli, Laverne Cox, Jane Fonda, Billy Porter, and Shirley MacLaine. Jon played a critical role in the progression of the queer community through the arts. His productions garnered over 199 awards, including multiple Ovation Awards and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatre. In 2020, he was honored with the LA Stage Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the arts.
Imparato is carrying his lifelong mission of amplifying underrepresented voices into literature. His forthcoming memoir, The Good Inside the Grief, explores loss, faith, and resilience, with excerpts already being highlighted in journals including The Wrath-Bearing Tree and Lowestoft Chronicle. His essay The Shaving Cart—a searing yet humorous account of caregiving during the AIDS crisis—earned the prestigious Sherman Hewitt Award for Nonfiction. Through this work, Imparato continues his commitment to telling stories that confront loss, champion identity, and inspire resilience.
About Jon
Imparato’s work extends beyond the stage. For a decade, he worked directly with homeless LGBTQ+ youth at the Los Angeles LGBT Center, combining artistry and advocacy in service of community impact. He is responsible for launching one of the largest LGBTQ+ drop in centers for homeless youth in the world, which remains open today.