Grief Is for People

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death by suicide and mental illness.

Crosley recounts the period from 2012 to 2010, when she and a circle of friends spent time at Russell’s and his partner’s Connecticut country house. It was a bucolic time of lounging in hammocks, reading books, swimming, and discussing cinema and art late into the night. Crosley recalls how frequently Russell’s love of old Hollywood appeared in conversation.

Gradually, Crosley was invited to the house less and less; Russell offered a variety of excuses as to why. In retrospect, Crosley understands that the social gatherings ended because one of the friends took a romantic interest in Russell’s partner. Crosley isn’t certain how serious the affair became but identifies it as bringing about the end of an era.

Afterward, Russell and his partner only socialized with Brooke Hayward, Dennis Hopper’s former wife. Russell convinced Knopf to reissue Hayward’s 1997 memoir. Crosley muses whether Hayward’s own proximity to suicide has any bearing on Russell’s death. She recalls that Russell and his partner had dinner with Hayward on the night Russell died.