Condolence books play such an important role at a funeral. They allow people the chance to express their feelings, pass on a heartfelt message to the bereaved family, speak to the deceased maybe one more time and they are invaluable for those left behind.
For some reason I'm always surprised at how many condolence books we do, which is silly really as it makes perfect sense that people would want a keepsake to record all the emotion of a desperately tricky time.
I think people get real solace from knowing how far and wide their loved one reached. Having work colleagues tell stories, old friends reminisce, neighbours remember acts of kindness - it all gives real comfort.