Grief Books

This is a very heartfelt book that looks at grief in a very honest way. She shares each of the letters that she wrote to her husband after he passed away. Very touching and a great book for anyone going through grief to pick up.

Christine rips herself open and spills out onto the pages of a journal she started writing just days after Dennis, the love of her life, her husband of almost 30 years dies suddenly. These are nightly letters to him that are so personal you almost feel like you might get "caught" reading them. You will find yourself weeping with her, cheering for her and at times thinking "No! Stop!". This is not an easy book to read, but it's so worth persevering to the end. There's certainly no "tra-la-la" happy ending but an honest and real one. Although it will leave you hoping for a sequel!

If you are ever faced with life's deepest tragedy - the death of your own child - this book is one to keep near you. Divided into sections featuring letters to those who have dealt with death via illness, sudden/unexpected death, infant death, there are also sections of heart-felt writings from siblings of the deceased and caring others.

With exception to a few, each letter to the parent is written by a survivor and veteran - ones who has been-there-and-done-that. Each can relate in a meaningful way to what you face. The most important quality of this book, however, is that it is encouraging, inspiring and gives the grieving reader such a realistic hope for the future.

If there is a person in your life who has lost a child, this is the book to gift them with. It will be their survival guide long after the funeral and remembered after the flowers have faded. The book is also instrumental in educating any who think they can imagine the magnitude of this type of grief but really can't - those who try to comfort by trying to change the subject toward more "happy" thoughts, those who think bringing up the child's name brings on tears, the ones who insist a parent could or should heal themselves right away to move on with life and the spectrum of other misguided words and actions that do more harm than good.

Although written about death, this book, more so, is written about life. In light of that, I recommend it to anyone.

This book has fabulous letters from parents and others such as author Dean Koontz and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross from bereaved parents to bereaved parents and you can believe these people! They've been there and worn the T-shirt. It's fabulous for anyone who has experienced the death of a child.

Assisted physician suicide is a good example of a forest vs. trees debate. Those who focus on the broad religious and societal interests in preserving life at all costs tend to conclude that the forest (society) is more important than individual patients (the trees), while those who support patient choice at the end of life tend to focus upon the trees. Timothy Quill is a forest ranger who is focused on the trees.

Quill's book is almost totally devoid of the philosophical arguments which permutate the end of life debate. Instead his book is a pragmatic discussion of real cases, real people and real solutions. His sympathies are with the patient who is dying, not the physician who views death as a defeat to be delayed, at any cost, for as long as technology will permit. Quill is less interested in the patient's soul and much more interested in the patient's dignity. Fighting for life at any cost is an acceptable alternative, so long as it too is the result of an informed decision making process in which the patient is not only involved but is the ultimate decision maker.

Quill's goal is to change the rules but so far he has been unsuccessful. What Quill demonstrates "between the lines" of his book, however, is that if a patient knows the rules, is willing to bend the rules, and chooses sympatric caregivers who play by the patient's rules, the patient can exercise great control over his or her end of life choices. Bending the rules may not work all the time, but knowing the rules substantially changes the odds in the patient's favor. Even Quill, however, makes a distinction between a competent, terminally ill patient who retains enough strength to be the final actor and one who is too ill to sct alone. The former, in Quill's view, is entitled to the physician's assistance; the latter is not. One unintended consequence of this distinction is that it may force some people to resort to a premature unassisted suicide rather than take the risk of slipping into the later category. On the other hand, the patient who waits too long to learn the rules will often find that he or she has lost control to doctors whose interest is more in medical technology than the emotional and psychological well being of their patient.

In the final analysis, the debate over end of life choices is less a debate over philosophy and religion than it is over process. The gulf between those who fear allowing people to choose death is a slippery slope and those who believe the wishes of the patient are paramount often disappears when presented with the facts of a particular case. The big distinction is often whether assistance should be given openly or covertly. Even those who believe that governmental neutrality on physician assisted suicide is the first step toward a de-humanization of society will have to deal with their own death and that of their love ones. They too may benefit from Quill's pragmatic approach and want to adopt, in their own case, some of his suggestions, even if they are afraid to permit "everyman" to do the same.

A careful and compassionate exploration of the difficult issues that are best addressed before the realization of one's mortality. I hope to have a doctor like Dr. Quill when my time comes.

If you haven't picked up a copy of, "Death . . . The Practical Choices that Lie Beyond", get it now and recommend it to your family members and friends. The author has taken a subject which most of us care not to deal with and has created one of the most valuable resources available today on the subject of death, funeral arrangements, cremation, alternative rites of passage and so much more. Most of us are totally unaware of the "procedures" we must follow when a loved one passes away. Do you call the police, the funeral home, a coronor, a hospital? Who takes the body away? What are your options? How much will everything cost and what alternatives are available to you? Ms. Goralski has done a magnificant job of translating a painful subject into an incredible resource that informs, educates and compassionately offers you advice and suggestions for dealing with the death of a loved one and all the intricate details that accompany this painful experience that eventually touches all of our lives. Her writing style is eloquent, straightforward and to the point. Add to this her touch of humor and wealth of resources used in compiling her information and you have a book that is truly remarkable in bringing to light new and helpful information that potentially benefits all of us. Pick up a copy today!

This thoughtfully written information guide gave confidence in an otherwise unsettling time. Often people are conflicted by wishes of the recently deceased and the long ago dead. This helpful book touches on rituals and rights of all faiths. Things that are thought taboo and myths thought to be true, the writer's years of research explain clearly. The fact is we all need this book. There are inevitable choices we are all "given" the chance to make; this book can prepare you to feel confident when making them.

I heartily agree with SJ Parker's review-- and have given many of these books to members of our church bereavement groups at Christmas time---- excellent resource for those grieving when most of the world is celebrating--although the valuable information given is applicable for grieving at any time of year. If I had only one book to pass on to a grieving friend at the holidays, this would be the one I'd give.

A Decembered Grief uses quotes, prayers, Scriptures, words of comfort and advice to help readers live with loss while the rest of the world is celebrating. With 54 sensitive and sensible suggestions for enduring a season of joy, you will be reminded that although life is filled with sadness right now, God is still there to bring help and healing.

Makes a sensitive and timely gift for anyone who is grieving.

Jo McDougall�s poems are heart-stopping and heartbreaking�the embodiment of what Stanley Kunitz calls "an art so transparent that you can look through and see the world." I tried to portion them out to myself, a few each day, and found myself devouring the whole because I wanted to know how she did it-�how she painted these spare, lucid scenes of life in the South without melodrama or flashy metaphors. This is the perfect book for readers who wonder why so much contemporary poetry these days leaves them feeling unmoved. After reading McDougall's poems you'll sit there for a moment, wondering what just brushed by and raised the hairs on your arm.

The poetry of Jo McDougall is simple, yet vast. Her spare and subtle language weaves a series of poems that explore themes of grief and loss, longing and memory, and flow from images of childhood through old age. These poems find depth in their silence as much as their speech, being born often of situations and images which tend to demand a certain stillness unto themselves, such as burying a daughter, or the sudden, snapshot-like recollection of a childhood memory. McDougall's poetry remains honest to the stillness and silence of these moments, never failing to acknowledge the precarious territory that it explores between poetic description and those things the true significance of which words can often fail to portray. "As the coffin lid closes / over the body..." she writes in Dirt, in a poem entitled Metaphor,

...the silence
is sometimes described as noise.
it is not.
it is silence... (11)

By breaking down this metaphor and turning it on its back, McDougall exposes the ineffable underbelly of this scene. Paradoxically, we are brought to understand that the silence here should not be thought of as a "loud" silence; rather, it is the very wordlessness itself - the silence of the silence - that gives the situation its power.
Both Dirt and McDougall's latest book, Satisfied With Havoc, are comprehensive and approachable in style, the ordinary, yet crisp language lending a lucidity and a clarity of focus to the poems. In this quiet, understated voice, even the simple act of naming a bird or flower comes to feel sacred. Dirt concerns itself largely with character and with images of people going about their everyday lives. Farmers, widows and widowers, circus performers in their off-hours, and new, old, and estranged lovers all find their way into McDougall's observant glance. Satisfied With Havoc takes on a first-person view more consistently, lighting on many of the same themes as Dirt, but through a more intimate perspective. Both books are deeply personal, however, and both retain a keen and witty insight into the silent workings of the world.

Satisfied with the book I ordered. In great condition and arrived in a timely manner.

The seller was very easy to work with, they shipped it quickly and I had no problems with the product.

I too am seeking to purchase this book to read the words of one of the greatest men I have ever known. He kept my terminally ill daughter alive for years and his endless service will never be forgotten. He became our friend and gave a wonderful talk at my daughters funeral using his personal relationship with her to add humor to it. I treasure this man. He was our advocate and he cared deeply. These things, and many more will never be forgotten.

First, I must explain that I have not read Dr. Pedreira's book...YET! I am writing this "review" because I can't wait to order and read his book! And, I am certain that it does deserve Amazon.com's 5-Star rating! Dr. Pedreira was my husband's pediatrician, and he is now our four children's pediatrician! He is, by far, one of the most knowledgeable doctors that I have ever met. Not only is he a "fountain of knowledge", he is also one of the kindest people I have ever met! Dr. Pedreira's strong family values and religious beliefs are very valuable in our "modern society", where morals seem to be waning. I consider myself lucky to know Dr. Pedreira. Not only is he the kind of pediatrician that every parent would want for their children; he is also the kind of man that every child would want for his or her grandfather! Congratulations and Thank You Dr. Pedreira! Sincerely, Lisa O'Connell

Drawing upon the vast knowledge of the ancient sages of India, a great yogic master gives a detailed look at what happens to a person when he "dies," and what happens to the soul thereafter. This book is for anyone who has ever wondered about his own mortality, or has suffered a loss of a loved one. My father passed away several days ago, and the knowledge and understanding gained through this book are invaluable in helping me to overcome the grieve and in providing hope.

This is the question that has perplexed mankind for ages since many religions expound "there is no death." How can this mystery be resolved? Swami Muktananda, one of the great Masters of our time tackles this subject from the perspective of his vast knowledge and his experiences in meditation which he discusses with great clarity in this book. Basically, he cautions, "If a person doesn't use this birth to know himself, to understand his own inner Consciousness, then his life is wasted."

I know Lynn Kelly personally as her 'little' sister was a good friend of mine in Wyoming. I remember when Lynn lost her husband and was left with three small children to care for. I remember how devastating it was to her and her sister Ginge. I remember feeling total disbelief when her husband died because 'bad things don't happen to good people', or so I thought.

My sister handed me this book to read this week-end because in it were quotes from my brother-in-law regarding the death of their son in a boating accident four years ago. I was so impressed with the questions Lynn posed and how they were answered by those she interviewed. I immediately wanted to buy this book for the Hospice Organization that I am part of.

Honesty and compassion are so important in dealing with your own grief or helping others to do so. It is unbelievable how cruelty by others is so unintentiona but yet so destructive. People just don't stop to think about what they are saying to some one who is grieving and Lynn pointed that out in a very constructive way.

I am going to purchase this book and donate it to the Hospice Library in Sidney, Nebraska. We face every day wondering what to say to those who are dying and to the loved ones what have just lost someone. This book gives a true, honest insight to grief. It also would help those who are grieving know that what they are feeling is okay.

I just found this book recently and read through it in one evening. Since I've been through several deaths in the last two years (father, sister-in-law, babies, pet and friendships), I can attest to the accuracy of comments from many of those who contributed to the book through interviews. This is an EXCELLENT reference book for helping those (who don't know what to do) learn what is helpful to support friends, co-workers and even family, experiencing the pain of grief and the stages of grieving. If you're looking for others who've experienced what you've experienced (either through support or non-support) in the death of a loved one...you are likely to find it here. If you are looking for a source of information on what you can do to 'be present' for someone you care about who is going through grief, you'll find that information here. Thank you, Lynn, for this book!