Coping with / advice about death and bereavement Books

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A brilliant, unflinching, lyrical memoir about illness and grief and the intensity of being there for people and the memories it brings up. It’s a heart-wrenching book but is also healing in its raw truth. I loved it.” — Matt Haig, author of New York Times Bestseller The Midnight Library “What a gorgeous work, from such an important mind. Every word of Steph’s writing is felt, in that shining place of hope we all somehow lose sight of. Few make words feel as revelatory and grounded in the gritty, natural truth of this life like she does.” — Tyler Knott Gregson, bestselling author of Chasers of Light “Everything All At Once won't break your mortal heart, it will remind you that you have one.” — Alicia Cook, bestselling author of Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately and Sorry I Haven’t Texted You Back “She writes movingly about the agony of knowing her girls may be bound for a loss like the one that once derailed her… your heart goes out to her.” — —New York Times Book Review “A heart-wrenching, sincere memoir…” — Kirkus

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Book SynopsisLife is full of everyday setbacks. In The Art of Overcoming, you will learn how to process these moments and triumphantly move beyond them.The Art of Overcoming explores how we deal with loss, grief, and hurt, and challenges readers to keep what looks like endings from discouraging or derailing us. The pain we experience is real—but there''s a difference between acknowledging it and giving into it.Rather than seeking a fake hope that pretends loss doesn''t exist or doesn''t matter, author and pastor Tim Timberlake encourages us to pursue hope rooted in God and gives this reminder: don''t quit! The process of overcoming is not about understanding everything or living without pain, but about finding healthy ways to process the scary, strange, and sometimes devastating circumstances we face.The Art of Overcoming is divided into four parts, using the imagery of a traditional funeral ceremony as a framework to process

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Book Synopsis''A truly helpful, honest, and important trail map for the journey we all eventually must take through grief'' - Steve Leder, New York Times bestselling author of The Beauty of What Remains''An immense amount of knowledge and science around grief and the grieving process'' - Colin Campbell, author of Finding the WordsWhen social worker Lisa Keefauver became a widow in 2011, she was alarmed to discover that even though 100 percent of us experience loss, we''re living in a grief illiterate world. In her work as a therapist, and in her search for help in the wake of her own loss, Keefauver began to see how the misguided stories we consume about grief lead to unnecessary suffering. Responding to the problematic narratives that grief is something to move on from after completing the five stages like some sort of to-do list, Keefauver became a grief activist. Through this book and her hit podcast of the same title, she cr

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Book Synopsis'A lovely tribute' Joan Baez 'Fascinating' The Dylan Review  Izzy Young was a distinctive figure in the folk music and beatnik world. He set up the Folklore Center in New York’s Greenwich Village, where Patti Smith, Emmylou Harris and Allen Ginsburg performed, and he produced Bob Dylan’s first show in New York in the 1960s. In 1973, Izzy moved to Sweden, where he opened up a similar cultural centre. In Stockholm, the young Philomène and her father resided in the basement of the folklore centre, living a bohemian life, rich in culture and love. Thirty years later Izzy is fighting dementia. In a raw and unembellished manner, Philomène depicts the emotional rollercoaster of losing a beloved parent and a larger-than-life personality to an invisible, invincible foe. Interspersed are small moments of joy as the fog briefly parts to allow for a reconnection. Philomene masterfully intertwinTrade Review'A lovely tribute' -- Joan Baez'Fascinating' * The Dylan Review *‘A beautiful and poetic depiction of the powerful bond between a father and his daughter. Full of love and empathy, with a streak of pain and vulnerability hidden between the lines. Utterly fascinating' -- Sofia Lundberg‘I really, really, really love this book’ -- Malin Persson Giolito, author of Quicksand

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Book SynopsisOn the morning of Saturday 15 April 1989, Jenni Hicks, her husband, and their two teenage daughters, Sarah and Vicki, went to watch a football match. That was to be their last day as a family. Sarah and Vicki didn't come home, and Jenni's world was changed forever. Since that fateful day, Jenni has tirelessly campaigned for justice for her own and others' families. But this is not the story of the Hillsborough tragedy. This is a story of what came before and after that day: of a mother's love, her unimaginable bravery, a flame of hope that never died, and a quest for justice that has lasted three decades. It is a journey that has taken her from Allerton Cemetery to the Courts of Appeal, from the depths of despair to meetings with Prime Ministers and royalty. With the final court cases coming to a conclusion in spring 2021, Jenni's role as the longest-serving committee member of the Hillsborough Family Support Group is coming to an end - and sTrade ReviewBy a woman at the very heart of the Hillsborough story, this book is utterly gripping -- Jimmy McGovern, screenwriter for film Hillsborough To say I admire and respect Jenni Hicks would be a huge understatement. As a parent, she is someone who inspires me because of the love and devotion she shows for her children. As a human being, I couldn't think more highly of her because of the way she has fought for what she believes in and what she knows to be right no matter how much the odds were against her.I have been incredibly fortunate in my football career to come across some truly remarkable people and Jenni is undoubtedly one of them. She sets the kind of example that I want to follow and it is a privilege to know her. - Jordan Henderson, Professional Footballer for and Captain of Liverpool FCJenni Hicks's book One Day in April is quite remarkable. It will move you to tears and impress you with her fight for justice. Her tenacity and courage is astonishing. She is an exceptional person as you will find out. - David Dein, former vice-chairman of the FA and Arsenal FCA profoundly personal, painful and moving account of unimaginable loss in circumstances involving the culpability of all institutions responsible for the deaths of 97 men, women and children and the long-lasting suffering of survivors of the Hillsborough disaster. Her two daughters unlawfully killed, her marriage ended, spanning three decades Jenni Hicks, a core member of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, remained resilient and determined in the fight for justice. - Professor Phil Scraton, Author of Hillsborough: The TruthI'm proud to call Jenni a friend. As somebody who was at Hillsborough and survived, I find her story is heartbreaking and her strength inspiring. YNWA - Simon Rimmer, Celebrity Chef and RestaurateurThe heart-breaking, personalised story of a mother's fight for truth and justice; of loss and enduring love. Pathos-laced memories on every page. On occasion it made me laugh, but the overwhelming sense is one of anger, frustration and sorrow. The 'if onlys' can never be answered, the battle - goes on..." - Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City RegionThis is not just a tribute to her beautiful daughters, lost in the Hillsborough tragedy, but a powerful and emotional story of a Mother rebuilding her life while fighting for justice through her terrible grief. Her description of the day of the match is heartbreaking. An experience no one should have had to experience. It's a truly absorbing and moving read. - Sue Johnston, BAFTA Nominated Actress

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Book SynopsisCollecting poetry written in the years 2011–2014, Sentenced to Life sees Clive James look back over his extraordinarily rich life with a clear-eyed and unflinching honesty.After falling dangerously ill in 2010, Clive James did not expect to live to see this volume published. But live he did, and these poems see James writing with his insight and energy not only undiminished but positively charged by his situation.There is no sense of self-pity in this collection, which includes the internet sensation ‘Japanese Maple’ and which deals openly with regret, death and his own illness,. With a great breadth of subject matter – taking in Hollywood, travel, art and politics – it is his fascination with humanity that shines through. It is, above all, a celebration of life – all that is treasurable and memorable in our time here.Rich in wisdom and sharp of thought, Sentenced to Life represents a career high poiTrade ReviewMany of these poems are an appeal to the heart, and in particular to the heart of his wife. The collection’s defining quality is gallantry and it is this that makes it so moving * Observer *Clive James is courageously fighting his dark future with that most powerful of weapons: poetry. He may lose the battle but his words will linger * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisIs your child struggling to cope with a loss or trauma?Although loss and change are inevitable parts of life, some children find such events overwhelming and in some cases they can become traumatised by them.This essential guide provides informed advice for parents about how to support your children when they encounter difficulties with bereavement and trauma. Research has indicated that children are less likely to develop problems such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) if they are provided with the appropriate support and opportunities to talk about difficult events and their impact on them. This book will give you step-by-step practical strategies to: Understand the potential impact of loss and trauma on your children Provide the best environment for recovery after traumatic events Help your child get back on trackHelping Your Child is a series for parents and caregivers to support children through developmental difficulties

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Book SynopsisWorldwide, suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people, and numbers continue to increase. Many more young people have experienced suicidal thoughts, or have self-harmed or attempted suicide. What makes someone particularly vulnerable? Why do proportionally more young men than women resort to suicide? What can be done to support people and prevent young deaths?The Long Sleep explores the origins, symptoms and meanings of young peoples'' suicidal crises and argues the need for sensitive responses and improved understanding if current rates are to be curbed. Combining moving accounts from relatives and young attempters with the evidence of extensive research into the subject, Kate Hill offers important and timely insights into an area fraught with fear and denial.This classic self-help book has been fully revised and considers: Myths around suicide Current perspectives around mental and physical healthcare development

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER''A lacerating account ... painful but necessary''EVENING STANDARD''Beautiful & significant ... Tackles grief with honesty'' DAWN FRENCH''Very important and moving book'' ALASTAIR CAMPBELL''A searingly honest book. So much of Rio''s emotional turmoil and deep loss resonated with me. At the same time I loved his message of hope'' GLORIA HUNNIFORD''Rio''s courageous story of life, loss, grief and hope''PRIMA CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE, ''Best of the Celebrity Crop''''Tender, heartbreaking ... An extraordinary and unforgettable book. *****''HEAT* * * * * *''When Rebecca died, the idea that one day I might begin to feel better would have struck me as laughable ... I know how persuasive this kind of permanence thinking can be. I know too that anyone locked in its grip will laugh if I pro

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Book SynopsisHelp your child navigate feelings of sadness and loss with 100 unique, activity-based approaches that help them manage their childhood grief in a healthy and constructive way. The loss of a loved one is a complex, confusing experience for a child to understand. Children may struggle to express, process, and manage their complicated and conflicting feelings, whether the loss is a parent, grandparent, sibling, or even a pet. So, what should you do to help your child process their sadness, loss, and frustration in a more healthy, positive way? In A Parent’s Guide to Managing Grief, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how children grieve and what you can do to support them during their most difficult moments. From there, you’ll find 100 activities that you can use in a group setting, activities that you (or another caregiver) can do alone with your child, and ways to make the most of virtual interactions to support a grieving child. Explore activities like: -Making a scream box -Playing with clay -Feelings charades game -Making a memory bracelet -And many more! It can feel difficult to connect with your child as you process your own complicated emotions surrounding loss. Use these activities to help bridge the gap between you and your child and to help you both find comfort in a difficult situation. You’ll find all the tools you need to help your child (and even yourself) healthily process your grief and move towards happiness, understanding, and acceptance together.Trade Review“Kids of different ages and genders grieve differently, and Lear shows you can help your child cope.” —The New York Times

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Book Synopsis'This is the most startlingly honest book about grief I have ever read. Its immediacy hits you on the first page and takes you on an unforgettable journey. No one has set out so clearly the stages we go through as we try to come to terms with facing the enormity of death.' - Dame Penelope Wilton, DBE'Sasha writes exquisitely and honestly, the sheer rawness of what she has gone through and is still going through, sitting in balance with the calm and clear-sighted objectivity of the therapist, who is also her.' - Hugh BonnevilleOne person, two perspectives on grief. Plunged unexpectedly into widowhood at just 49 years old, psychotherapist Sasha Bates describes in searing honesty the agonisingly raw feelings unleashed by the loss of her husband and best friend, Bill. At the same time, she attempts to keep her therapist hat in place and create some perspective from psycho-analytic theory. From the depths of her confusion she gropes for ways to manage and bear the pain - by looking back at all that she has learnt from psychotherapeutic research, and from accepted grief theories, to help her make sense of her altered reality. Languages of Loss starts a necessary and overdue conversation about death and loss. It breaks down taboos and tries to find humour and light amidst the depressing, bewildering reality. It is an essential companion to help support readers through the agony of those early months, giving permission for all the feelings, and offering various methods of living with them.This book's overriding message is that everyone's experience of grief is different, but knowing more about the theory, and learning a new vocabulary, while not necessarily easing the grief, can help you feel less alone, and at some point enable you to reflect back and see how far you have come.'This is a useful as well as a moving book. The writing is energetic, down-to-earth and bracingly honest, and many readers will feel consoled and enlightened by Bates's take on her experience.' - The Times'Bates's skill as a psychotherapist is married to her deft ability to use language and metaphor to create this vital treatise on loss. As much as Languages of Loss is an essential text on grief, it is also a story of love.' - Sunday Business Post Review'This book will give anyone grieving the death of their partner an insight into their experience, and help those around them understand the difficult and painful process of grief.' - Julia Samuel, author of This Too Shall Pass and Grief Works'A really powerful book. I hadn't read a book before that melds the professional, as a psychotherapist, and the personal, as someone that lost their partner. Sasha's book covers the course of one year since she lost her husband Bill, where she describes how she feels and tries to apply what she has learnt as a therapist. She explores the times when that really exposes the shortcomings of grief counselling, and how incapable anything is really at helping you navigate this absence. I've never read anything like that, a mixture of the practical and the emotional.' - Pandora SykesTrade ReviewSasha writes exquisitely and honestly, the sheer rawness of what she has gone through and is still going through, sitting in balance with the calm and clear-sighted objectivity of the therapist, who is also her. That I so vividly recognise the Bill I knew is testimony to her skill at characterisation - but whether one knew the man or not, one recognises love when one reads it and one recognises the chaotic agony of a love lost. Exploring the threads of her bereavement with such candour and wit and lightness of touch is a remarkable achievement. Bursting through the bitter darkness of her personal experience shine truths that will serve as bright points of light for those who have shared, or are perhaps just embarking upon, the confusing journey of grief. -- Hugh BonnevilleThis is the most startlingly honest book about grief I have ever read. Its immediacy hits you on the first page and takes you on an unforgettable journey. No one has set out so clearly the stages we go through as we try to come to terms with facing the enormity of death. -- Dame Penelope Wilton, DBEThis is a useful as well as a moving book. The writing is energetic, down-to-earth and bracingly honest, and many readers will feel consoled and enlightened by Bates's take on her experience. The therapist's reflections are fascinating, but what shines through is how much Bates loved Bill and how much she misses him. * The Times *In this touching book by psychotherapist Sasha Bates, loss and grief are discussed with unwavering honesty... Bates infuses the book with hope and will leave you glad to have shared her journey. * Evening Standard *A powerful blend of the personal and the professional. -- Mishal HusainReading this book, I'm in the hands of someone I would want to be by my side for the traumas of life - however small they seem, or big they loom. -- Kirsty WarkThis is a deep and generous book. Sasha Bates offers the reader a compassionate walk alongside her as she weaves her own personal story of loss with her professional understanding. It will be a great support to all who have suffered loss. -- Elizabeth Wilde McCormick, psychotherapist and authorThis is a book fluent not just in the languages of loss but of compassion, humour, empathy, understanding, revelation and humanity. Even in the depths of her own grief Sasha Bates makes sense of the chaos that envelops all of us and offers not a reductive path to some kind of quasi-redemption but the profound glimpse of a way through. -- Tim MarlowSasha's generosity in writing this vivid, searing account of the loss of her beloved Bill left me deeply moved, moved by the glory of loving and being loved. Her description of moving through the chaos of grief, fully exposing the unknowable inner world of the griever alongside philosophical, spiritual and therapeutic musings were highly illuminating and provocative. But what I was really left with was an awe, an awe of humanity's fundamental and beautiful capacity for loving connection, with one another and with one's self. I will keep this book close to me, always. -- Ed Simons, Psychotherapist and Chemical BrotherThis book is about so much more than loss. Sasha's way with words allows the reader to access and connect with the depth of love shared by her and Bill. In doing this, she offers inspiration and hope for us all, highlighting along the way that grief is not 'the price we pay for love' but is indeed love itself. I loved this book with every bit of my own broken, open heart. -- Donna Lancaster, Co-founder of The Bridge RetreatWhat a challenge. And what an achievement. Your book is simply amazing and so authentic. Thanks for sharing your heartfelt story and developing acceptance. -- Jane Harris, co-founder of the Good Grief ProjectI got it and I read it and I get it. A superb conversation between 'me the therapist' and 'me the griever', an astounding achievement both as a 'memoir' and as a valuable insight into the aftermath of trauma and loss, otherwise known as grief. I am not a great reader of books on grief (for the first couple of years after our son Josh died I couldn't even attune myself to others stories of grief - my own grief was too painful and too special to allow for any empathy for another), neither do I gen up on theories of psychotherapy (Yalom and Oliver Sacks being exceptions but that's just my nosey parker prying into the weirdness of other peoples minds), but Sasha's construction of a conversation between her two persona's has been a great help for me to understand the processes of my own grief as well to empathise with another. You could compare it to Joan Didier's Magical Year, but don't bother... read both. If you need to choose read this. -- Jimmy EdmondsIt is an uplifting and honest book that is not at all depressing. It left me with a powerful sense of gratitude for the existence of people I love and for the precious minutiae of everyday life. Thank you to Sasha Bates for making this good thing, which will help so many others, grow out of the darkness. -- Pauline BeaumontA really powerful book. I hadn't read a book before that melds the professional, as a psychotherapist, and the personal, as someone that lost their partner. Sasha's book covers the course of one year since she lost her husband Bill, where she describes how she feels and tries to apply what she has learnt as a therapist. She explores the times when that really exposes the shortcomings of grief counselling, and how incapable anything is really at helping you navigate this absence. I've never read anything like that, a mixture of the practical and the emotional. -- Pandora Sykes

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisAS FEATURED ON BBC RADIO 4 'Start the Week' : 'very moving - brilliant and profound'"Brilliant - a grimly humorous yet humane account of the realities of growing old in the modern age." - Henry Marsh"A remarkably likeable guide to a grisly subject ... daunting, yet ultimately life-affirming" - Independent What is a good death? How would you choose to live your last few months? How do we best care for the rising tide of very elderly? This unusual and important book is a series of reflections on death in all its forms: the science of it, the medicine, the tragedy and the comedy. Dr David Jarrett draws on family stories and case histories from his thirty years of treating the old, demented and frail to try to find his own understanding of the end. Profound, provocative, strangely funny and astonishingly compelling, it is an impassioned plea that we start talking frankly and openly about death. He writes about all the conversations that we, our parents, our children, the medical community, our government and society as a whole should be having. And it is a call to arms for us to make radical changes to our perspective on 'the seventh age of man'.-More praise for 33 Meditations on Death:"This book will stay with you." - Derren Brown"Bursting with empathy, common sense and humour." - Professor Dame Sue BlackTrade ReviewBrilliant - a grimly humorous yet humane account of the realities of growing old in the modern age. Everybody over the age of 60 should read it and ponder their probable future. * Henry Marsh *It is striking how the candour of our public discourse fails when we get on to the subject of death, a significant and puzzling failure for it is the fate we all share. David Jarrett's 33 Meditations, the fruit of forty years of professional experience with people at the end of their lives, is not only timely and important, but hugely enjoyable. One of the most memorable books I've read recently. * The Revd Richard Coles *A remarkably likeable guide to a grisly subject ... daunting, yet ultimately life-affirming * Independent *Death doesn’t only touch the dying. This wonderfully enlightening book by a doctor who cares for the dying is a plea for all of us to consider now what a good death should look like and what we’d want for ourselves. Bursting with empathy, common sense and humour, would that we could all be so fortunate as to have the author at our bedside when the time comes. * Professor Dame Sue Black, author of All That Remains *Compelling reflections on the dignity of human life, and the emotional inevitability of its end. -- Professor Stephen Westaby

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Book SynopsisWinner of a Moonbeam Children's Book Award 2017I Have a Question about... is a 2018 Winner of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award Silver Medal for Best Book Series - Non-Fiction Death is a difficult topic for any parent or educator to explain to a child, perhaps even more so when the child has Autism Spectrum Disorder or other Special Needs. This book is designed specifically to help children with these additional needs to understand what happens when someone dies. The first book of its kind, I Have a Question about Death uses straightforward text and images to walk children through what it means when someone dies, as well as ways they might want to react or to think about the person. Using clear illustrations throughout and with information for parents and guardians, this book is essential for families with a child aged 5-11 with Autism Spectrum Disorder or other special needs.Trade Review"I'm a kid who likes when there are answers to my questions." In this one sentence, Gaines and Polsky eloquently and succinctly sum up the reason why death and dying can be such hard concepts for children with ASD and social skills issues, as well as for kids who are just concrete thinkers. The authors have written a thoughtful, multi-faceted resource that allows children and parents to work through grief together. I Have a Question will help children understand not only what death and dying means, but also teach them that there's no one right reaction to it. -- Amanda Morin, Writer/Expert at Understood.org and author of The Everything Parent's Guide to Special EducationIn the wake of my husband's unexpected death, I searched for a book to help me talk about grief with my 8 year old son with Autism. I was surprised not to find anything to meet his needs - the books focused on much older people dying, or used metaphors that were beyond his reach. I Have a Question about Death is a book that every family should have on hand when they are experiencing the death of someone in their lives. It addresses the types of questions I got from both my sons (one with Autism and one 'neuro-typical') and answers them in a clear, concrete way. Our family would have benefited immensely from this invaluable resource and I'm thrilled it now exists to help others. -- Benay Josselson, Mother of child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder'I Have a Question about Death is a wonderful, practical resource to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special needs process grief and loss issues. It is especially important for guiding this specific population of young people that are concrete thinkers who may struggle with anxiety. I know it's appealing visual approach and clear language will be valuable tools for parents and professionals serving families with issues of bereavement.' -- Linda Goldman, author of Great Answers to Difficult Questions About Death and Children Also GrieveThere are few books explaining death to children with autism or other special needs, so this one fills a real gap... The book could be useful with neuro-typical children too, and in families where there are a mixture of special needs and neuro-typical children, it could prove invaluable. Bright and full of colour, it will provide solace and information in a beautifully produced book. -- Healthy Books * healthybooks.org.uk *Table of ContentsN/A

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Book SynopsisRaw, honest and personal thoughts to comfort you on the journey through grief. Grief can often feel like a gnawing homesickness for a place where you used to live, but can never return to. Richard Littledale has written a series of short, candid thoughts and reflections from his own experience of widowhood that will resonate and bring comfort and understanding to anyone experiencing bereavement. These thoughts are written as postcards from the land of grief, as they are used to convey a message from this foreign country of bereavement. Postcards are, by definition, a small snapshot of a feeling at anyone time, not long and drawn out essays, and these thoughts provide an accessible way to identify feelings and draw hope from a fellow traveller. Richard also includes practical resources and advice on the grieving process, and reflects on how his faith in God has sustained him. The book is deliberately designed to be able to dip in and out of as required at the point of need. It is also useful for those who want to give a helpful book to comfort a friend, or for anyone wanting to help understand how their bereaved loved one might beling.

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Book SynopsisAn inspiring companion for your journey through grief. Grief is closely associated with death, but can be triggered when we lose anything with which we have an emotional connection. Much that can be read about the grieving process is outdated and can serve an injustice to our rapidly evolving, modern society. In conjunction with recent medical and societal advancements, new and complex presentations of grief have arisen. As a result, our own journey through grief must also evolve in order for us to effectively heal and even flourish as a result of our experiences surrounding loss. Delivering an eclectic blend of medical and spiritual observations and teachings, Good Grief: The A to Z Approach of Modern Day Grief Healing addresses life as well as death, and provides a practical guidebook for your unique grief journey. It goes beyond the conventional views that we are just a physical body, aiming to enlighten and encourage the reader to use the tools within the pages to bring about a collateral beauty that reveals great strength, personal growth, and spiritual emergence.

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Book SynopsisA perennially popular book by a beloved authornow in an updated package with a new prefacesheds light on what the next life may have in store.A book about living that will help readers see more beauty, feel more power, and know more love. don Miguel Ruiz, international best-selling author of The Four AgreementsIf the dead could speak, don't you wonder what they would say to those of us they've left behind? What would they tell us to soothe our sorrow for their loss, calm our fears of what happens when we die, and fire us up to live the best possible lives we can right now?These are the questions New York Times best-selling author Mike Dooley seeks to answer in The Top Ten Things Dead People Want to Tell Youand ten years after its initial release, it's still one of Mike's most popular and beloved books. In pages filled with wisdom, humor, and, yes, joy, Mike explores our most pressing and profound questions about the afte

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED, WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK of the YEAR, 2020. When Ian Ridley's wife, the trailblazing sports reporter Vikki Orvice, died of cancer at the age of 56, he found himself plunged deep into a sadness that he expected and a world of madness that he did not. In an attempt to make sense of it all and seek some solace from the brutality of his grief and anxiety, he embarks on a summer of watching county cricket. Reliving bitter-sweet memories in places he and Vikki had visited together, he is alternately unnerved and consoled by the ebbs and flows of his mourning. But gradually, against a backdrop of the County Championship's peace and solitude - with the sun on his back and tea, cake and crossword at his side - he finds a way to survive the rhythms and cadences of his grief. The Breath of Sadness is an unflinching account of how we carry on when we are left behind, and a poignant, tender and candid exploration of love and loss.Trade Review"Ian Ridley's beautifully crafted memoir shows there is no right or wrong way to grieve, and yet grieve we must. A moving insight." JULIA SAMUEL, author of Sunday Times bestsellers Grief Works and This Too Shall Pass. "A fine meditation on life, love, death and grief forged during a gentle summer of county cricket." MICHAEL ATHERTON, former England cricket captain. "If there's ever been a more honest, intimate, visceral, unflinching account of grief than this, well, I'd be very surprised." CHARLIE CONNELLY, THE NEW EUROPEAN. "A heart-rending read. What Ridley has written in his wonderful book is a love letter to the game." JIM WHITE, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH. "I have been immeasurably moved by it." VANESSA FELTZ, BBC RADIO 2. "A love song. Like all the best such tunes it is a sad one, yet also, in the end, life-enhancing." ALEX MASSIE, THE SPECTATOR. "Beautifully produced. A book that will bring comfort to many in that same sad but often inevitable place. Humanity is at hand." JOHN HOTTEN, WISDEN CRICKET MONTHLY." Candid and ultimately life-affirming. One of those rare books that takes you on a journey you didn't want to have to take but feel privileged to be on." STEPHEN KELMAN, BOOKER PRIZE SHORTLISTED AUTHOR. "A wistful rumination on love and loss. Ridley balances fond recollection with candid admissions." SHOMIT DUTTA, THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT. "Ridley's quiet reflection in the solitude of county grounds is a backdrop to an extremely candid and brave - harrowingly so, at times - study of his own grieving process." MATT DICKINSON, THE TIMES. "A beautiful memoir. The Breath of Sadness is about music, food, books, hotels, holidays, films, flowers, cards, messages and presents. The things you remember; the things you find put away in drawers, the things that break your bloody heart." PAUL EDWARDS, THE CRICKETER. "Ridley writes with feeling on mourning a loved one in a book that finds companionship with two similar ones written by the surviving spouse: A Grief Observed by C S Lewis and the more recent The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion." SURESH MENON, THE HINDU

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Book Synopsis'When my life seemed burnt to ashes, the last thing I could cope with was reading lengthy Bible passages, yet the Bible contains many verses which encourage and comfort people who are grappling with grief and loss. I began collecting these verses and sticking them all over my kitchen walls! My favourite verse reminded me that God could transform the ashes of my life into something new and beautiful. This book grew out my collection of "kitchen verses" combined with some of the practical tips and helpful ideas, given to me at the time by others who know how it feels from personal experience'. This is a new edition of a BRF classic that has, over the years, helped and comforted many people walking the hard road of grieving. Forty readings offer gentle guidance and consolation, from the earliest stage of groping for God's presence to realising the beginnings of new life and hope. The book has four sections: The early stages, Walking through question marks, Dealing with the Lurkers and The return of spring.Trade ReviewThrough many struggles of her own, Jen has developed an amazing capacity to get to the heart of the matter. I am sure this book will be invaluable to many hurting people. Fiona CastleWritten out of pain, it will surely help others suffering the pain of any kind of loss. It could be a very practical gift to give to a hurting friend because it says more than we would ever dare, and points to the source of all comfort and love. Northsound RadioTable of ContentsIntroduction; Section 1: The early stages (11 readings); Groping for God's presence; Section 2: Walking through question marks (6 readings); Trying to understand; Section 3: Dealing with the Lurkers (13 readings); Coping with the 'if only' and 'why me?' emotions; Section 4: The return of spring (10 readings); The slow journey to new hope; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Young Minds Book Prize 2007This book is a moving and thoughtful anthology of the experiences of thirty-one children and teenagers who have lost a parent.In their own words, children and young people of a variety of ages talk openly and honestly about losing their mother or father. They describe feelings of pain, loss and anger, the struggle to cope with the embarrassed reactions and silence of others, and the difficulties involved in rebuilding their lives. They also share happy and loving memories of their parents, and talk about the importance of remembering while learning to accept their parent's death.The accounts cover a variety of circumstances in which a parent died, including death from cancer, heart attack and involvement in an accident. Taboo experiences which are often avoided are also covered, including death through alcoholism, natural disaster, war, suicide, and domestic violence. The book displays a courageous and insightful group of children and young people who prove that it is possible to talk openly about these subjects without stigma.Still Here with Me will be a valuable source of information and comfort to young people who are struggling to cope with the loss of a parent. It will also provide insights into the needs of grieving children for parents, teachers, social workers and other professionals.Trade ReviewMy review uses Suzanne Sjöqvist's book with its rich narratives as a source of inspiration. It is really a "must have" for anyone who works with children and young people. -- International Journal of Children's SpiritualityI would recommend it to counsellors in training, as it is one of very few contributions by young people to the literature. -- Bereavement CareA worthy winner of the Young Minds Book Prize, Still Here with Me is a helpful resource not only for young people experiencing bereavement, but for all those in contact with such children. -- Children and Young People NowTable of ContentsPreface. Rikard. Ida. Kristoffer and Alexander. Julia. Sten. Ebba. Armin. Madeleine. Fredrik. Felicia. Pontus. Fanny. Magnus. Caroline. Ismail. Saga. Gustaf. Johanna. Martin. Lina. Wilhelm. Tove. Sammie. Jennifer. Robert. Norah. Kalle. Sara. Marcus. Charlotte. Epilogue.

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Book SynopsisAfter a loved one dies, each day can be a struggle. But each day, you can also find comfort and understanding in this daily companion. With one brief entry for every day of the calendar year, this little book by beloved grief counselor Dr. Alan Wolfelt offers small, one-day-at-a-time doses of guidance and healing. Each entry includes an inspiring or soothing quote followed by a short discussion of the day’s theme. This compassionate gem of a book will accompany you.

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Book SynopsisMeghan O'Rourke was thirty-two when her mother died of cancer on Christmas Day, 2008. As a writer, even in the depths of her grief, she was fascinated by what she observed of herself in the aftermath: the rage she felt, not only at what had happened to her mother, but also at the inability of people to acknowledge her pain; her sense that the meaning of her life had changed fundamentally with the loss of a parent; the way that the reassuringly familiar often became somehow completely new and strange. The Long Goodbye interleaves personal recollections of her much-loved mother with an examination of what it means to grieve in a society which no longer has the rituals - or even, most of the time, the desire - to engage with grief, to understand it, and to let it do both its worst - and its best.Trade ReviewEmotionally acute, strikingly empathetic, thorough and unstinting intellectually, and of course elegantly wrought. But it's above all a useful book, for life -- the good bits and the sad ones, too. Richard Ford 'A beautiful memoir about ...loss of a truly irreplaceable mother--yes, it is sad, it is in fact heartrending, but it is many things more: courageous, inspiring, wonderfully intelligent and informed, and an intimate portrait of an American family as well Joyce Carol Oates In her blazingly honest, relentlessly brave memoir Meghan O'Rourke takes on the strange, impossible time after a parent's death. I couldn't recommend this elegant and fearless book more highly to anyone who has, or has had, a mother. Katie Roiphe, author of Uncommon Arrangements

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Book SynopsisHow can you lose the love of your life, but gain the greatest love you can ever know?In this gripping memoir, Louise Blyth charts the love story she shared with her husband and shares how it prematurely toppled into grief, pain and enlightenment.Hope Is Coming documents what happened when thirty-three-year-old George, a stoical and dynamic father of two, was diagnosed with advanced cancer. Told through letters, love notes and text messages, this true-story shares beautiful insight into one of life's biggest milestones. It tenderly provokes a deeper look inside our hearts and shines a light on some of life's biggest questions. The couple's story highlights the strength and fortitude of the human spirit, whilst also teaching that peace and connection with God can emerge from sadness. This book will speak to all of those who have loved, lost and search for the meaning of life in death.Trade ReviewThought-provoking, uplifting and inspiring. -- Stacey Heale

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Book SynopsisOscar the cat lives on the third floor of a nursing home in Rhode Island, USA. At first glance Oscar doesn''t seem special. He''s plain to look at. He''s aloof. Like most cats, he''s partial to treats and catnip. But in the summer of 2007 Oscar made headlines around the world. So what''s so unusual about Oscar? He knows when the hospice patients are going to die. Dr Dosa''s job is to respond to people''s medical needs, treat them for their ailments and communicate with their families. Oscar takes care of the rest. He is a steady companion as patients descend into death. He is with them when they die. And, because of him, they don''t die alone. Can a cat really predict death? Is he smelling something or responding to behavioural clues? Is he helping guide souls to heaven? Oscar''s warm and profound story - of his uncanny ability to see death coming, of his steadfast and non-judgmental commitment to sit with patients as they die, of his quiet compassion - is a metaphor for what is imp

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Book SynopsisThe most life-affirming book ever written about death.' Sandi ToksvigOne of the most powerful and helpful books about grief that you will ever read.' Anita AnandGrief is more than the price of love. It is love. We must learn not just to live with it, but to make it welcome.'Catherine Mayer and her mother Anne Mayer Bird were widowed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is their story of supporting each other through whirling grief, sadmin' and the darkest of times, as they learn to embrace life again.Now updated with brand new chapters, Good Grief is an essential companion for loss and a testimony to enduring love. Spiked with wry humour, it is an uplifting, moving and unexpectedly joyous read.Smart, upbeat and brimming with fortitude' ObserverOne of the saddest things I''ve ever read but also the most powerful. It''s made me want to cling tight to the people I love while acknowledging their mortality and mine too.' Marian KeyesTrade Review‘One of the saddest things I've ever read but also the most powerful. It's made me want to cling tight to the people I love while acknowledging their mortality and mine too.’ Marian Keyes ‘The most life-affirming book ever written about death.’ Sandi Toksvig ‘One of the most powerful and helpful books about grief that you will ever read.’ Anita Anand ‘A perfect book, specific and personal, but spot on about the universal nature of grief and how we grieve. Every page sings and, though often heart-breaking, it's genuinely an utter pleasure to read.’ Kate Mosse ‘Every life has a start, a middle and an end. Everyone prepares for the first two events, but are we doing what we can to prepare for the end? Catherine and Anne generously share their experience of widowhood knowing that they can help others prepare and cope with grief. An important book on a very important subject.’ June Sarpong ‘Fantastic book, full of beautiful honesty’ Rio Ferdinand ‘Smart, upbeat and brimming with fortitude’ Observer ‘Exceptionally insightful . . . would be very helpful to anyone who has lost someone dear – or who knows someone who has. Which is all of us.’ Maggie Alderson for the Lady ‘A powerful read’ Bella ‘A celebration of life’ i

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Book Synopsis'A remarkable account of illness, loss and the power of sibling love' The Times'Wise's reflections on compassion fatigue are worth the price of this book alone, but what you take away is something splendid and unwearying: a sibling's devotion that feels remarkably like what we mean when we talk of a stage of grace.' Telegraph'Inspirational... profoundly uplifting' Daily Mail'Heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure' Express'This is a fantastic book ... Remarkable' Lorraine Kelly_______A moving, thought-provoking and surprisingly humorous book which is both a description of a journey to death and a celebration of the act of living.Based on Clare Wise's blog, which she started when she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2013, Not That Kind of Love charts the highs and lows of the last three years of Clare's life. The end result is not a book that fills you with despair and anguish. On the contrary, Not That Kind of Love should be read by everybody for its candour, and for its warmth and spirit. Clare is an astonishingly dynamic, witty and fun personality, and her positivity and energy exude from every page.As she becomes too weak to type, her brother - the actor Greg Wise - takes over, and the book morphs into a beautiful meditation on life, and the necessity of talking about death.As Greg Wise writes in the book: 'Celebrate the small things, the small moments. If you find yourself with matching socks as you leave the house in the morning, that is a cause for celebration. If the rest of the day is spent finding the cure for cancer, or brokering world peace, then that's a bonus.'Trade ReviewNot That Kind Of Love is a truly memorable read, it feels like a very special book about what was - is - clearly an amazing bond between a brother and sister ... Readers will be both moved and inspired by it. * The Times *Inspirational... Profoundly uplifting. * The Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisBrook Noel is a CEO, author, speaker, and mom. She has been featured in hundreds of shows and magazines, including ABC World News, CNN Headline News, and Fox & Friends. She is the author of Good Morning, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye, The Change Your Life Challenge, and other books. She lives in Wisconsin.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: An Unfamiliar World: The Journey into Grief Chapter One: The Starting Point: Notes from the Austhors Pam's Story Brook's Story Sudden Loss Comes Again Chapter Two: Notes for the First Few Weeks Treat Yourself as if You Were in Intensive Care Expect to Be Distracted Have Someone Near You Accept the Help of Friends Caring for Your Children Someone to Take Calls and Check Email Seek Assistance with Final Arrangements Don't Worry about Contacting People Let Your Body Lead You Religious Traditions Wills and Arrangements Cultural Differences Going Back to Work Grief Sessions A Guide for Those Helping Others with Grief Chapter Three: Understanding the Emotional and Physical Effects of Grief Exhaustion Days of Distraction Denying Our New Reality Anger . . . a Normal Response Grief Knows No Schedule Physical Symptoms Emotional Ambushes Grief and Dreams If You Don't Dream If You Do Dream Important Things to Remember on the Pathway Feeling the Presence of the Deceased When You Don't Feel the Presence of the Deceased Communicating with Your Loved One (and If You Haven't) The World Becomes Dreamlike A Time to Withdraw Hurtful Self-talk Impulsive Living Instant Replays and Obsessive Thoughts The "If Only" Mind Game Fear Chapter Four: Myths and Misunderstandings of the Grieving Process Myth #1: Death is death, sudden or long-term, and we all grieve the same way Myth #2: By keeping busy I can lessen or eliminate my grief. Myth #3: I must be going crazy or "losing it." Myth #4: I will need to make sure I don't grieve for too long - one year should be enough Myth #5: If I express my anger at God or the circumstances of thedeath, I am a bad person and will "pay" for it. Myth #6: My friends tell me it is time to let go. Since others haveacclimated to life again, I should too Myth#7: I must wear black for a designated time period or I willdishonor the person who died Myth #8: I won't have to grieve as much and I will feel better if Iuse alcohol or medication to alleviate my sadness Myth #9: If I talk about the loss of my loved one I'll feel worse Myth #10: Shouldn't I be strong enough to "tough it out" by myself? Myth #11: I've done something wrong because some of my family and friends are turning away from me Myth #12: I should be relieved that they didn't suffer a long and lingering illness Myth #13: Someday I'll have another (spouse, child, parent, lover...) and that person will erase the pain and replace what I have lost. Myth #14: Once I am done with one stage of grief, I will simply move on to the next Myth #15: If I relive the good times, I'll stay stuck in the pain Myth #16: Children really don't understand death and probably don't need to be included in the funeral plans or memorial services Myth #17: To properly honor the deceased, I must have the standard wake and burial Myth #18: I am scared that if I grieve, I'll "get over my loss." I don't want to forget him! Myth #19: Help, I'm stuck on instant replay. I can't get this out of my thoughts - something is wrong with me Myth #20: This kind of thing doesn't happen in my family Myth #21: There must be something wrong with me. I'm not crying Myth #22: I'm not grieving right - I should be doing something differently. Myth #23: I should feel guilty. Myth #24: I shouldn't feel so angry Myth#25: I'll never be happy again. Myth#26: After a while I will no longer think or feel anything about the loss Myth #27: In order to process my grief effectively I need to advance through the Five Stages of Grief Myth #28: The final stage of grief requires acceptance Part Two: The World Is Upside Down: Collecting Our Scattered Pieces Chapter Five: The World is Upside Down Assumptions Are Shattered Loss of Purpose Redefining Ourselves What Matters Now? Finding a Beginning, Middle, and End Why Did This Happen? Do We Ever Get over Grief? Chapter Six: Relating to Others Too Close to Home You Are a Different Person The Ten-Day Syndrome Repeating the Story Awkward Questions Chapter Seven: Difficult Days: Holidays, Anniversaries, and More Birthdays Anniversaries Weddings Holidays Happy New Year? Next Year Chapter Eight: Grieving Together: Understanding How Men and Women Grieve Problem Solving and Facing Challenges Processing Grief Communicating Different Losses, Different Worlds: When One Member of a Couple Experiences Tragedy Masculine Grief Guidelines for Grieving Couples Chapter Nine: Helping Children Cope with Grief Babies (Birth to Eighteen Months) Toddlers (Eighteen Months to Three Years) Young Children Age Three to Six Years Age Six to Nine Years Age Nine and Older Adolescence Teenagers to Young Adults Does Your Child Need Professional Help? Grief by Proxy General Guidelines for Helping Children Part Three: Sharing Our Stories Chapter Ten: Losing a Friend Reaching for the Phone Some Things You Can Do Chapter Eleven: Losing a Parent Daddy Generation Shifts Some Things You Can Do Chapter Twelve: Losing a Child Extreme Emotions Losing an Adult Child Your Relationship with Your Partner For Parents with Surviving Children Some Things You Can Do after the Loss of a Child Chapter Thirteen: Losing a Partner Loss of Identity Circles of Friends Lingering Memories and Images Marilyn's Story Joan's Story Learning to Do Things Alone Funeral Arrangements For Widows with Surviving Children at Home Will I Ever Love Again? Seeking Purpose Some Things You Can Do Chapter Fourteen: Losing a Sibling Being Overlooked in the Grieving Process Double the Loss Idealizing Guidelines for Young Siblings Identity through a Sibling Birth Order Is He Still My Older Brother? The Hot and Cold Nature of Sibling Relationships Grieving an Adult Sibling Terri's Story Some Things You Can Do Chapter Fifteen: Fallen Heros Limited Circles of Support Deepened Denial Political Challenges Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Military Losses Outside of the Public Eye I Should Have Said Standing with Pride Some Things You Can Do Chapter Sixteen: Suicde Common Reactions to Suicide Religion and Suicide The Stigma Some Things You Can Do Chapter Seventeen: One of Many: When Tragedy Causes Multiple Deaths Trauma Obsessed with Revenge and Retribution Talking to Children Mental Health Aspects of Terrorism Typical Reactions Post Traumatic Stress The Path toward Healing Chapter Eighteen: Other Unique Challenges The Challenge of Closure: When Our Loved One's Body Is Not Recovered Non-Traditional Relationships Grief Is Cumulative When Our Darkest Hour Becomes Front-Page News Suggestions for Dealing with Media Part Four: Pathways through Grief Chapter Nineteen: The Road Ahead: Understanding the Grief Journey Themes of Grief by Year Grief Steps The Ten-Step Pathway Chapter Twenty: Faith A Fork in the Road Anger at God Faith Communities and Grief What Do I Believe? Reconnecting with God Some Things You Can Do Chapter Twenty-One: Self-Help and Therapy What are Grief Therapy and Grief Counseling? Does Anything Good Ever Come of All This? Maggie's Story Is It Really Possible to Transform My Grief and Pain into Creative Energy? Journaling and Letter Writing Self-Help Books Frequently Asked Questions about Self-Help, Therapy, and Healing So much change has happened in my life since the loss. How do I cope? Chapter Twenty-Two: The Grief Recovery Process and Exercises to Guide You Anger Exercise Thank You Exercise Learning through Loss What My Loved One Has Left Me Screaming Exercise Defining Priorities Coping with Guilt Poetry The Gratitude Journal Calming Visualization Memory Books Rituals Chapter Twenty-Three: The Journey Continued... Parting Notes from the Authors Brook Noel . . . October 4, 1999 Brook Noel . . . July 29, 2007 Pamela D. Blair . . . 1999 Pamela D. Blair . . . July 29, 2007 APPENDIX I The Memorial Service The Eulogy A Checklist of Calls to Make Friends Support Group Invitation APPENDIX II: GRIEF RESOURCES AND SUPPORT Support for Loss of a Partner Support for Grieving Children Support for the Loss of a Child Support for Loss through Suicide Internet Support for Siblings General Bereavement Support Other Recommended Books by Topic BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX ABOUT THE AUTHORS

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Book SynopsisSince its debut thirty years ago, this favorite by one of the world’s most beloved grief counselors has found a place in the homes and hearts of hundreds of thousands of mourners across the globe. Filled with compassion and hope, Understanding Your Grief helps you understand and befriend your painful, complex thoughts and feelings after the death of someone loved. Befriending grief may sound counterintuitive, but actually, your grief is your love for the person who died in a different form, and like that love, it’s also natural and necessary. Perhaps above all, Understanding Your Grief is practical. It’s built on Dr. Wolfelt’s Ten Touchstones, which are basic principles to learn and actions to take to help yourself engage with your grief and create momentum toward healing. This second edition maintains the content of the first edition but builds on it by adding concise wisdom on new topics such as the myth of closure, complicated and traumatic grief, grief overload, unmourned grief, loneliness, the power of ritual, and more. Excellent as an empathetic handbook for anyone in mourning as well as a text for support groups, Understanding Your Grief pairs with a guided journal.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating guide to death and the mysterious world beyond.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Kudos to Dugdale’s The Lost Art of Dying for being honest, refreshing, and useful. As a physician who has experienced many deaths, she helps us think about the meaning of our lives and about how to have a good death. I recommend this book to all who are mortal." — Mary Pipher, author of Women Rowing North “In this profound and compassionate book about death and its nearness, Dugdale demystifies one of the essential mysteries of our time.” — Siddhartha Mukherjee, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene “Like Atul Gawande and Paul Kalanithi, Dugdale writes fluently about dying from clinical experience. What sets her book apart is that she writes wise words everyone needs to hear as they live. When I lay dying, I hope I will have a doctor like Dr. Dugdale at the bedside.” — Abraham Nussbaum, MD, author of The Finest Traditions of My Calling “I’m adding this book about dying to my collection of treasured guides to living well. Filling me with illuminating, compelling, and consoling hope, this book, more than any other I have read, reveals how to rediscover the lost art of dying. Read it. Then read it again and again.” — Raymond Barfield, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics and Christian philosophy, Duke University "One of the most avoided questions in life is also one of the most important: what is it like to die? It's a question we will all encounter, no matter what our beliefs about the afterlife. And you will find no more compassionate and knowledgeable guide than Dr. Dugdale, who has accompanied many people on this journey. Her new book is a great gift to all of us who will die or face death, which is to say, all of us." — James Martin, SJ, author of The Jesuit Guide and Jesus: A Pilgrimage "This illuminating and thought-provoking book will convince many readers to reexamine their assumptions about death and dying." — Publisher's Weekly (starred review) “Want a better life? Then think about your death, starting with Lydia Dugdale’s The Lost Art of Dying. Dugdale shows that death should be courageously confronted. In so doing, we not only conquer our fear, but also understand the reason for our lives.” — Arthur C. Brooks, author of Love Your Enemies and professor at the Harvard Kennedy School “Dugdale examines how we have surrendered to the medical machine while surfacing ways we can regain control of key decisions over our quality of life and death. Everyone must read this book, whether you are a health-care professional, a public-policy official, or just hoping to reach an advanced age.” — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Senior Associate Dean, Yale School of Management “In this important new book, Dugdale asks why it is so difficult for patients and families to accept terminal diagnoses and for all of us to recognize our finitude. The solution, Dugdale proposes, is for us to learn about dying now, as part of our living. And she is right.” — Victoria Sweet, MD, PhD, author of God's Hotel and Slow Medicine “Who would have thought that a book on dying could be so enlivening? But that is precisely Dugdale’s point: if we do not face our deaths, they destroy us before they have happened. A lucid, learned, humane, and utterly necessary book.” — Christian Wiman, author of My Bright Abyss Lydia Dugdale’s The Lost Art of Dying proves that there is often nothing more relevant to our present cultural moment than the wisdom of the past--in this instance, on the subject of how to face death. The book is based on a great deal of painstaking scholarship but is written in the most accessible style. It will not only be of enormous help to people facing their own death or the death of a loved one, but also to professionals in various fields who attend the dying. — Timothy Keller, NYT Bestselling Author, Pastor Emeritus, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City. “In this extraordinary book Dugdale applies both her clinical experience and her deep insights into a centuries-old approach to help dying patients live well and die well. Although I was an early student of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Dugdale’s book has provided me with new insights that I will apply immediately.” — Dr. Mark Siegler, Lindy Bergman Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Chicago and coauthor of Clinical Ethics “Sensitive, informed by clinical experience, rich in the wisdom of the past, L. S. Dugdale has written a riveting book about life’s hardest truth—death. A must read for all of us as we face our mortality.” — R. R. Reno, editor of First Things “The Lost Art of Dying brilliantly combines medical experience and humanistic tradition to show not only how we should prepare for death and why we must, but also that it is an essential part of the art of living well.” — James Rhodes, PhD, professor emeritus of Medieval Studies at Southern Connecticut State University Lydia Dugdale provides wise guidance, compelling stories, and fascinating historical background to help us rediscover the lost art of dying. She does so from the perspective of a caring physician, but also as a fellow pilgrim on the path of life. Everyone who lives will die someday, yet too few consider what it means to “die well.” This book can help to close that gap. It does so with style and grace. — Rita Ferrone, contributing writer and columnist, Commonweal magazine “Dugdale patiently and respectfully unveils the reality that many in our world die poorly. Drawing on Medieval wisdom on dying well, she teases out lessons for today. Anyone who deals with the dying--sooner or later, don't we all?--will profit enormously from this insightful and compassionate book.” — D. A. Carson, author of Praying with Paul "In this fascinating, timely, and important book Dugdale draws us into the transformative wisdom of the art of dying. In so doing she reimagines a world where death is not simply an oppressive shadow to be avoided but an important step on the road to life in all its fullness." — John Swinton, author of Dementia: Living In the Memories of God A physician draws wisdom from a medieval text to transform our thoughts and fears about dying. Balancing her clinical experience with an openly holistic mindfulness, Dugdale thoughtfully expands on the relevant lessons of ars moriendi (“the art of dying”) . . . A wise and reassuring guide for confronting death. — Kirkus “Dugdale guides readers toward taking a holistic approach to this final stage by accepting the finitude of life, developing meaningful rituals, and involving their communities in end-of-life care. The overarching theme is that to die well, one must live well. . . . A readable and inspiring manual.” — Library Journal "At this fraught moment, Dugdale's work could not feel more uncanny and necessary." — Yale Divinity School News ”Read this book before you need it. Read it for yourself and to share with people in your community who can’t read it. This wisdom should never again be lost or forgotten.” — The Public Discourse “This insightful book accurately describes the widespread dysfunction that occurs when we are distracted from the consideration of our own mortality.” — Mercatornet “One day that last breath will occur. Are we prepared? Are you? Reading Dugdale’s book becomes therapeutic and nurturing as the readers are challenged by prying questions, followed by reasoned reflection. A beautiful book—one of the few I would purchase for a friend and read again.” — Pneuma “In its exploration of dying and how it can go well or poorly, her book is a success and much-needed.” — Journal of Palliative Medicine

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Book SynopsisThe youngest of seven children, Timothy Knatchbull read Social and Political Science at Cambridge. After ten years as a filmmaker, mostly at BBC television, he studied at Harvard's Kennedy School before spending two years in Washington DC with the Discovery Channel. He now runs a London media business and is married with five children.Trade ReviewFrom a Clear Blue Sky is a minute by minute story of what happened that day, and what happened afterwards. It is a proper four-hanky bawler, and the exactitude of the story is what makes it so moving ... He provides a convincing account of the extent to which he has been able to accept, forgive and move on. His narrative power is such that the reader can't always share his equanimity. It is a book that is as saddening as it is sad - but much more angering than it is angry * Daily Mail *This is an extremely moving book. Beyond providing a phenomenally detailed evocation of his own family's trauma, Knatchbull has lots of wise things to say about how we survive horrors - of all kinds - in our lives. He writes with great tenderness and an admirable lack of sentimentality -- Zoe HellerAffecting and intimate * Daily Mail *Testament to a remarkable, benevolent soul ... With this public love letter he has found a way to say goodbye * The Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThe death of a loved one is the most traumatic experience any of us face. No two people cope with it the same way: some cry while others remain dry-eyed; some discover growth through pain, others find arid wastes; some feel angry, others feel numb. Virginia Ironside deals with this complicated and sensitive issue with great frankness and insight, drawing on other''s people''s accounts as well as her own experiences.Table of ContentsShock and the physical effects; the rituals of bereavement; fear; powerlessness and guilt; rage; misery...; ...and other responses; wills and things; they don't know what they say; who am I now?; the spiritual side; is there a pay-off?; final thoughts.

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Book SynopsisIn Grief is Love, author Marisa Renee Lee reveals that healing does not mean moving on after losing a loved one-healing means learning to acknowledge and create space for your grief. It is about learning to love the one you lost with the same depth, passion, joy, and commitment you did when they were alive, perhaps even more. She guides you through the pain of grief-whether you''ve lost the person recently or long ago-and shows you what it looks like to honour your loss on your unique terms, and debunks the idea of a grief stages or timelines. Grief is Love is about making space for the transformation that a significant loss requires.In beautiful, compassionate prose, Lee elegantly offers wisdom about what it means to authentically and defiantly claim space for grief''s complicated feelings and emotions. And Lee is no stranger to grief herself, she shares her journey after losing her mother, a pregnancy, and, most recently, a cousin to the COVID-19 pandemic. These losses transformed her life and led her to question what grief really is and what healing actually looks like. In this book, she also explores the unique impact of grief on Black people and reveals the key factors that proper healing requires: permission, care, feeling, grace and more.The transformation we each undergo after loss is the indelible imprint of the people we love on our lives, which is the true definition of legacy. At its core, Grief is Love explores what comes after death, and shows us that if we are able to own and honour what we''ve lost, we can experience a beautiful and joyful life in the midst of grief.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the British Medical Association Popular Medicine Book AwardShortlisted for the British Psychological Society Book Award 2021 ''Illuminating and consoling'' JULIA SAMUEL, author of GRIEF WORKS Though approximately one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, pregnancy loss remains a rarely talked about, under-researched, and largely misunderstood area of women''s health. This award-winning book aims to help break that silence. With empathy, warmth and honesty, psychotherapist Julia Bueno blends women''s stories (including her own) with research and analysis, exploring the effect of pregnancy loss on women and highlighting the ways in which our society fails to effectively respond to it. The result is a galvanising, urgent and moving exploration of a too-often-hidden human experience, and a crucial resource for anyone struggling with - or seeking to better understand - miscarriage. ''It''s the sorTrade ReviewA much needed book on this difficult and often unspoken loss, that of early pregnancy. Julia Bueno talks powerfully from her personal experience as well as professionally which is both illuminating and consoling * Julia Samuel, author of Grief Works *Bueno's choice of language is considered and thoughtful, unpacking difficult issues that are so often avoided for fear of causing distress. She writes with sensitivity and compassion?, filling a much-needed void in discussion around the subject, and opening the door to more candid conversations * Observer *An intelligent, sensitive, and utterly candid book about miscarriage. Thanks to Bueno's radical empathy and openness, the reader comes away more consoled than heartbroken, and more curious than afraid. It's the sort of book that women have long been searching for, and it feels like real progress. I'm so thankful she wrote it * Meaghan O'Connell, author of And Now We Have Everything *This is a book of profound insight, rare courage and calm, searching compassion. It made me reflect, not just on miscarriage, but on the solace of the intellect, and the euphoric rush of a broken silence * Zoe Williams *Julia is one of the most intuitive and compassionate and curious psychotherapists around, and in her approach to miscarriage all of these qualities are shown * Sathnam Sanghera *A thoughtful work that identifies and honours an important passage of life for a great many women * Julia Leigh, author of Avalanche *Wise and compassionate, Bueno is the friend (and expert) you want when you or a loved one suffers miscarriage. This is a profound game-changer of a book that can not only support women, but can help reshape a society that often ignores or sweeps women's issues under that proverbial rug * Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and Is this Tomorrow *Beautifully written and thoroughly researched, The Brink of Being is vital reading, both for those who have experienced miscarriage and for the people who want to support them. I think a lot of people are going to be stronger for reading this * Keith Stuart, author of The Boy Made of Blocks *Bueno's choice of language is considered and thoughtful, unpacking difficult issues that are so often avoided for fear of causing distress. She writes with sensitivity and compassion, filling a muchneeded void in discussion around the subject, and opening the door to more candid conversations -- Katy Lindemann * Observer *The book is most viscerally a memoir of Bueno's own first pregnancy and miscarriage . . . She argues for institutionally sanctioned rituals of mourning. But more work needs to be done to find language and practices that heal rather than harm . . . Part of Julia Bueno's point, too: there is no right or uniform way of responding to miscarriage -- Michele Pridmore-Brown * Times Literary Supplement *A much needed book on this difficult and often unspoken loss, that of early pregnancy. Julia Bueno talks powerfully from her personal experience as well as professionally which is both illuminating and consoling * Julia Samuel, author of Grief Works *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Sunday Times bestselling authors of THE LITTLE BOOK OF HUMANISMA humanist funeral allows us the freedom to remember and celebrate the life of someone in exactly the way we want to and - as the most popular alternative to a religious ceremony - put us more closely in touch with the precious nature of life.In a beautiful collection of insights from humanist celebrants, as well as quotes, poems and meditations from humanist writers and thinkers throughout history, THE LITTLE BOOK OF HUMANIST FUNERALS is the perfect introduction to the humanist approach to life and death.Trade ReviewWhat a treasure - inspiring, comforting, and brimming with the equanimity one longs for in coming to terms with a death -- Steven Pinker

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Book SynopsisWisdom from Jonathan Edwards on the journey towards death, with application for modern life. Death is inevitable. Whether we’re facing the death of a loved one, or our own passing from this world to the next, we cannot avoid it. Death is something we never get used to. But it is something that we can get ready for. Deborah Howard has taken Jonathan Edwards’ intensely encouraging sermon on the Christian Pilgrim and, drawing on her own experiences as a hospice nurse, has written this book to encourage us to live with our final destination in mind. Focussing on scripture truth, the reader is encouraged to think about the journey that leads us towards our final destination. How are we spending our lives, as we live in the light of eternity? This combination of classic sermon and modern application makes this book an essential addition to any Christian’s bookshelf.Trade ReviewDeborah has done us a great service with this book for the hurting, the struggler, and the biblical counselor. -- Dave Jenkins (Executive Director, Servants of Grace Ministries)Howard uses her personal experience as a hospice nurse to her advantage as she brings Edwards’ treasures alive for our day. She uses the Scripture well and adds helpful discussion questions at the end of each chapter. -- Michael Brunk (Pastor, Kathorus Bible Church, Johannesburg, South Africa)Deborah Howard has done it again. She’s written another compassionate work that points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. My wife and I think it’s fantastic. God has given her a gift which she uses to encourage, inform and inspire. What she has done with this Jonathan Edwards sermon is very fine, indeed. We heartily recommend this book to all believers. -- Wayne Mack (ACBC Academy member; Director, ACBC Africa; elder and pastor, Lynnwood Baptist Church, Pretoria, South Africa)Imagine, though, sitting with a friend, reading a page or two of Edwards, and talking together about what it means and how it applies. That is the sweet experience of reading this book, with Deborah Howard as our person guide to one of the greatest preachers of all time. -- Joel R. Beeke (Chancellor, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan)Drawing from her experience as a hospice nurse, attending to many who were in the process of dying, she causes us to think about our own eventual deaths, about preparing for death as a believer, and laying out before us the joys of what it will be like when we meet the Lord for an eternity. -- Curtis Thomas (Author, pastor and teacher)

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Book Synopsis'Azaylia was guiding me every day and I loved being able to look up to the sky and tell her: "I want to be like you, Azaylia. You're my hero and my inspiration. You taught me this, princess. Thank you."'Safiyya Vorajee and Ashley Cain's beautiful baby daughter, Azaylia, was eight weeks old when she was diagnosed with leukaemia. Six months later, Azaylia's parents had to say their final goodbyes. Sharing her story in full for the first time, Safiyya hopes to bring comfort to others, to show mothers the strength they possess and to honour Azaylia's life in every way she can.

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Book SynopsisA deeply moving memoir of a young daughter, her dying mother - and the trail of letters and gifts she left behind.

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Book Synopsis'Emotional, insightful, beautifully written. A story of making saves and being saved. The best football book I have read this year.' Henry WinterSir Alex Ferguson looked at Joe Sealey: 'You know your dad saved my career?' Joe replied: 'And you saved his.'More than three decades before, in 1990, Ferguson's managerial career stood at its lowest ebb. After three barren years at Old Trafford, he was facing dismissal. There was just the FA Cup final left. Manchester United were lucky to escape with a 3-3 draw at Wembley. For the replay, Ferguson took the gamble of his life, replacing his long-standing keeper, Jim Leighton, with Les Sealey, on loan from Luton. United won. Ferguson remained, winning another 24 major trophies.Les Sealey would play in another three finals for United. When he died suddenly, aged 43, Les left behind a warm, witty, and detailed autobiography in the form of a Tupperware box full of cassette tapes. His death, however, threw his son, Joe, into a tormented spiral of alcoholism and drug abuse before he was dragged from the brink.On Days Like These, longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year, is the story of a remarkable double rescue. Of a football club and of a man.'Brings alive early 90s #MUFC & the mad genius of Ferguson' Sam WallaceTrade ReviewThe skilful reworking of an unfinished memoir. A brilliant retelling of Les Sealey's life; and his family's grief. Brings alive early 90s #MUFC & the mad genius of Ferguson. All created from audio cassettes of memories Sealey left behind. Loved it. -- Sam Wallace, The TelegraphEmotional, insightful, beautifully-written book about the 1990 FA Cup final, Les Sealey, Alex Ferguson, Sealey's son Joe and a box full of cassette tapes. A story about making saves and being saved. Best football book I've read this year. -- Henry Winter, The TimesHilarious and heart-tugging in equal measure * The Sun *It isn't just a touching tribute: it also offers a rich portrait of the near-unrecognisable world of English football on the precipice of the Premier League - and the vast riches that would change it forever. * the Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisWe're all going to die. Yet in our medically advanced, technological age, many of us see death as a distant reality--something that happens only at the end of a long life or to other people. In The End of the Christian Life, Todd Billings urges Christians to resist that view. Instead, he calls us to embrace our mortality in our daily life and faith. This is the journey of genuine discipleship, Billings says: following the crucified and resurrected Lord in a world of distraction and false hopes. Drawing on his experience as a professor and father living with incurable cancer, Billings offers a personal yet deeply theological account of the gospel's expansive hope for small, mortal creatures. Artfully weaving rich theology with powerful narrative, Billings writes for church leaders and laypeople alike. Whether we are young or old, reeling from loss or clinging to our own prosperity, this book challenges us to walk a strange but wondrous path: in the midst of joy and lament, to receive mortal limits as a gift, an opportunity to give ourselves over to the Lord of life.Table of ContentsContentsIntroduction1. Welcome to Sheol: A Guided Tour of Life in the Pit2. Two Views of Mortality: Is Death an Enemy or a Friend?3. Mortals in Denial: Living as Dying Creatures4. Interplanetary Exploration: The Strange New World of Modern Medicine5. The Way of Prosperity and the Christian Way6. The Fracturing of Our Stories, and Life after Death7. Hoping for the End as MortalsConclusionIndexes

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Book SynopsisFeel like you''re stuck in grief? Write your way out by following the steps in this concise, easy-to-use book. You need to tell your grief story. This book helps you do it with tips on your thinking place, writing place, how to write, what to write, and resources to boost your spirits.Grief in Your Wordshelps you create a path to the future.

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Book SynopsisGrief sometimes leaves us without words. Yet narrating our feelings, thoughts, and experiences can be so helpful in relating to our inner world. These cards are an invitation to begin that process.From the bestselling author of Bearing the Unbearable, here are 52 cards with prompts for exploring grief and starting conversations about those whom we?ve lost. These cards can be used as part of a contemplative practice, as journaling prompts, by or with therapists, or used in community with family, friends, or with a grief support group. They can be read aloud, alone or with others. You can read one card prior to meditation, or simply take one in and reflect deeply on what arises. However you use these cards, please take the time to really be with each one, dive deeply?and do so with a spirit of love and compassion for all beings, including yourself. Now available as an online course from the Wisdom Academy and as a journal in Bearing the Unbearable: A Guided Journal for Grieving.

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Book SynopsisWhat if grief, pain, and loss weren’t the end of your story but the beginning of a new chapter?When a mother dies abruptly or before their time, daughters are left with an unmet expectation for a future that no longer exists. This Changes Everything revokes the notion that death has the final say and asks the question, what if grief wasn’t the end of your story but the beginning of a new chapter?Every life contains a story that holds tragic, soul-defining chapters deemed unfair, but fairness isn’t the rule book for the Author of Life, it’s reckless all-consuming love. When grief, especially over the loss of a mother, is viewed through the lens of this unending love, this new view can illuminate a calling or purpose for your life which may otherwise remain locked in the darkness of despair. This Changes Everything: When Death No Longer Has the Final Say is based on a true story of hope, healing, and redemption over life’s darkest chapters. It will give readers the courage to follow their God-given calling and help them to see that one choice - to believe their pain has a purpose - changes everything.This Changes Everything is a perfect read for: Those grieving the loss of a loved one Mothers, daughters, and mom’s raising daughters Those looking to give their pain a purpose. Find out why author Jennifer Dukes Lee calls Sonya Joy Mack’s story, “a magical story that will take you on an incredible journey that will keep you guessing until you reach the final pages.” Your pain has a purpose and This Changes Everything could be the beginning of your new chapter.

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Book SynopsisGrief and loss are fundamental aspects of the human experience. This book explores the desire to make sense out of the nonsensical by exploring specific loss and grief experiences. The autoethnographic essays reflect on the unique and individual experiences of each contributor’s story. Simultaneously, these experiences reveal that although their grief experience is unique, it is also cultural and collective, evoking broader cultural themes related to loss and grief. The chapters in this book represent a wide range of loss experiences ranging from the loss of a parent, child, or partner, loss within larger family systems, ambiguous and anticipatory loss to broader cultural aspects of grief. Scholars of communication, sociology, and family studies will find this book of particular interest. Trade Review“Narrative and Grief: Autoethnographies of Loss, edited by Deleasa Randall-Griffiths and Patricia English-Schneider, is thoughtful, provocative and vulnerable. The editors and authors capture the chaos of grief in various moments. This monograph has much to offer both lay and academic audiences dealing with grief. Through poignant autoethnographies, it addresses many thoughts and emotions that surface during grieving, but one never gives voice while providing insights into how we can heal in the grieving process.” -- Margaret M. Quinlan, University of North Carolina at CharlotteTable of ContentsTable of ContentsIntroductionDeleasa Randall-Griffiths and Patricia English-SchneiderSection I: Perspectives on Family LossChapter 1: A Puzzle of Love and Loss Nathan P. StuckyChapter 2: Losing Mama Lola: An Autoethnographic Story of Caregiving and RemorseOlga Zatepilina-MonacellChapter 3: Surviving Our Aging: A Love Letter for My MomLesa LockfordChapter 4: Honoring Mom: Layers of a Daughter’s GriefSharon L. RussellChapter 5: The Things That Knew Her: “Holding On” as a Way of “Letting Go”Deleasa Randall-GriffithsChapter 6: “I Have a Son Named Jake…”: An Autoethnographic Application of the Continuing Bonds TheoryNancy J. BruleChapter 7: Mother, Scholar, & Co-Victim: My Son’s Death by Police HomicideElizabeth StephensChapter 8: Ripple EffectFaith GriffithsChapter 9: Living Through Hell and Back: How Autoethnographic Performance Functions as a Means of Moving Through and Beyond the Grieving ProcessLori L. MontalbanoSection II: Broader Perspectives of LossChapter 10: Living with Loss: A Poetic AutoethnographyRonald J. PeliasChapter 11: LineworkJonathan M. GrayChapter 12: Stones on the Beach, Ashes in the Woods: Locating Grief in Place and TimeStephanie L. YoungChapter 13: Anticipatory Grief and Dementia: Mourning The Lady Who SingsJacqueline OwensChapter 14. “She’s Not Doing it Right”: An Autoethnographic Exploration of One Woman’s Response to LossKristi P. TreinanChapter 15: The Gift of GriefKimberly J. StanisloChapter 16: Private Losses Made Public: Managing Boundaries to (Re)construct the ClassroomLeah E. Bryant and Joann MartynChapter 17: Feminist Grief as Narrative InquiryMeggie Mapes, Savaughn Williams, and Myleah BrewerChapter 18: What Happens Between Support and Communal Coping?Dena M. Huisman and Wendi BellarAbout the Contributors

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Book SynopsisBreak the addiction cycle once and for all with this powerful and compassionate workbook—now fully revised and updated!If you struggle with addiction, know that you are not alone. Addictive behaviors are often the result of loss—the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or even the end of a romantic relationship. If you’re like many others, you may have turned to drugs, alcohol, or other troubling behaviors to avoid the pain of loss. But this only delays the healing process, and can ultimately lead to a destructive cycle that leaves you feeling trapped. So, how can you break free?This second edition of The Mindfulness Workbook for Addiction will help you identify the root of your addictive behaviors while providing healthy coping strategies to deal with the stress, anxiety, and depression that can come from experiencing a loss. With these powerful mindfulness exercises and lifestyle tips, you will be able to replace addictive behaviors with healthy behaviors to begin healing.This workbook will help you: ·Determine the function your addiction is serving ·Develop healthy coping skills for dealing with loss ·Accept your thoughts and emotions ·Avoid addiction “triggers” ·Heal broken relationships and build a support system No matter the loss, the mindfulness skills in this workbook will allow you to process your grief and replace your addiction with healthy coping behaviors.

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