I appreciate all the suggestions of a book for someone who has lost a wife of 32 years. lso for the kind, personal nature of the replies.
Alan
The most frequent suggestion was Joan Didion’s book, The Year of Magical Thinking, written on the death of her husband.
Others include:
When Bad Things Happen to Good People. The author’s name is Kaplan. He’s a rabbi, but it’s non-denominational & as I recall, not necessarily religious.
Falling Apart by Pema Chodron. She’s an American Buddhist nun. Quite
psychological like much contemporary Buddhism.
Life after Loss by vamik Volkan and Elizabeth Zintl (scribner).
Judith Viorst’s Necessary Losses.
C. S. Lewis’ “A grief observed” is his own attempt to come to grips with his
wife’s death, from cancer.
Madeleine L’Engle’s “Two-part invention” is another about the death of a
spouse.
“In the midst of winter” is a book of readings edited by Mary Jane Moffat.
Mark Twain’s writing on the death of his adult daughter; it appears in his
Autobiography, chapter III.
Darwin is also eloquent on the topic of mourning in his “The expression of
emotions in man and animals.” He knew first-hand.
Dickens is also eloquent; the theme appears throughout his writings; and
Kipling, too.
Dr. Suzanne Sachnowitz , wrote a fine book: ‘Til Death, A Story of Survival and Renewal ( Eakin Press, Austin, Texas,2004) about the sudden death of her husband, Larry. I think it offfers some perspective in a way realistic and hopeful.
Messages from the Masters by Brian Weiss, MD
Full Catastrophe Living by John Kabat – Zinn
Life after Loss, by Bob Deits